BANGKOK: Radio ad spending experienced a typical seasonal jump for
the hot summer months, but growth for the first quarter was flat
relative to last year's figures.
According to local radio sales agent Key To Success, total spending grew
sharply from 192.5 million baht (USdollars 4.3 million) in February to
250.4 million baht in March.
Distributors of seasonally affected products like soft drinks and
air-conditioners have been responsible for the jump, said Sirilak
Pornsiripan,the company's managing director.
March and April are peak months for radio as marketers attempt to take
advantage of both the heat and the Thai New Year holiday. This year
Coca-Cola emerged as the biggest spender in the soft-drinks category,
followed by Pepsi and Schweppes Soda. Japanese manufacturers -
Saijo-Denki, Daikin and Toshiba - bought most of the air-conditioner
radio spots.
Yet despite the seasonal rise, spending was flat at 643 million baht
(USdollars 14.3 million) in the first quarter. Sirilak blamed sluggish
sales on economic uncertainties spurred by the slowdown in the US and
Japan.
She did not see much hope for the near term.
