Media Intelligence established by Spa

Spa Advertising has completed a painful restructuring and is rapidly expanding its business portfolio with an eye on continued regional economic recovery. The company has expanded client services and regional offices, while capturing new accounts. Spa, along with Far East Advertising and Thai Hakuhodo, has established Media Intelligence, a company specialising in sourcing and buying media. "The purpose of establishing Media Intelligence is to be part of the new competitive media landscape in Thailand; it is a new chapter for the Thai ad industry," said chairman and CEO Kitti Chambundabongse. He claimed Media Intelligence would be the country's third largest media buying company, behind MindShare and Ammirati Puris Lintas. In 1996, Spa employed 196 people, with annual billings of 1,000 million baht (US$26.6 million). After restructuring and downsizing, staff were slashed to 66 and billings fell to 124 million baht in 1998. But Spa has begun hiring staff and now employs 85 people, maintaining its position as Thailand's fifth largest advertising agency in billing terms. According to Mr Kitti, the company has also empowered staff to make decisions and respond to work challenges quickly. To support this concept, he launched "Spa Best", aimed at getting rid of the red tape, making staff more responsible and getting them to follow through on projects. "It is a moral and cultural issue; it changed the whole working process," he said. "Spa is ready to take off in 2000. We have learned a hell of a lesson." Mr Kitti said Spa had lost key accounts during the regional economic crisis, but has bounced back by winning accounts such as Tops, Acer, Sun Microsystems and the Thai Airways International domestic campaign. In Cambodia, Spa was appointed the agency for Osotspa late last year, the company behind the best-selling energy drink M-150, and entered the country on the strength of that one account. So far, Spa has a satellite office run by two staff. "I am trying to follow my clients and seek opportunity by opening company offices in other countries," said Mr Kitti. "This year we will build on client's brands and expand our network for them."

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