Belink Media sees signs of further success in the provinces

Belink Media, a provider of integrated communication services for out-of-home media at universities and tutorial centres in Bangkok, is poised to extend its network upcountry where demand is swelling.

The company says it handles more than 85 per cent of out-of-home media at more than 30 universities in Greater Bangkok. They are 220 billboards, 339 multimedia screens and many indoor advertisements.

Its subsidiary, Belink Organizer, helps plan marketing activities for advertisers or product owners aiming to promote their products at those universities and tutorial centres.

"Throughout the past decade, the company enjoyed 30-per-cent annual growth with long-term clients from the consumer product, automobile, IT, banking, cosmetics and beverage businesses," managing director Krisana Thanomsub said yesterday.

The company has earmarked at least Bt20 million to add 150 billboards and 110 multimedia screens this year, with half of them to be installed at five key universities in Khon Kaen, Chon Buri, Chiang Mai and Maha Sarakham, he said.

By expanding its target base, the company believes it can help clients communicate with new customers in the provinces, particularly university students.

The company targets a revenue increase of 30 per cent to Bt200 million this year, of which 60-70 per will come from organising marketing activities for clients and the rest from adverts at office buildings and commercial projects that the company has management contracts with in Bangkok.

Another revenue source is providing TV production services and helping produce tailor-made news programmes for the universities that it has dealings with.

The TV shows are aired on Belink's U Channel, which can be reached only by 14 universities in Bangkok at this time.

Alternatives such as out-of-home media at universities and tutorial schools are gaining in importance because of the further expansion of businesses from Bangkok to first- and second-tier provinces, Krisana said.

According to media research firm Nielsen (Thailand), last year outdoor advertising saw an almost 6-per-cent rise to Bt4.5 billion from 4.27 billion in 2011, while transit adverts rose almost 12 per cent to Bt2.9 billion from Bt2.6 billion and in-store adverts surged 69 per cent to Bt2.7 billion from Bt1.6 billion.