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Published on January 19, 2008

Seen as a high potential growth, this segment's market share accounts for 4 per cent of the total baby-care product market of Bt7 billion. About 95 per cent of the segment is dominated by Mamy Poko.

"We expect the newborn-baby product market to grow 30-50 per cent this year," said Hiroyuki Yagi, marketing manager for the Baby-Care Marketing Department of Uni-Charm (Thailand).

He said the company would promote its Mamy Poko newborn products via mass media and at hospitals.

He said the brand was a leader with more than a 60-per-cent market share in all market segments by size: newborn and small, medium, large, extra large and double extra large.

The newborn and small sizes account for 15-18 per cent of baby-care product sales. The medium and large sizes share a combined 60 per cent.

Of its marketing budget for Mamy Poko this year, 80-90 per cent is for television commercials and the rest for event marketing.

Yagi said that this year the company had decided to attend Thailand Baby & Kids Best Buy 2008, a fair to be held at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre from February 14-17. This is the first time Many Poko has spent money on below-the-line or event marketing.

Yagi declined to disclose the budget set aside for the fair.

Though faced with higher costs mainly derived from oil-price hikes, Yagi said the company had not decided to raise the prices for Mamy Poko. He also declined to give details about new product launches this year.

Yagi said the company expected Mamy Poko to grow 15 per cent in fiscal 2007 (ending March 31, 2008) and another 20 per cent in fiscal 2008.

Sasithorn Ongdee

The Nation