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Published on February 20, 2008

It has an aggressive strategy for penetrating Southeast Asian markets, including the development of new camera designs using new technology and expanding its target groups by lowering its sights from the high end of the market. For the first time, it will offer products prices at less than Bt10,000.

It also plans to spend Bt50 million on marketing in Thailand this year, significantly more than last year's Bt10 million, said Kazuyuki Korasawa, section manager for digital cameras. Marketing will involve mainly activities directed at targeted customers rather than heavy spending on mass-media advertising.

To capture a wider customer group in Thailand, Casio will offer digital cameras using innovative technology and targeted at specific groups, such as teenagers and women, at lower prices.

At the same time, it will offer models for professionals, such as the Exilim Pro EX-F1, one of five in the Exilim family launched in Thailand yesterday. These cameras are aimed at buyers who enjoy taking photographs at sporting events, because they are capable of high-speed movie recording at up to 1,200 frames per second. They are also aimed at travellers.

The five models are capable of high-speed "burst" shooting as well as high-speed movie recording and have auto-shutter functions. They are also designed to be thin and stylish.

Casio's sole distributor in Thailand, Jebsen and Jessen, expects Casio's new models and marketing efforts to increase its share of the Thai market from 3 per cent to 8 per cent this year, making it one of the top five players in the digital-camera market.

The local digital-camera market, now worth Bt8 billion per year, is expected to grow 20 per cent in volume and 4 per cent in value this year. While purchases continue to increase, the price per unit will decline.

Nitida Asawanipont

The Nation