FOCUS - OUTDOOR ADVERTISING: Outdoor media stages recovery in Thailand

Outdoor media in Thailand has recovered from recession lows of 1998, when billboard advertising basically disappeared overnight. Many advertisers were finance companies and property developers that were hard hit by the financial crisis. While figures have not reached pre-recession figures, the sector has made an impressive comeback and attracted new companies and outdoor applications to Thailand. OMD managing director Martin Dufty said selling outdoor media remained an important tool for media buyers. "Outdoor media is still viable in the Thai marketplace. We buy outdoor media because there are lots of fun and funky things you can do with it." Mr Dufty said prices remained stable and were not a problem, but the length of commitment to the space was an issue. "Length of commitment is a downside. Billboard owners will tell you one month, then three and if more than six months then it could easily become a one year deal." Production costs for new technologies like trivision were becoming more common in the country, and Mr Dufty predicted rates would continue to drop in the near term. However, Initiative Media managing director Wannee Ruttanaphon said billboards were not a media of choice and most companies that commonly used them had gone out of business. More importantly, the impact of outdoor media was difficult to gauge, and clients want results from advertising dollars spent. "Most clients only spend on outdoor media if they have extra cash, or during a product launch to raise awareness," she said. "How do you measure the success or impact of a billboard when TVCs give you better feedback for the money." MMTI Marketing (Thailand) entered the country late last year and specialises in digital imaging using acrylic based lacquer paints on pure white vinyl, the first of its kind in Thailand. This process gives clients up to five years of use compared to six months for normal cloth billboards. According to Ms Wannee, prices are often quoted in US dollars and the new materials are up to 30 per cent higher than local competitors, and this puts off many potential clients with limited budgets. "The production costs are very expensive and drive away many clients when they find out billboard production will cost more than the rent," she said.

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