Thailand's digital ad spending is expected to top 12.2 billion baht this year, as brand owners and advertisers move to capitalise on the medium's ability to reach a broad array of consumers, as well as benefit from its cost-saving potential.
According to the Digital Advertising Association of Thailand (DAAT), digital advertising spending this year is expected to continue growing after rising 17% last year to 9.47 billion baht.
Spending this year is forecast to surge by 29% to reach 12.2 billion baht.
Last year's top spending categories included communications, non-alcoholic drinks, skincare products and motor vehicles.
For 2017, the association predicts that top spenders will come from those same four categories as they seek to generate greater brand awareness and engagement with consumers.
"The DAAT strongly believes digital ad spending over the next 12 months will remain vibrant as brands and advertisers still enjoy spending on digital media and urge agencies to focus on how best to draw people's attention to digital devices," said director Pacharee Permvongusawa.
She said 2017 would further be an important one for the media landscape, with consumers increasingly turning towards digital media while consuming less traditional media such as TV, radio and newspapers.
Ms Pacharee, also digital director of Publicis One Digital, said Thailand's digital advertising spending in the first half rose 28.5% year-on-year from 4.73 billion baht.
"The spending trend for digital advertising will be even more obvious this half because there are now multiple tools to help optimise media budgets," she said.
Rajsak Asawasupachai, digital business director of IPG Media Brands, said digital media is now becoming the main channel as advertisers increasingly shift their spending there.
He said Thais spend a lot of time using social media, while they also create and share content as a means of engaging with brands. Advertisers want to be associated with social media given its strong popularity. Currently, more than 80% of Thais use the internet every day.
The average internet user in Thailand spends four hours per day on a mobile device or five hours daily on a desktop PC.
According to the DAAT, digital advertising spending is likely to continue growing, in tandem with the increased online activities of Thai consumers.
The DAAT was founded in 2012 with the objective of benefiting Thailand's advertising industry, companies and consumers.
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