CP Orange tipped to spend US$20m
<p>BANGKOK: Thailand's mobile phone sector is poised to receive a
</p><p>massive wake-up call with the imminent launch of CP Orange, which is
</p><p>believed to be armed with a one billion baht (US$20 million)
</p><p>marketing budget.
</p><p><BR><BR>
</p><p>Speculation of its budget size has competitors, chiefly AIS and DTAC,
</p><p>bracing themselves for what could be the biggest spending spree ever
</p><p>seen in Thailand. A pre-Christmas launch by CP Orange is highly
</p><p>anticipated.
</p><p><BR><BR>
</p><p>"Everything is booked in January - buildings, trains, buses, streets,
</p><p>tuk-tuks," said one media analyst.
</p><p><BR><BR>
</p><p>CP Orange is aiming for 90 per cent coverage of its network capacity of
</p><p>1.1 million by the end of 2002. Its corporate affairs manager, Duke
</p><p>Theerathada, said: "We will bring the Orange international brand values
</p><p>in a way that is highly relevant to Thai people. Our look and feel will
</p><p>be very different from the current advertising by AIS and DTAC. If you
</p><p>click back and forth between them, there is no difference, except for
</p><p>the presenter."
</p><p><BR><BR>
</p><p>Mobile phone firms top Thai adspend categories, with AIS and DTAC
</p><p>estimated to have spent a total of 1,146 million baht (US$25.5
</p><p>million) between them for the January to September 2001 period,
</p><p>according to ACNielsen.
</p><p><BR><BR>
</p><p>The mobile phone market is expected to reach nearly 30 per cent
</p><p>penetration by 2005, or have about 18.5 to 20 million subscribers. CP
</p><p>Orange is aiming to pull in one-third of the total market within five
</p><p>years. Heavyweight Thai-based Southeast Asian conglomerate, CP Group,
</p><p>teamed up with Orange, Europe's largest mobile phone firm in September
</p><p>2000, resulting in a company observers predict will greatly dent the
</p><p>fortunes of AIS and DTAC.
</p><p><BR><BR>
</p><p>This fear can be evidenced by the way AIS and DTAC have been trying to
</p><p>take the wind out of CP Orange's sails by mimicking successful marketing
</p><p>initiatives the company has undertaken in the past and introducing these
</p><p>schemes as their own.
</p><p><BR><BR>
</p><p>Duke said: "We have affected the market even before our entry. AIS and
</p><p>DTAC are trying to pre-empt Orange, such as by helping dealers decorate
</p><p>their shops, and introducing drop calls and per second billing."
</p><p><BR><BR>
</p>
by
|
12/14/2001
BANGKOK: Thailand's mobile phone sector is poised to receive a
massive wake-up call with the imminent launch of CP Orange, which is
believed to be armed with a one billion baht (US$20 million)
marketing budget.
Speculation of its budget size has competitors, chiefly AIS and DTAC,
bracing themselves for what could be the biggest spending spree ever
seen in Thailand. A pre-Christmas launch by CP Orange is highly
anticipated.
"Everything is booked in January - buildings, trains, buses, streets,
tuk-tuks," said one media analyst.
CP Orange is aiming for 90 per cent coverage of its network capacity of
1.1 million by the end of 2002. Its corporate affairs manager, Duke
Theerathada, said: "We will bring the Orange international brand values
in a way that is highly relevant to Thai people. Our look and feel will
be very different from the current advertising by AIS and DTAC. If you
click back and forth between them, there is no difference, except for
the presenter."
Mobile phone firms top Thai adspend categories, with AIS and DTAC
estimated to have spent a total of 1,146 million baht (US$25.5
million) between them for the January to September 2001 period,
according to ACNielsen.
The mobile phone market is expected to reach nearly 30 per cent
penetration by 2005, or have about 18.5 to 20 million subscribers. CP
Orange is aiming to pull in one-third of the total market within five
years. Heavyweight Thai-based Southeast Asian conglomerate, CP Group,
teamed up with Orange, Europe's largest mobile phone firm in September
2000, resulting in a company observers predict will greatly dent the
fortunes of AIS and DTAC.
This fear can be evidenced by the way AIS and DTAC have been trying to
take the wind out of CP Orange's sails by mimicking successful marketing
initiatives the company has undertaken in the past and introducing these
schemes as their own.
Duke said: "We have affected the market even before our entry. AIS and
DTAC are trying to pre-empt Orange, such as by helping dealers decorate
their shops, and introducing drop calls and per second billing."
