Leo Burnett sees 15% billings

Leo Burnett Group Thailand, the holistic marketing communications firm, is targeting a 15-per-cent surge in this year's billings driven by new assignments from existing accounts and new local clients thanks mainly to the change in digital communication technology.

"It is undeniable that the full launch of 3G mobile connectivity by telecom giants in the coming months will change consumer behaviour more rapidly than we expect," Songkran Sethesompobe, chief executive officer of Leo Burnett Group Thailand, yesterday told The Nation.

To be prepared for this change, the company has been investing in setting up Arc Worldwide, a provider of public relations, events and promotional marketing, digital marketing and other relevant units.

Songkran added that throughout this year, the company had conducted a series of training events on digital media and marketing for all business units to help them gain a better understanding on how to use this cutting-edge technology to support existing clients' requirement and to be ready for new accounts' demand.

Currently the company has 45 brands in its client portfolio including Samsung, Foremost Dairy, Property Perfect, King Power Duty Free, Tesco Lotus hypermarkets and stores and PT Energy. Of all accounts, 60-70 per cent were local firms while the remainder were from Leo Burnett's international clients.

The CEO said that the company was in talks with a couple of new potential clients and expects to welcome more new accounts this year.

Given these factors, the agency expected to enjoy at least 15-per-cent surge in billings this year, compared to last year, and above industry growth.

According to Media Agency Association of Thailand estimates, advertising expenditure in the Kingdom would rise by at least 10 per cent to Bt149 billion this year from 2012. Television will maintain its key role in the industry with more than 50 per cent of total advertising spending this year, she said. Advertisements via TV will see a 14-per-cent surge to Bt77.9 billion this year from Bt68.1 billion.

Apart from digital marketing service, Leo Burnett was also highlighting its own philosophy called "Humankind" to create the right marketing campaign to communicate with the right targets, the CEO added.