The name-change exercise, which is also taking place in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

So far the transformation has taken place in 20 countries, and in Thailand the use of the PHD name has been in effect since September 1. Once the rebranding process is complete in Asia, 15 countries will remain to be changed, according to Mike Cooper, CEO of OMG Asia Pacific.

Next year OMG will begin building up its PHD network, he added.

OMG previously had two media agencies in Asia: Media Wise and OMD. Both carried out strategic planning within the media, helping corporate customers buy media channels.

After the change, OMD will remain but will focus on local corporate customers, which require traditional forms of media strategy and buying, while PHD will focus on international brands, which seek more modern processes.

Using OMD's traditional approach, advertisers create advertising campaigns first and then look for the best media channels for them. With PHD, on the other hand, advertisers consult the media agency first regarding what they want, at which point PHD analyses their strengths and weaknesses and then selects the media channels that best fit the customers.

Cooper said OMG would not overhaul Media's Wise's business management or working structure. It has established new executive positions, including regional managing director for OMG South East Asia based in Singapore, to which Jim Goh was recently appointed, and general manager for PHD (Thailand) Co Ltd, to which Wilawan Charoensedtasin has been appointed.

In addition, OMG will send experts from the United Kingdom to train PHD staff across Asia.

To make people aware of PHD and the difference between PHD and OMD, Cooper said OMG had allocated a significant budget for marketing, although he declined to reveal the figure.

PHD, which was started up 10 years ago, was bought up by OMG in 2000.

David Pattison, CEO of PHD Worldwide, said OMG still needed to acquire more companies to ensure the PHD network works effectively. He said the company was looking at companies in India, China (Shanghai) and Australia, but had not yet formulated a plan for approaching or acquiring them. However, it expects to buy some companies soon in Eastern Europe.

Regarding its global economic position, Pattison said OMG was still experiencing solid growth, with expansion as high as 25 per cent over the last few years.

He said that although many new media channels have emerged, taking away revenue from traditional media channels, companies eventually realised they still need traditional media channels in order to build awareness.

PHD has 34 offices in 28 countries. OMG has three main businesses: advertising, marketing services and its media group, which includes PHD and OMD. Marketing services is its biggest unit.

Nitida Asawanipont

The Nation