Category: Marketing

Data shows a steady increase in ownership of products such as digital still cameras, laptop/ notebook computers as well as LCD/ Plasma TVs across the region. Moreover, affluent consumers who use the Internet own more products than non-users.

In its 13th year, Synovate Pax studies elite adults, tracking media and digital consumption, prosperity, and influence across 11 markets from Hong Kong, Singapore, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Japan, to Australia. The survey is conducted year-round and Synovate spoke with 20,245 affluent consumers in Asia Pacific to get the 2009 results.

Synovate executive director of media Steve Garton says, “The Pax 2009 results show that this affluent group is more important than ever for many marketers. This is a core audience group with money on hand and is willing to spend despite the condition of the economy.”

Good versus bad times : Across the region, ownership of laptop/notebook computers by elites jumped from 40.8 per cent last year (up to Q2 2008) to 48 per cent this year (up to Q2 2009). Purchase intention over the next 12 months also held at around 12 per cent.

Results also show that an increasing number of affluent PAX consumers now own a digital still camera: from 58.7 per cent last year, to 63.5 per cent owning one this year.

A new question added in Pax 2009 gauges the popularity of High Definition TVs or HDTV by asking affluent consumers their intention to purchase one over the next 12 months. Close to six per cent of elites in Singapore indicated they want to buy one. Currently 31.8 per cent of Singapore’s affluent own an HDTV.

LCD/ plasma TVs have become more prevalent across Asia Pacific, from 32.2 per cent of elites owning one last year to currently 36.5 per cent of the group. What’s more, 11.8 per cent across the region would like to buy a LCD/ plasma TV in the next 12 months. 57 per cent of Singapore elites own a LCD / plasma TV, with 9.5 per cent wanting to purchase one in the next 12 months.

Continuing to seek luxury : Singapore, Taiwan, and Hong Kong have seen more elites owning designer clothes and leather goods ($1000+ per item) over the past year.

Synovate’s research director in Hong Kong Clare Lui says, “It is obvious that affluent consumers do not want to give up their quality of life. The top places with the highest increase of designer clothes and leather goods ownership can be seen in Singapore, from 4.8 per cent of ownership last year to 11.3% this year, followed by Taipei, from eigfht per cent to 9.6 per cent, then Hong Kong, from 15.8 per cent to 17 per cent”.

In terms of the market that shows the most intention to purchase luxury goods ($1000+ per item) in the next 12 months, elites in Manila top the charts – such as for designer clothes and leather goods (8.7 per cent Manila elites vs. regional average of 3.3 per cent), designer footwear (7.1 per cent versus regional average of 2.3 per cent), jewellery (10.5 per cent versus average 5.2 per cent), and luxury watches (8.6 per cent versus average 4.2 per cent)

Ownership of private cars held steady at around 73 per cent across the region. Singapore showed the highest jump, from 60.8 per cent last year to 67.1 per cent this year.

Smartphones on the rise : 63 per cent of those surveyed in PAX 2009 own a mobile phone with Internet access and camera functions while 10.4 per cent have a hybrid/ PDA phone. The figures were up from last year’s 59.7 per cent for mobile phones with Internet access and camera functions, and 8 per cent for hybrid mobiles.

What about purchase intentions over the next 12 months for mobile phones with Internet access and camera functions? Taipei sees the most increase from 9.4 per cent of elites who wanted to buy one last year, to 14.2 per cent this year. In Singapore, 6.9 per cent indicated intention to purchase in Q2 2008, to 9.6 per cent in Q2 2009.

Top markets with an intention to purchase a hybrid/ PDA phone in the future are Taiwan (9.6 per cent of elites like one), Kuala Lumpur (8.7 per cent), Bangkok (8.4 per cent), Manila (8.1 per cent), and Hong Kong (six per cent).

Pax Digital Life, which studies affluent consumers’ digital habits, revealed that when smart mobile device owners go online, 73.6 per cent of the time is through PC or laptop access, while the rest of the time (26.4 per cent) is through mobile and smartphone access.

Across the region, smartphones are mostly used on weekends when elites are out of office or at home. Eighteen per cent of the time using Smartphones is during work, 27 per cent is at home, and 55 per cent is at other places.

Internet users own more products : Across the region, it is found that elites who use the Internet own more products. For example, 22 per cent more Internet savvy elites go on one or more leisure trips compared to non Internet using elites (36 per cent versus 14 per cent); 10 per cent more have a luxury watch (22 per cent vs. 12 per cent); 30 per cent more own a digital still camera (70 per cent versus 40 per cent); and 22 per cent more have a LCD/ plasma TV (41 per cent versus 19 per cent).

Traditional media to mainstream media : Marketers have to start thinking about mainstream media.

“Television, as we have said last year, has already escaped the box and the living room. Pax 2009 findings show that seven per cent of elites have watched a TV programme via mobile in the past 30 days,” says Gartion.

As for print, people are still consuming it, but in different ways. “37 per cent of time spent reading publications is done online in a typical week,” adds Gartion.

Bates has developed a television commercial (TVC) for Diva that features LaOpala brand ambassador Bipasha Basu. The film has been produced by Sharp Shooter Films and is directed by Sanjeev Chowdhury.

Says Bates 141 executive VP Abeer Chakravarty, “It‘s a very interesting and showcasable category (pun intended!) that would allow some creative sparks to fly. The fact that the client didn‘t seek a pitch and chose us is really heartening and encouraging.”

Adds LaOpala VP for marketing and sales Manish Jain, “The creative work done by Bates141 has won several accolades. Also, in the initial round of meetings before the finalisation of agency, I found them very participative and felt that the agency believes in working with the client as a team.”

