Asia’s social ad spend soars 24 percent in Q4 2021

Asia’s social ad spend soars 24 percent in Q4 2021

Jan 21, 2021

Emplifi, a leading unified customer experience platform, released its Q4 2021 social media data, offering key insights into paid and organic user engagement and post interaction on Instagram and Facebook, and social media customer care.

Local Consumer Review Survey 2022

Local Consumer Review Survey 2022

Jan 21, 2021

More consumers are reading online reviews than ever before. In 2021, 77% ‘always’ or ‘regularly’ read them when browsing for local businesses (up from 60% in 2020).

Where Mobile Advertising is Heading in 2022

Where Mobile Advertising is Heading in 2022

Jan 21, 2021

In early 2021, mobile advertisers expected the sky to fall with the effective deprecation of Apple’s Identifiers for Advertisers (IDFA), or at least they saw a very dark cloud.

China’s retired population reaches over 190 million, spurring elderly online demands in the digital era

China’s retired population reaches over 190 million, spurring elderly online demands in the digital era

Jan 21, 2021

China’s population is ageing faster than the rest of the world, and it does not seem to be slowing down anytime soon.

Card payments in Vietnam to grow by 24.1 percent in 2022

Card payments in Vietnam to grow by 24.1 percent in 2022

Jan 21, 2021

The card payments market in Vietnam, which was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, is expected to register a strong growth of 24.1 percent in 2022 supported by robust economic recovery, forecasts data and analytics company GlobalData.

Southeast Asia’s online sellers optimistic for 2022

Southeast Asia’s online sellers optimistic for 2022

Jan 21, 2021

Southeast Asia’s top eCommerce platform Lazada released its latest Digital Commerce Confidence Index revealing that seller confidence remained high throughout 2021, signalling a strong year ahead for the digital commerce industry in Southeast Asia.

JD.com and Shopify ink strategic partnership

JD.com and Shopify ink strategic partnership

Jan 21, 2021

The partnership will link Shopify’s millions of merchants worldwide with JD.com’s 550 million active customers in China.

Card payments in Indonesia to grow by 10.7 percent in 2022

Card payments in Indonesia to grow by 10.7 percent in 2022

Jan 21, 2021

Indonesia’s card payments market, which was affected by COVID-19 pandemic, is on the path of recovery supported by gradual rise in consumer spending. 

PCCW Media to focus on SME database development, with Yellow Pages as the hub for SMEs

PCCW Limited (formerly known as Pacific Century CyberWorks Limited) is a Hong Kong-based information and communications technology company. The company is the majority owner of telecommunications company HKT Limited. The Group has over 22,800 employees located in 50 countries and cities. A majority of employees work in Hong Kong and the others are based mainly in mainland China, the USA and the Philippines. 

PCCW Media Group is a leading, fully integrated multimedia and entertainment company headquartered in Hong Kong. PCCW Media operates the leading pay-TV service in Hong Kong under the Now TV brand offering more than 130 linear channels and an extensive on-demand library of local, Asian and international programming.

The last Yellow Pages directory was printed and distributed in 2018 as the company continued to move its main focus to digital and online applications. Although the printed directory was discontinued there continues to be a printed supplement focussing on B2B segment. Around 70% of print advertisers continued to advertise in the online directory.

Doris Wong, Head of Advertising of PCCW Media Limited states that the today business is providing one-stop-shop all rounded marketing & advertising solutions to corporate clients. Marketing & advertising solutions include print, TV, digital & social.
To support the online / digital directory PCCW Media has introduced several new products and services, including Web builder & E-Shop builder strengthening the recognition of SMEs in Hong Kong through Yellow Pages.

In the near future additional new products / services will be introduced, including SME Database Marketing and B2B Networking.

Doris Wong adds, “Although the customer base decreased by 30% since we became online / digital, the ARPU has increased by 50%. We have been particularly successful during 2020 helping many SMEs to GO DIGITAL during the COVID restrictions.”

COVID restrictions affected specific industries, especially F&B and Beauty Salons. The Hong Kong Government has launched funding schemes to support SMEs to GO DIGITAL. PCCW Media managed to capture this round of funding to help SMEs to build website or e-shop.

As a result of the transition of the business model towards digital applications the nature of competition has changed considerably for PCCW Media. We asked Doris who she considers to be her main competitors now.

She indicated that they are competing with many digital agencies in the market who are all focussed on low-cost admin fee consultancy services.

In the sector the sales teams have traditionally been the main strength. We asked Doris Wong how the role of the salesman has changed since her company moved digital only. She indicted that “old” salesmen who could not cope with the changes have left. Sales teams have been streamlined by 30%.

She stated, “Salesmen have to keep up-to-date on market knowledge instead of only selling by sales skills and relationship building.”

PCCW Media is part of a very large company and we asked Doris how this benefits her operation. 

“Yellow Pages is under PCCW Media Limited which belongs to HKT. HKT is the largest telecom company in Hong Kong which owns the majority corporate clients in HK. Yellow Pages can leverage the sales resources and network of HKT to expand the penetration in the market. Especially the low ARPU service which needs to have scale.” Doris Wong is very optimistic about future revenue growth. “In terms of product development, we will further focus on SME database development, with Yellow Pages to be the hub for SMEs.”

Doris Wong will be delighted to answer any questions that ALSMA members may have.

DORIS WONG
PCCW Media Limited

Doris joined PCCW in May 2002 as a sales representative. She was named Head of Advertising of PCCW in April 2014 being Assistant Vice President of PCCW Media Limited leading Yellow Pages Hong Kong. Doris was born in Hong Kong and is married. She particularly enjoys travelling and highlights eating good food as a special interest. She enjoys all Asian cuisine, especially Japanese and Thai.