Thai teenagers forsaking traditional media for 'Net

<p>Advertisers are having a tough time reaching Thai teenagers, who </p><p>have tuned out traditional media as few have time to watch television, </p><p>listen to the radio or read magazines. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>According to a joint study by Ogilvy & Mather Thailand and Bangkok's </p><p>Chulalongkorn University's faculty of communication arts, the Internet </p><p>is now the entertainment and communication medium of choice among Thai </p><p>teens. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The study found that youngsters in Thailand are logging on and spending </p><p>more time on the Internet using chat rooms as their preferred method of </p><p>communication. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Ogilvy & Mather Thailand managing director Mr Witawat Jayapani said Thai </p><p>teens aged between 13 to 17 averaged three hours a day on line, compared </p><p>with three to five hours on line for 18 to 19 year olds. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"They are addicted to talking on the 'Net. They use it as a means to </p><p>communicate and relate to other teens, the content is really </p><p>nothing." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Eighty-six per cent of respondents said they must communicate via a </p><p>computer, compared with just 24 per cent who said a mobile phone or </p><p>pager was the most important communications tool. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>He said the most popular on-line activities were talking to their </p><p>friends in chat rooms, followed by e-mail, playing games, looking at </p><p>pictures of Thai movie stars or models, ICQ and finally surfing the </p><p>Internet for information on fashion, entertainment and sports. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"Banner ads won't work with this target market unless you find the right </p><p>positioning. Thai teens know how to bookmark and jump in without </p><p>visiting a site's main page the second time. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"They have a very low ad view on-line. They laugh at e-commerce since </p><p>they don't buy on-line and don't believe in the future of this type of </p><p>business," Mr Witawat, said. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The finding showed that Thai teens between 13 to 17 spend from nine to </p><p>10 hours a day studying and most take special tutorial classes after </p><p>school or on weekends. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>According to the study, Thai teens have little free time and Internet </p><p>brands must have what Mr Witawat called the "right brand DNA" to attract </p><p>attention. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"Since they spend so much studying, Internet brand names must be </p><p>associated with fun or chit chat," he added. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Getting good grades was considered "cool" with 80 per cent of </p><p>respondents and viewed as a strong tool to barter with parents for "fun </p><p>things in life". </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Thai teens reserve the largest space in their heart for their parents, </p><p>especially mum, and 95 per cent of respondents said they should be </p><p>polite and respect their parents. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"They are different than teens in other parts of the world; brands that </p><p>rebel against parents will never win the hearts of Thai teens," Mr </p><p>Witawat said. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>As a result of the economic crisis Thai teens are more conscious of </p><p>value for money rather than big name brands. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Asked whether they were willing to spend 60,000 baht (US$1540) on </p><p>a name brand computer, the teens said they would prefer to spend less </p><p>and customise an unbranded computer to "high meg, big gig" </p><p>specifications, Mr Witawat, said. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The study, called "The World of Thai Teens: the Chit-Chat Generation", </p><p>polled 1,100 Thai teens aged between 13-19 years in Phitsanulok, Khon </p><p>Kaen, Bangkok, Kanchanaburi and Nakhon Si Thammarat provinces to gauge </p><p>opinion. The research was conducted between May 10 and June 10 this year </p><p>through individual and group face-to-face interviews. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>