FOCUS - 2001 PREVIEW: Better times tipped

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to predict that Asia will be the major growth region in the world over the next five to 10 years. The only thing that worries me about that prediction is that most economists agree. Looking at the EIU forecasts for 2001, GDP for Asia versus the rest of the world shows Asia, ex Japan, at 6.3 per cent compared with the rest of the world at 3.3 per cent. Japan is expected to grow from 1.5 per cent to 1.9 per cent this year. Given this scenario and government instabilities in Japan, Philippines and Indonesia aside, 2001 should be a reasonable year. At D'Arcy, we anticipate continuing strong growth. Aside from political unrest, media inflation could be an inhibitor to growth. Media is becoming ever more expensive off the back of a general economic recovery. China in particular is helping to fuel the fire. Hopefully this will not deflate advertising industry growth. The same pattern is emerging in Southeast Asia with growth of 31 per cent. Dramatic growth of 27 per cent in Thailand is making it the third largest market in Asia. For everyone, China is the big opportunity. With the WTO about to play a significant role in shaping China's economy, we at D'Arcy will be engaged in helping both global brands and Chinese brands to establish themselves. Creating and growing brands for Chinese companies, I believe, will be a very rewarding challenge. Throughout the region, the non-media sector of marketing services will help to drive growth in 2001. Clients are continually seeking more effective and efficient ways of reaching their consumers. They are also seeking to ensure that their spends have a cumulative effect. The most effective way to achieve this is for each piece of the marketing mix to dovetail with the other. At D'Arcy we will be further focusing on this through our creative brand optimisation activity. With creative brand optimisation, D'Arcy will reinforce its position of being ideas-centric. We have the know-how, the people, and the passion for anticipating needs, and providing brand building solutions for our clients, into and beyond 2001.

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