The latest MEDIA-CNBC Asian Advertising Industry Poll confirms the
fact that advertising these days isn't just about television commercials
and print ads.
Greater emphasis and resources, the poll found, are being placed on
below-the-line activities as marketers attempt to harness the Internet
to develop as many one-to-one relationships as possible.
But while agencies aren't reaping huge rewards from below-the-line yet,
75 per cent of respondents expected this to change for the better.
They also expected banking and financial services to be the impetus for
further growth for the direct marketing industry. This is expected
because of the development of online banking and stock-trading.
The exploding popularity of the Internet has given below-the-line a
major boost and this is underlined by the fact that 84 per cent of
respondents said it was 'crucial', 'very important' or 'somewhat
important' that email marketing efforts were incorporated into direct
marketing campaigns.
In addition, 62 per cent said that their agency had integrated their
direct marketing and interactive functions.
The increasing importance of below-the-line is without doubt. However,
this is not to say that above-the-line's importance has been greatly
diminished.
Advertising professionals said that in this ad cluttered world, every
component of the campaign has to be treated with equal importance.
