TBWA Thailand chairman and executive creative director Thor Santisiri, Young and Rubicam executive creative director Trong Tantivejakul and Leo Burnett and Arc Worldwide (Thailand) CEO On-usa Lamliengpol were invited to join the judging panel for the world's top advertising competition.

Thor said current ad trends employed many more new techniques and allowed consumers to participate in creating ads through in-depth consumer-behaviour research.

Linda Locke, Leo Burnett's creative adviser for the Asia-Pacific, said ads today needed to be interactive instead of passive like in the past.

The strategy of "holistic engagement" has become a key to success in the advertising industry. Creative personnel should learn to adopt all necessary contact points and media channels to maximise their ability to engage targeted consumers, she said.

The ad industry here will experience stagnant growth this year, she said. Marketers will have to wait out political developments to see whether stability will return during the next government.

The government may also move to control alcoholic-beverage ads, which could possibly cut spending by alcoholic-beverage manufacturers late this year 60 per cent from the usual Bt1 billion.

Spending for television commercials has already slid 10 per cent since early this year, but a general election late this year will help drive the industry back to growth, she added.

Nitida Asawanipont

The Nation