Olgilvy & Mather still focused on traditional media

The team at Ogilvy & Mather Advertising that created the ad for WWF Thailand in support of the Forests for Life project. At last month’s Cannes Lions 2007, the ad won two Gold Lion awards.

Executive creative director Nopadol Srikieatikajohn yesterday said the impact of new media, including on-line media, in the Kingdom as a whole remained quite low. Only Bangkok and other major cities have really experienced quick growth.

"Traditional media, particularly television, is still the main channel for Thai consumers," he said.

The coming of new media has yet to have a strong impact on the influence of traditional media on consumers. Nopadol said all ads were still initially created for use in traditional media and would gradually be applied to new media.

Nevertheless, Nopadol said he and Ogilvy's creative team were not ignoring the trend and even foresaw that new media would certainly become strong in the future like in many other countries.

"We have a section - OgilvyOne Worldwide - especially for servicing clients wanting to advertise and market through channels in the new media as part of their campaigns," he said.

However, regardless of the issue of using traditional media or new media, he said big new ideas that really touched consumers' minds were still the most important for marketing plans and advertisements. Advertisements are needed that can immediately convince consumers, especially during the current economic slow-down.

These advertisements also have a strong chance to win prizes in renowned advertising competitions.

Ogilvy won two Gold Lion awards - in the Public Awareness and Outdoor Public Awareness categories - for non-profit organisations working on environmental conservation for the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Thailand. Cannes Lions 2007 was held from June 17-23.

The award-winning ad was created to support Forests for Life, a WWF Thailand campaign for sustainable forest conservation. It sarcastically demonstrates that people destroy forests every day without realising that they are their lives.

Nopadol said this was the third consecutive year for Ogilvy Thailand to win Gold Lions.

The Ogilvy network in Canada also won the Grand Prix for a Dove advertisement. He said the global Ogilvy network won 29 Lions this year.

Another executive creative director, Wisit Lumsiricharoenchoke, said winning many gold awards from Cannes enhanced the reputation of the Thai office but that this did not mean more advertisers would ask the local company to create work for use regionally or globally. He said it depended on the marketing objectives of each product or brand.

Nitida Asawanipont

The Nation