For Thai teens, TV is now 'so last year'

Internet and mobile phones rated as top two 'screens' of choice in media survey by local marketing firm

A recent study of Thai youths has suggested the role of television may be shrinking.
The study, by McCann Worldgroup, found Thai youths feel the Internet is the most important media, while the "second screen" is their mobile phone, which they "can't live without".
Television ranked third in terms of importance to their life.
Dropping by at a 7-Eleven is also part of life for local youths, while good morals
are their new cool, the study found.
McCann, a leading marketing communications group, conducted the study called "My Media" to explore the role of media in the lives of Thai youths.
Marc Davies, vice president of strategic planning at McCann Erickson Thailand, said there were a few surprises in the results.
"That's a shift from traditional media to innovative
and interactive media. We
have known about this but the speed of change is very rapid," he said.
Among other results include the finding that Thai youths love free things and that "good morals" are popular.
"Even though they like to break the rules, good morals are a new cool. But it must be expressed in a cool concept," said Varidda Voraakom, consumer insight manager at McCann. She cited a recent TV ad by Siam Commercial Bank called Namjai (thoughtfulness) as a commercial that Thai youths liked.
Varidda said the survey found Thai youths were very fragmented in terms of preferences and tastes, that below-the-line media campaigns were often significant to them, but the role of television in their lives was shrinking.
"The interesting thing is how to make online advertisements that are liked by teens," she said.
However, when asked about their preferred advertising channels, television was top and the Internet and mobile phone fell to fourth and fifth place respectively, behind even outdoor/indoor ads and magazine/radio ads.
Davies said the study strongly confirmed it was no longer enough for a brand to send messages to consumers. The advertising message had to be relevant to their lifestyle or teens would ignore it.
To utilise mobile phones, marketers must carefully think about "sending good news at the right time" such as a really interesting and exclusive privilege. Or using a reference by friends would be more effective.
"When the message tone is beeping, it's like giving me hope that my friend or someone is sending me message. But when I read, there're 3 messages from a mobile operator. I feel so sad," a female university student was quoted in the survey as saying.
Varidda said teens felt disappointed and automatically disregarded content when SMS senders were not who they expected.
Davies said targeting customers demographically was no longer valid. Instead, marketers should look at "psycho-graphic profiles of targeted customers.
"Demography such as where people live, their age, sex, and social income are no longer connected. A 38-year-old male may have exactly the same needs as a 21-year-old male or even female," he said.
Davies said marketers should also understand that it's age of "My time" now.
"More than half of youth advertising will involve consumers to consumers - 'I am the Media'," he said.
Varidda said the new "media paradigm" was online/ offline. Promotional events that include below-the-line activities were currently very popular among teens, and wireless users. Firms should no longer choose different types of media on the basis of penetration, she said.

Pichaya Changsorn
The Nation
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/08/21/headlines/headlines_30045853.php

Baht measures proposed to Commerce Ministry

The joint private committee comprising the Federation of Thai Industries, the Thai Chamber of Commerce, and the Thai Bankers Association, on Monday proposed its short-term and medium to long-term measures of dealing with the stronger baht to Commerce Minister Krirk-krai Jirapaet.

The short-term measures include the extension of the period that exporters can hold the foreign currency accounts to more than the current limitation of 14 days.
More, the government should urge the state enterprises to repay US dollar-denominated debt before the due dates.In addition, the committee urges the government to set up the fund to help the SME exporters, which have been affected by the stronger baht.
According to their proposed medium and long-term measures, the government should establish fund to handle the continued baht appreciation as well as providing more privileges to local investors to encourage their overseas investment.
The joint private committee would in this evening meet with Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont to propose the measures.
Separately, Narongchai Akarasanee, chairman of Export-Import Bank of Thailand, said in a seminar on Monday that Thai government should use at least US$10 billion of foreign reserves which is at around US$73 billion at present to help curb baht appreciation as a short-term measure.
He said the government should allow state-enterprises as well as private sector to convert their foreign debts into baht.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Chalonphob Sussangkarn commented on Monday that he doesn't agree that Thailand should implement the fixed exchange regime or the basket of currencies as suggested by some. "It is too old fashion," he said. He added the solution for the baht appreciation is that the central bank fully implements the existing measures. So far, the central bank may act too slow, he said.
In addition, Bank of Thailand governor Tarisa Watanagase insisted that the central bank would not turn back to implement the fixed foreign exchange regime.
Asked how the central bank would help exporters amid rising baht, she said the BOT has already helped "oversee" baht.