Digital marketing agency YDM adds AI tools to help businesses tap changing markets

The goal is to integrate technologies and creativity to create opportunities for new markets, thereby driving full funnel growth. The company is targeting 1 billion baht in revenue in 2023 and preparing to list on the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) in 2024, Thanapol Subsomboon, chief executive of YDM Thailand, said at a press conference on Monday.

He said the company sees four key marketing trends emerging in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic. The changes will make the marketing industry more difficult and complicated for companies to find the right approach to reach the consumer at the right time without annoying them, he said.

Thanapol pointed out that the pandemic had changed consumers' behaviour, reducing brand loyalty and increasing expectations, while also making the industry scenario more competitive with high ad costs and a variety of sophisticated online channels to explore — from Facebook to Instagram, Line, YouTube, Twitter, and Tiktok.

This scenario has forced businesses to aggressively approach their customers and actively record every engagement with the brands, both online and offline, he noted.

"Unfortunately, not every business can effectively organise, analyse, and synergise all of their data. As a result, this is an opportunity for YDM to provide its advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning services in order to build a customer data platform," Thanapol said.

He explained that the platform not only stores data in one place to understand customers at every stage of the customer journey and conduct personalised marketing communications, but it also improves marketing automation so that companies can communicate with their customers at the right place and right time.

Thanopol said that YDM had already conducted a trial launch with some of its clients during the past few years, with very positive results in terms of cost effectiveness and an increase in total sales.

Many companies now realise how effective collection and processing of data can turn around their businesses. So, there is no more explanation needed, he said.

Aside from customer data platform, YDM’s four key strategies for this year is: to upgrade its advertising technology to help analyse and plan digital advertising; buying through modern digital media with artificial intelligence prediction; enable seamless full funnel marketing with content that fits in each platform; and seek new potential markets such as provincial markets, neighbouring countries, and gamers.

"YDM is a marketing expert because it combines technology with creativity. It focuses on consumer preferences in order to create new business opportunities. Marketers and brands can increase sales and profits by following their business plans. They can use customer data platform systems in conjunction with AI to plan their advertising. Contact has been made with data partners in order to build resilience into the corporate database," Thanapol insisted.

The company is targeting a billion baht in revenue for this year, 65% higher than last year. Full funnel creativity will account for 45% of the revenue, MarTech 45%, and new business opportunities 10%.

Meanwhile, YDM is preparing its MarTech spinoff, DFinery, a new customer data platform technology, and is looking to acquire businesses to quickly expand its model internationally.

Thanapol believes that the company's four strategies will help marketers and brands move beyond “after Covid-19" and thrive in the age of Marketing 5.0.

Meanwhile, he expects the company’s successful listing on the Stock Exchange of Thailand next year to strengthen YDM's ability to compete with other international agencies in providing digital marketing services to Thai businesses.