"Touchmedia Marketing Awards" Summary & Expectations for Key Trends for 2012 in Digital Advertising: Involvement, Integration and Infotainment

SHANGHAI, Dec. 27, 2011 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- Touchmedia, China's largest in-taxi interactive media company released its forecasts on key trends in the advertising industry in 2012 at their recent annual client party: Digital and Out-Of-Home media is facing a crucial period of growth and innovation, involvement, integration and infotainment have become three key market drivers. The "Touchmedia Marketing Awards" were also presented that night as a round-up of 2011 advertising; many famous brands' advertisers were honored.

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Digital Outdoor Media Lead Market Penetration and Fast Growth

Bernard Auyang, Executive Director & Co-CEO of Touchmedia elaborated that a recent Group M study predicts that the projected growth of the entire advertising industry will reach 17%. In terms of market penetration, only TV and OOH have reached above 90%, and occupy the leading position. In the meantime, Transportation is still a leading outdoor media market. The Usage of Taxis is obviously higher than MTR.

Mr. Auyang further noted that quite a few clients found Touchmedia's reach of affluents in the middle class audience to be more effective for longer periods and at a lower cost.

He also emphasized that the Chinese central government recently declared that cultural industry should be "a pillar of the national economy." Advertising, as an essential branch of the cultural industry, is therefore looking at a crucial period of growth and innovation.

Key Market Drivers: Involvement, Integration & Infotainment

Innovations in digital technology are also making it more interesting. Systems like Touchmedia's are involving the audience more in the message. They are also integrating outdoor advertising with mobile, other media and the "wei" culture. Today nearly 40 % of Touchmedia's ad programs in some months are integrated with mobile phone elements or other media. Lastly, there is dramatic growth in branded infotainment.

2011 Touchmedia Marketing Awards:

Famous Brands' Advertisers Received Awards with Brilliant Cases

To showcase the many new creative programs throughout the industry, the "Touchmedia Marketing Awards" were presented by well-known HK actor, Ray Lui, Honorary Chairman of Touchmedia and Micky Fung, Founder & CEO, and Yue Sai Kan, National Director Miss Universe China, together with several recent Miss Universe finalists. Campaigns were honored based on consumer usage, advertising ROI and sales achievements. Winning advertisers included Budweiser, Acer, QiaoHu, Metersbonwe, IKEA, TOTO, Siemens, Platinum PT, Standard Chartered Bank, Turan, HTC, Levi's, Niu'er, Swatch, Centrum, Tourism New Zealand, I.T., C&A, PPTV and Evian.

Around 400 distinguished guests were in attendance, including leaders of many of China's major media agencies. Bernard Auyang also elaborated on Touchmedia's expansions plans, "In 2011 we doubled our taxi numbers to 40,000 and now operate in 6 cities (including HK), reaching 55 million people per month, and have expanded to Canada as well. Touchmedia will pursue three key initiatives in 2012: more expansion, more functions and a new interface."

About Touchmedia

Touchmedia was founded by its CEO Micky Fung in 2003 with the aim of developing state-of-art touchscreen media technology in China and internationally. Today, Touchmedia is already the largest in-taxi media company in China, providing an innovative marketing platform for brands to build a closer and more effective relationship with their consumers.

For more about Touchmedia: www.touchmedia.cn

SOURCE Touchmedia