Premsiri Dilokpreechakul, managing director of Siam PR Consultant, said yesterday that state agencies and private firms must change their marketing policy to focus on corporate image rather than the hard sell.
She said consumers were not only interested in the value of a brand or product but also in corporate social responsibility (CSR).
Although event marketing has always been popular with state agencies and private firms to promote their products and services, it does not directly focus on business and society.
Premsiri said the marketing concept next year would concentrate on social activities. For example, if a firm focuses on activities related to the environment, it has to launch a total marketing campaign around the environment until its business image in the minds of its customers is environmental. That will help to develop a close relationship with the customer.
At present, public relations consultants in Thailand have business worth Bt5 billion – only 6 per cent of the total marketing budget valued at Bt80 billion a year.
Half of the marketing budget is spent on events. However, Premsiri said event marketing would be reduced next year to be replaced by the CSR concept.
According to the new trend, Siam PR Consultant will offer public relations projects to its customers under the CSR theme that relates with social activities.
Premsiri said a number of state agencies and private firms were interested in changing their policy by focusing on public relations rather than event marketing in order to create the right corporate image.
With the market trend, Siam PR Consultant expects state agencies to account for 40 per cent of its customers next year, up from 30 per cent.
The company also expects to maintain its substantial growth rate of 20 per cent next year.

Somluck Srimalee

 The Nation