A move by Singapore Press Holdings to offer a 10 per cent reduction in advertising rates for health and hygiene products until mid-May appears to have prompted an advertising surge by that category since the Sars outbreak in mid-March. The media giant is also extending a 25 per cent discount on ads that salute healthcare workers - an offer than has been taken up by various industries, not just the health and hygiene sectors.
However, the most visible advertisers - at a time when retail, travel and entertainment outlets have taken a beating - remain health and hygiene marketers such as General Nutrition centre and Nature's Farm as well as pharmacies and medical companies.
In Hong Kong, Admango found that two of the top 10 advertisers in March and April were pharmaceutical and health care products.
GlaxoSmithKline, the third biggest advertiser, spent about HK$11.6 million in March, and Advance Pharmaceutical spent $7.2 million as the eighth largest advertiser. Both saw spend levels grow 112 and 189 per cent respectively.
According to Capa Health Care, which handles Glaxo and 3M assignments in Hong Kong, the two advertisers plan to increase ad budgets in the second half of the year. Capa group CD Edmond Yung said: "Bristol Myers Squibb launched its no-rinse cleaning foam in February and achieved its six months sales target in just two weeks."
