Association revises digital spending forecast to 5% growth
The revision marked the second-lowest growth rate in its 13 years of recording data.
Advertisers should capture consumer attention and offer them a good experience to encourage purchases, according to marketers.
"Consumers are still cautious about spending, affecting the growth of the digital channel, though it remains important for marketers,' Arpapat Boonrod, managing director for clients in Thailand at market researcher Kantar, told the "DAAT Day 2025" event on Thursday.
In the first half digital ad spending tallied 15.8 billion baht, while in the second half it is forecast to reach 17.2 billion.
The top five sectors that use digital channels are skincare with digital ad spending worth 5.2 billion baht, representing a growth 21%, up for the third consecutive year.
This was followed by non-alcohol drink products with spending of 3 billion baht, up 17%, while automotive spending declined to 2.5 billion, telecom 2.3 billion baht and daily products 2.2 billion baht.
In the media channel, ad spending on Meta (combined Facebook and Instagram) continued to take the biggest share worth 8.4 billion baht, while TikTok ads expanded 63% to 6.77 billion baht, YouTube 4.3 billion baht, small social platforms 2.1 billion baht, online video 1.9 billion baht, LINE 1.7 billion baht, e-commerce 1.3 billion baht and display 1 billion baht.
In 2025, TikTok is expected to be in second place for the first time, surpassing YouTube. TikTok was third last year.
Paruj Daorai, president of the DAAT, said attention is a valuable commodity given the omnipresence of mobile devices and other distractions.
This constant shifting results in significant time loss and reduced productivity, with individuals spending a considerable portion of their day struggling to refocus.
Mr Paruj said globally people check their mobile phones an average of 58 times per day. Each time a phone is checked, it takes one to 1.5 minutes for them to refocus, causing 1.2 hours of lost focus per day, accumulating to 438 hours or 18 days per year of lost focus.
For office workers, attention shifts happen roughly every three minutes due to distractions, and it takes about 30 minutes to refocus on the original task.
This means that in an eight-hour workday, workers are ineffective for roughly seven hours per day, amounting to 35 hours per week. Combining the time lost from mobile phone checks and attention shifts at work, people collectively lose approximately 93 days, or one-quarter of a year, due to fragmented attention and inability to fully focus.
This loss extends beyond mere time, impacting life opportunities, business opportunities and the value individuals could create.
He said the world needs an "attention economy", as attention drives everything and can be converted into money, business, votes and other forms of value.
The key to captivate people is creating unforgettable moments that resonate even after the screen is off, said Mr Paruj.
Advertisers and businesses should adapt their strategies to not only capture attention but also to create memorable experiences and lasting value for consumers, acknowledging that the biggest competitors are no longer just other businesses but rather the very lifestyle that fragments attention.
Werapong Goo, senior vice-president of corporate strategy of Lineman Wongnai, said the heart of good digital marketing is to get consumer attention effectively, and convert attention into tangible results.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Bangkok Post
5 days ago
- Bangkok Post
YouTube turns to AI to spot children posing as adults
SAN FRANCISCO - YouTube has started using artificial intelligence (AI) to figure out when users are children pretending to be adults on the popular video-sharing platform amid pressure to protect minors from sensitive content. The new safeguard is being rolled out in the United States as Google-owned YouTube and social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok are under scrutiny to shield children from content geared for grown-ups. A version of AI referred to as machine learning will be used to estimate the age of users based on a variety of factors, including the kinds of videos watched and account longevity, according to YouTube Youth director of product management James Beser. "This technology will allow us to infer a user's age and then use that signal, regardless of the birthday in the account, to deliver our age-appropriate product experiences and protections," Beser said. "We've used this approach in other markets for some time, where it is working well." The age-estimation model enhances technology already in place to deduce user age, according to YouTube. Users will be notified if YouTube believes them to be minors, giving them the option to verify their age with a credit card, selfie, or government ID, according to the tech firm. Social media platforms are regularly accused of failing to protect the well-being of children. Australia will soon use its landmark social media laws to ban children under 16 from YouTube, a top minister said late last month, stressing a need to shield them from "predatory algorithms." Communications Minister Anika Wells said four-in-ten Australian children had reported viewing harmful content on YouTube, one of the most visited websites in the world. Australia announced last year it was drafting laws that will ban children from social media sites such as Facebook, TikTok and Instagram until they turn 16. "Our position remains clear: YouTube is a video sharing platform with a library of free, high-quality content, increasingly viewed on TV screens," the company said in a statement at the time. "It's not social media." On paper, the ban is one of the strictest in the world. It is due to come into effect on Dec 10.
