CAREERS MEDIA: Zenith CEO Young to move over to dotcom start-up AdXplorer

<p>The move to specialisation in the Internet and new media field is </p><p>gathering pace in Asia, with the establishment of "digital media </p><p>specialist" AdXplorer aiming to exploit the vacuum which traditional </p><p>advertising agencies and media specialists have been struggling to fill </p><p>since the big bang of cyberspace took place. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Zenith Media Asia CEO Antony Young, who will be moving to AdXplorer as </p><p>CEO early next month, said the start-up would focus on marketing </p><p>strategies, campaign development (placement and planning) and </p><p>measurement specifically for digital media. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>AdXplorer launched in Singapore in February, has offices in both Hong </p><p>Kong and Beijing, and is looking to set up in Taipei before the end of </p><p>the year. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"Many people are trying to claim that territory called 'anything on the </p><p>Internet'," Mr Young said. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"There are people trying to fill gaps because there is no one else out </p><p>there doing it." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>AdXplorer will work with dotcoms (content providers, i.e. media owners), </p><p>advertising networks (such as 24/7, Space Asia, DoubleClick and BMC </p><p>Media) and Web strategists (CCG.XM Asia, Grey Interactive, Web </p><p>Connection), as well as traditional ad agencies. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"Our mutual aim is to facilitate online advertising, and we hope to </p><p>complement everyone else and drive users to sites," he said. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>What is currently missing in the mix is "someone who can enable clients </p><p>to put campaigns online, make them effective and add value in terms of </p><p>determining those campaigns and making them successful". </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Therefore, Mr Young believes, ad agencies will want to see AdXplorer </p><p>succeed because "we have only one thing to sell, and that's online". </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>With clients scrambling to get on the 'Net as fast as they can, the </p><p>advertising industry landscape is changing at lightspeed - where </p><p>part-timers were previously taken on by agencies to handle the </p><p>additional workload, there are now up to 30 or 40 fulltime staff doing </p><p>nothing else. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"One problem is the speed - what works or is innovative or hot or funky </p><p>now, will be old news in just six months," he said. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>However, the very problems posed by the speed of the 'Net can also be </p><p>resolved by it - thanks to new ad-serving technology and optimisation </p><p>software, marketers and agencies can see almost immediately if an online </p><p>campaign is working. If it isn't, then changes are equally as rapidly </p><p>effected. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"I don't know of a single client who doesn't want to be on the </p><p>Internet. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>No one needs to be sold on it," Mr Young said. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"Procter & Gamble and all the majors are encouraging their agencies to </p><p>think beyond mainstream advertising, because advertising is much tougher </p><p>and not as effective as it used to be. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"Now is the right time for marketers to look at alternatives as the </p><p>economies recover and move ahead." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>However, Mr Young did caution against getting too carried away, </p><p>stressing that at this point, the Internet was still a supplement to </p><p>mainstream media: "Mass media advertising is still the bread and butter </p><p>of marketers and agencies. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"A lot of truths have been blurred by spiralling inflation of dotcom </p><p>values on the stock markets. It's like a gold rush. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"But whether the bubble bursts or doesn't, is not important. We know </p><p>this is a medium which is going to stick around. It isn't going to go </p><p>away." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>AdXplorer is also looking to hire staff, with its Singapore office now </p><p>15-strong (headed by Southeast Asia general manager Alan Lim) and 12 </p><p>people on board at its Beijing site (headed by North China GM Lim Wee </p><p>Min). </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>A general manager for South China/Hong Kong has been appointed but could </p><p>not be named at press time; and working alongside Mr Young is chief </p><p>marketing officer Eileen Ang, who is based in Singapore. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>