MEDIA-I: Thailand shows strong internet ad growth spurt

<p>BANGKOK: Despite the moribund figures from most of the world, </p><p>online ad space seller TopSpace said Thailand's online advertising scene </p><p>is still growing wildly. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Glen Poff, vice-president of operations at TopSpace's parent MWeb </p><p>Thailand, said Thailand's online ad business nearly doubled over the </p><p>last year as Thai marketers and ad agencies began to take advantage of </p><p>the internet as a marketing tool. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Over the last 12 months, Poff said advertisers in Thailand spent about </p><p>80 million baht (USdollars 1.8 million) on online ads and sponsorships, </p><p>doubling the 30-40 million baht spent in the same period the year </p><p>before. Large multinationals made up the bulk of local online ad </p><p>spending, with Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Procter & Gamble and Unilever taking </p><p>the lead. Heavy Thai advertisers include wireless operator rivals TAC </p><p>and AIS. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Most of the online spending went towards brand building, increasing </p><p>traffic and positioning, with only a small amount going directly towards </p><p>sales or encouraging purchases, Poff said. A TopSpace survey of </p><p>companies that advertise online found that these companies allocate an </p><p>average of 250,000 to 300,000 baht a month to internet ads, with many </p><p>planning to increase that figure to at least one million baht a month. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>