Wwwins boss slams Pathways study

Hong Kong - Chris Ryan (pictured), managing director of wwwins Consulting, has challenged an Omnicom Pathway study which shows mass media rules when influencing consumers purchase decision, describing the study as self serving.

Released last week, the Pathways research showed that 73% of Hong Kong respondents claimed their purchase decisions were triggered by advertisements in traditional media, compared to just 17% for new media, particularly in the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) and fast food categories.

The research conducted more than 5,000 face-to-face interview with Hong Kong consumers aged 15 to 59 years about their purchase of various products and services.

Responding to an article in Marketing, Ryan said while Hong Kong marketers are starting to move budgets online, but are yet to match that spend with the digital trend.

"I think if digital marketing benefited from the kinds of budgets TV enjoyed, the story would be very different," Ryan said.

"The cynic in me says that the article is a timely attempt to stem the migration of budgets from TV to new media in tough times. I think it is every agency's duty to act responsibly in the way we try to influence client spend because all of our clients are judged by the results we help them achieve."

Ryan added that a cleared picture would recognise that TV plays an important role with the internet in creating purchase intent and capitalizing on the viral effect.

"But the balance of spend in making that media partnership work effectively is still far from optimal," he added.