As part of his new mandate, Jacobs will oversee Glam Media‘s brand advertising products, the Glam Publisher Network of 1,400 publishers, Glam‘s agencies and also brand advertising partners.

Said Arora, “Josh Jacobs is a driving force in the development of premium display as it relates to the niche content that now powers the web. Josh will leverage his publishing and digital media experience as a key member of our company‘s executive leadership team.”

Prior to this, Jacobs was vice president and GM marketing technology at Yahoo. He was also head of strategy and marketing for the Yahoo Publisher Network (YPN).

The six-week long campaign aims to target 2,000 GRPs across various channels in the Hindi general entertainment space, news, sports, kids, music and movie channels.

The 360 degree campaign will spread across, print, radio, online, OOH, television and BTL. More than 100 publications, 50 radio stations and 1,000 websites are being targeted for the new campaign.

Leo Burnett has developed the new TVC.

Big TV SVP Umesh Rao said, “The new TV commercial is structured on customer advocacy and aims to promote a sense of ‘joy of ownership‘ of Reliance Big TV.”

As part of their online campaign, the company has planned a day-long roadblock on websites such as Yahoo, Rediff, MSN and Sify. Big TV‘s online campaign is scheduled to start by the week-end on 1000 websites.

Said Edward Jones principal/chief marketing officer Brad Iversen, “In light of recent events, people remain skeptical of which strategies to pursue and with which firms to work. In this environment, Edward Jones‘ longtime approach to investing could almost be considered ‘radical‘ — one based on personal attention and thoughtful consideration.”

“As other financial-service firms try to adjust their marketing messages accordingly, we‘re reminding people that this is how we‘ve done business for 87 years,” Iversen added.

Three 30-second ads have been launched on networks including CNN/Headline News, MSNBC, ESPN, CBC Newsworld, BNN and Food Network. Online ads, meanwhile, are appearing on Morningstar.com, Forbes.com and NYTimes.com.

Prior to this, Das was VP and client services director at JWT Mumbai, before he was seconded to head Fortune Communications, a wholly owned subsidiary of JWT India in January 2006.

Said M&C Saatchi India chairman and MD Kamal Oberoi, “Suranjan inherits an operation that is fast developing a reputation for creative excellence. I am certain Suranjan will ensure that our creative excellence continues and that our office will make great strides in developing and attracting new business.”

At JWT, Das handled various categories of businesses that included FMCG, consumer products (HLL- Lux, Sunsilk, Pears; GSL – Good Knight, Emami, Chateau Indage Vineyards), durables (Philips, VIP Luggage, Godrej Appliances), finance (Citibank, StanChart Bank, Stanchart AMC, LIC), travel & hospitality (Air India, ITC Welcomgroup- Sea Rock); and beverages (Smirnoff).

The project that is in partnership with the West Bengal government is aimed at developing a Rs 100 billion ‘greenfield airport city‘ at Durgapur, West Bengal.

The seven-year Aerotropolis project will see setting up of a domestic regional airport to cater to the local industrial belt and development of logistics, supply chain management and IT hubs subsequently.

Says Bates141 EVP Abeer Chakravarty, “We are excited about the major challenge in selling such a development in Bengal. It‘s got all that it needs to be lapped up but requires stimulating a paradigm shift in perception.”

JWT, Ogilvy and Rediffusion Y&R were among other agencies who pitched for the Aerotropolis project.

In January this year, Titan launched the first and at present the only ‘Helios’ store in the country in Bangalore with the tagline ‘Obsessed with watches’.

The store averages about 700 footfalls per month of which about 55 per cent are converted to sales and service with an average ticket size of Rs.10,000.

Swiss premium watch brand Raymond Weil announced the India launch of its ‘Noemia’ ladies collection at Helios recently. The arrangement is an exclusive one – Noemia will be available only at the Helios stores.

Titan has been promoting the Helios chain by BTL events, newspaper, outdoor hoardings and radio advertisements. Raymond Weil president and CEO Oliver Bernheim plans to regularise the use of print media until the chain has a presence in other cities in the country.

Initially, O&M did the creative work for Helios which are now being handled by a local Bangalore agency – Origami. The media buying is done through Maxus. Creative work for Noemia will be done at Switzerland, informed Bernheim.

Speaking to indiantelevision.com, F-G CEO Deepak Sood revealed, “The third phase of our campaign will be product-specific and like the preceding initiatives will be across print, television, OOH and radio jingles.”

“We are currently on air across all the major entertainment channels – national as well as regional”, he added.

F-G’s current on-air campaign blends emotional moments in a human life like celebrating a 90th birthday, Griha Pravesh (Entry into a new home), birth of a child, festivals such as Raksha Bandhan, Diwali, the Durga Puja.

Playing on the tagline“Ek Shagun Zindagi ke Naam”, the campaign has been created by O&M, which also handles the media buying for F-G.

Said Starcom Worldwide executive director India-North Tarun Nigam, “Eko is tuned to the needs of its target segment in providing secure, simple and convenient financial services in a cost – effective and scalable manner. We are proud of the fact that they have chosen to partner with us in achieving their marketing goals.”

Eko works on the fundamental premise of giving everyone a bank account. It enables branchless banking using mobile while leveraging existing distribution infrastructure

to extend the service.

Said Eko chief marketing officer Anand Raman, “It is our belief that the need of our business is creative use of a multitude of contact points rather than classical media alone and this is where we look forward to benefiting from Starcom‘s knowledge and services. Their refreshing approach towards engaging consumer attention from an audience that is media and investment neutral was one of the key motivators for us to make the decision in their favour.”