Diverse ad campaigns urged
Advertisers and marketers must work harder to create diverse marketing campaigns to appeal to consumers in both traditional and online media platforms, say advertising executives.
Suthisak Sucharittanonta, chairman and chief creative of BBDO Bangkok, said advertisers and marketers should understand the multi-platform media so that they can create advertising or marketing campaigns to communicate with different target customers through appropriate channels.
Customers, especially those on online platforms, have varying media consumption preferences.
Mr Suthisak said globalisation has changed people’s lifestyles and needs for products or media and brands should brace for big changes during the digital era.
“Globalisation has made us see and understand diversity clearly, so one-size fits-all marketing campaigns can’t be used anymore. Customers are now segmented and fragmented,” he said.
He said the diversity of consumers has also pushed media planners and ad agencies to be more creative and support the changing needs of clients.
“It’s a must for media planners and ad agencies to use the multi-platform media to reach target customers,” Mr Suthisak said.
Bhanu Inkawat, founder and executive creative director of Greyhound Co, relayed the example of the Greyhound clothing brand, which has been trying to expand its target customers for better market opportunities.
He agreed that straight marketing campaigns are not sufficient to capture changing trends as people can access various media.
“Clothing brands especially have to work harder to reach customers and survive under the intense competition,” Mr Bhanu said.
Petcharat Uthaisang, chief marketing officer of McThai, the local operator of McDonald’s fast food chain, said the one-size fits-all marketing strategy is no longer effective for food and beverage products.
She said McDonald’s in Thailand has been adapting its menus for more than 30 years to discover what Thais really wanted and it has been successful so far.
Ms Petcharat said if brands can diversify along with changing needs they will be successful.
AdFest 2017, hosted by the Asia Pacific Advertising Association will be held in Pattaya during March 19-22, expecting to attract more than 1,200 ad agency delegates from Asia-Pacific and the Middle East.
With the theme “20 Years of Diversity”, AdFest aims to recognise creative advertising and reflect how ideas shape brands, including the way products impact consumers.