Bangkok Post
6 days ago
- Bangkok Post
Association revises digital spending forecast to 5% growth
The Digital Advertising Association Thailand (DAAT) has revised its total spending forecast for this year to 5% growth, valued at 33 billion baht, down from a 10% gain due to ongoing uncertainties and the economic downturn. The revision marked the second-lowest growth rate in its 13 years of recording data. Advertisers should capture consumer attention and offer them a good experience to encourage purchases, according to marketers. "Consumers are still cautious about spending, affecting the growth of the digital channel, though it remains important for marketers,' Arpapat Boonrod, managing director for clients in Thailand at market researcher Kantar, told the "DAAT Day 2025" event on Thursday. In the first half digital ad spending tallied 15.8 billion baht, while in the second half it is forecast to reach 17.2 billion. The top five sectors that use digital channels are skincare with digital ad spending worth 5.2 billion baht, representing a growth 21%, up for the third consecutive year. This was followed by non-alcohol drink products with spending of 3 billion baht, up 17%, while automotive spending declined to 2.5 billion, telecom 2.3 billion baht and daily products 2.2 billion baht. In the media channel, ad spending on Meta (combined Facebook and Instagram) continued to take the biggest share worth 8.4 billion baht, while TikTok ads expanded 63% to 6.77 billion baht, YouTube 4.3 billion baht, small social platforms 2.1 billion baht, online video 1.9 billion baht, LINE 1.7 billion baht, e-commerce 1.3 billion baht and display 1 billion baht. In 2025, TikTok is expected to be in second place for the first time, surpassing YouTube. TikTok was third last year. Paruj Daorai, president of the DAAT, said attention is a valuable commodity given the omnipresence of mobile devices and other distractions. This constant shifting results in significant time loss and reduced productivity, with individuals spending a considerable portion of their day struggling to refocus. Mr Paruj said globally people check their mobile phones an average of 58 times per day. Each time a phone is checked, it takes one to 1.5 minutes for them to refocus, causing 1.2 hours of lost focus per day, accumulating to 438 hours or 18 days per year of lost focus. For office workers, attention shifts happen roughly every three minutes due to distractions, and it takes about 30 minutes to refocus on the original task. This means that in an eight-hour workday, workers are ineffective for roughly seven hours per day, amounting to 35 hours per week. Combining the time lost from mobile phone checks and attention shifts at work, people collectively lose approximately 93 days, or one-quarter of a year, due to fragmented attention and inability to fully focus. This loss extends beyond mere time, impacting life opportunities, business opportunities and the value individuals could create. He said the world needs an "attention economy", as attention drives everything and can be converted into money, business, votes and other forms of value. The key to captivate people is creating unforgettable moments that resonate even after the screen is off, said Mr Paruj. Advertisers and businesses should adapt their strategies to not only capture attention but also to create memorable experiences and lasting value for consumers, acknowledging that the biggest competitors are no longer just other businesses but rather the very lifestyle that fragments attention. Werapong Goo, senior vice-president of corporate strategy of Lineman Wongnai, said the heart of good digital marketing is to get consumer attention effectively, and convert attention into tangible results.
Bangkok Post
06-08-2025
- Bangkok Post
Scams and mule accounts a dominant fraud concern
Scams and mule accounts have become the dominant threat facing banks across Asia Pacific, according to a new survey by the multinational credit data analytics software company FICO. Seven in 10 (69%) senior banking executives identified these forms of criminal activity as their greatest concern, reflecting the continued rise of scams in which victims are tricked into sending money directly to criminals. Unlike traditional fraud, which typically involves unauthorised transactions that banks can detect and block, scams often bypass existing defences because payments are authorised by the victim. Once the money is sent, criminals rely on mule accounts to quickly move funds across institutions and borders, making recovery extremely difficult. The findings echo a growing alarm across the financial ecosystem, as scam-related losses reach historic highs across the region. In 2024 alone, Singapore reported more than S$860 million in scam losses, a 70% surge from the previous year. Thailand saw 60 billion baht in damages, while Malaysia's losses were estimated at a staggering 54 billion ringgit (US$12.8 billion), or nearly 3% of GDP. Similar trends were reported in the Philippines and Indonesia, where scam-related activity now dominates cybercrime reports. Social Media Key Channel The poll found that more than half of banking leaders (52%) view social media platforms as the top external threat vector for scams, followed by messaging apps (35%). In a region with more than 2 billion social media users, platforms such as Facebook, TikTok and Telegram have become key channels for targeting scam victims and recruiting money mules. Criminal syndicates use these platforms to impersonate officials, promote fake investments, or advertise bogus job opportunities. Many victims are lured into schemes that appear legitimate on the surface, while others are convinced to "rent out" their accounts in exchange for quick cash, not realising they are enabling financial crimes. In Thailand, more than 200,000 mule accounts were shut down in a single year. Singapore has introduced legislation that criminalises the supply of mule accounts and gives banks and authorities powers to act in real-time. The poll also found that banks are struggling with internal barriers that limit their ability to detect and respond to scams. The most common issue cited was siloed data (46%), followed by a lack of connected insights across products and channels (28%), and limited real-time integration with third-party systems (13%). "Scam activity is often fast, fluid and fragmented," said Dattu Kompella, managing director of Asia Pacific for FICO. "To respond effectively, banks need connected systems that provide a complete, real-time view of risk. "Without breaking down internal silos and unifying insights across teams, many institutions will remain on the back foot." The poll also explored bank leaders' views on reimbursing scam victims. Just 14% said banks should fully reimburse customers in all scam cases. Half said compensation should only apply when the bank is at fault, while 36% supported a shared responsibility model between banks and customers. FICO conducted the poll during its Asia Pacific Fraud Forum in June 2025, drawing insights from more than 40 fraud and risk executives from financial institutions across the region.
