Page 57 - myanmar

Consumers in Myanmar love to
watch television; this dominates their use of free time and is, therefore, a massive draw for advertisers. While Census data shows that only half of the population actually own a TV set
– few people have mains electricity and many rely on generators at home if they have electricity at all – viewing among those who do is high. And despite the problems with power, there are more people with TVs than
a radio at home. About half of all advertising dollars go to television, and in urban areas, the prevalence of large outdoor billboards signals brands’ hunger to drive consumer awareness.
The choice of printed media has surged in recent years as the government has allowed new newspaper launches, and about 12 per cent of the population regularly reads a newspaper.
Advertising investment has been growing by as much as 47 per cent a year in
the past five years, partly as a function
of growing confidence in consumers’ ability to spend, but also as a growing presence by international brands spurs local companies into investing more in communications. Oral care, personal care, carbonated soft drinks and mobile telephones are among the biggest spenders on advertising.
GOING MOBILE
AND SOCIAL
Internet penetration in Myanmar has been among the lowest in the region – until recently, only
North Korea and Timor-Leste had fewer people online per head
of population online. But this is changing tremendously quickly, and the power of the mobile internet – and particularly social media – is rapidly becoming a force not just for communications but also social change. The mobile internet has clear potential as a powerful tool for brands.
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