The upcoming general election is poised to boost demand for advertisements as politicians try to sway the electorate, says MAI-listed Three Sixty Five Plc (TSF).
TSF, offering out-of-home (OOH) and digital media, stands to benefit from high ad demand, said chief executive Ohm Apichari.
A TSF electronic advertising board is seen in the Asok area.
There is a brighter outlook for OOH media compared with last year because the general election will increase advertisement spending demand as a means to reach voters, said Mr Ohm.
The ad industry should see increasing demand before the election and after when economic conditions are expected to improve, which will encourage more spending on advertisements, he said.
Marketing and media agency Mindshare forecasts ad spending will reach 124 billion baht in 2019, a 4.8% increase from last year.
The top three media firms anticipate controlling a big chunk of the spending. TV is forecast to enjoy spending worth 73.0 billion baht, a 4.1% increase, while OOH media, which matches urban lifestyles and features digital technology, will reap 7.5 billion in spending, a 9.8% year-on-year increase. Last year OOH media grew 7% and was worth 6.87 billion baht.
Digital media is still the tops in terms of spending growth, and is expected to reap 18 billion baht this year, a 20.5% year-on-year rise.
According to the Digital Advertising Association Thailand, the value of ad spending in 2018 was estimated at 14.9 billion baht, up 20.5% year-on-year.
In addition to TSF's advertisement displays at Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports, the company's portfolio includes outdoor advertising boards across Chiang Mai and mini-billboards in Bangkok, Ubon Ratchathani, Phetchaburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan provinces.
TSF has implemented "Smart City", an imported 65-inch innovative media box to support new functions. Through an LCD HD screen, the box is an outlet for creative content, controllable with an Android tablet. It also provides charging USB sockets for gadgets.
TSF shares closed unchanged yesterday on the MAI at one satang in trade worth 3.02 million baht.