Kim Walker, president and CEO for Asia, believes digital media will soon account for as much as 60-70 per cent of overall media worldwide.

The company has already set up digital teams in Australia, Singapore and Hong Kong, with a particular responsibility for choosing the best digital channel to be used as part of advertising campaigns.

In Thailand, it will launch a digital team within six months. The company, which has had an office here for two years, is working with its network in Asia to brainstorm creative ideas on how to use digital media with traditional media in order to maximise their effectiveness.

Walker said focusing more on digital media was part of the company's strategy to adjust towards the change in advertising trends. He warned that those people with a lack of knowledge of digital media could easily lose their job security in the next decade.

Globally, digital media have played a role in building awareness for several years. Asia-Pacific countries that are most developed in this respect are Singapore and Australia.

However, the technology is still in its early stages in Thailand's advertising industry. This is why M&C Saatchi started focusing on the media this year in the Kingdom.

Many marketers do not really understand the use of digital media for building brand awareness. Therefore, like other agencies, M&C Saatchi is working hard on educating them to clearly know the media, particularly in terms of profitability.

Walker said the growth of digital media in Thailand did not depend only on the marketers' level of understanding, but also on broadband accessibility. One of the main digital channels is not so accessible here that it could convince marketers to invest in creating adverts or activities via the Internet, he added.

Broadband access in big cities such as Bangkok is very strong but remains very weak in rural areas.

Some of M&C Saatchi's corporate customers in Thailand have already used digital media in combination with traditional media such as TV and radio.

The company's 17 customers in the Kingdom include American International Assurance, Bangkok Bank, Major Develop-ment, Au Bon Pain, and InterContinental Hotels Group.

Globally, M&C Saatchi generated £68 million (Bt4.8 billion) in revenue in 2005, an increase of 9.4 per cent from 2004. £39.47 million came from the United Kingdom, £25.08 million from Asia-Pacific, and £3.2 million from the United States.

The company was founded in 1995 and has 170 offices worldwide.

Nitida Asawanipont

The Nation