[November 20, 2009] AIS aims to be leader in media services Tweet Nov 19, 2009 (Bangkok Post - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Advanced Info Service, the country's largest mobile phone operator, aims to become a leading interactive wireless media provider as it forecasts a boom in digital media services next year. With the mobile population exceeding 50 million and an online population of 15 million forecast next year, AIS sees bigger business potential for using digital media as a marketing tool. "With the change in the character of people and society, the trend toward using digital media as a marketing tool is rising steadily," said Pratthaqna Leelapanang, assistant vice-president for value-added services at AIS. He estimated annual growth in digital media spending of 30 percent while traditional media could shrink by up to 20 percent. However, the challenge in using digital communication media, which combine mobile and online applications, is to match the character of the products being marketed with the appropriate media. Leading brand names now are using more online advertising as well as seeking a presence on social networking sites, while mobile media offer an additional chance to interact with consumers. Mr Pratthaqna said AIS had been developing mobile advertising since 2005 to accommodate the trend with a variety of permission-based services, since customers' consent to receive messages is the key to successful mobile marketing. Its applications include mADS, mLIVE, SMS2.0, free e-mail, calling melody ads (for enterprises), location-based push, WAP banner ads, mobile internet maps, and ad-sponsored concept tests. AIS's mobile advertising team has been developing four business models to accommodate digital media: platform management, service management, segmentation and network distribution. It is also working with application and content providers to serve those business models and earn revenues from advertisers and customers. Thai advertising spending this year is estimated to be worth about 80 billion baht but only about 1 percent of that sum represents added value, in his view. With so much room to add value to ad spending, he said digital media could play a significant role next year. AIS now has 6 million customers that access the internet via mobile phones, a figure that is growing by 20 percent annually. Usage frequency averages 2-3 times a week compared with 2-3 times a month earlier, helped by the wider availability of phones such as the BlackBerry and Nokia N series handsets. Shares of AIS (ADVANC) closed unchanged yesterday at 85.25 baht. To see more of the Bangkok Post, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.bangkokpost.com. Copyright (c) 2009, Bangkok Post, Thailand Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]