Online video is gaining a bigger share of media spending, which is shifting from TV due to the proliferation of budget smartphones here, says mInteraction, the digital division of GroupM Thailand.
“Video is the next frontier for advertisers and the growing popularity of online video is astounding,” said mInteraction chief executive Siwat Chawareewong.
He said online video is reaching a critical mass of 3-4 million viewers currently, based on many established portal websites such as Sanook.com, MThai.com and Kapook.com.
Viewers can watch short news and entertainment clips from these sites.
Moreover, the shift of higher quality content such as English Premier League (EPL) to second and third screens will attract more digital viewers, due to the lower cost of accessibility.
CTH, the main EPL rights holder, charges 899 baht a month to watch soccer games on TV, while Advanced Info Service, the EPL’s over-the-top rights holder, charges 199 baht a month to watch them on mobile devices.
Online-video consumption is increasing not only in terms of viewing hours but also its penetration.
Pre-roll ads — promotional messages that play before the content — will become a popular ad tool on online media.
However, the problem is that 15-second pre-roll ads are too long for online users, and advertisers should cut them to seven or eight seconds or customise them for online users.
Mr Siwat said smartphones are more than the new desktop and reaching the mass — smartphones and tablets have effectively become an integrated component of consumer’s multi-platform lifestyle.
Currently, Thailand has 20 million smartphone users.
The popularity of chat apps and social media services will make the next phone much smarter.
Thailand has 23 million Line users, representing 93.3% of website users visiting a social network site. That means advertisers could get closer to customers through Line.
Digital media helps advertisers get to know their target customers and revise their marketing plans accordingly.
Mr Siwat said pure digital campaigns hardly attract consumers as their habits have become more digital. They combine digital and traditional media.
However, advertisers should integrate digital media with physical objects or products for an effective ad campaign.
For example, the Share a Coke campaign by Coca-Cola (Thailand) has been successful with a growing market share of Coke in the overall soft drinks market.
It was an iconic brand among Thai consumers, and the hashtag #ShareaCokeTH has encouraged users to promote Coke’s brand widely through online, which generated an immense value of media.