Why did Malaysia’s Adex grow slowly last year? Where did the extra spend go? Is current Adex figures a clear barometer of our industry? Is online spend being devalued? Is the growth of mobile marketing going to annoy users? Will 3G be the killer app? Will Media Prima grow even bigger and show us true convergence?

Will GLCs pledge all their advertising to government-related media owners? Why are digital ad agencies in the top 10 ranking for agency billings in the UK?

The Malaysian Media Congress (MMC) is an annual gathering of more than 500 media pundits, industry specialists and key media decision makers in the fields of media, marketing, branding and advertising. Amongst the speakers featured are noted personalities from Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong They will expound on the growing opportunities offered by the changing media landscape around us with a theme which will attempt to answering tomorrow’s questions today: CONVERGENCE.

As we know it, Digital Convergence in the media industry is the coming together of voice, print, video and data formats brought upon by digital technology which is driving phenomenal change across the media landscape!

The task of keeping up with these lightning-speed developments can be mind-blowing even for the most savvy media strategist. This seminar will brings the experts to the fore so that you can spend the day arming yourself with what you need to know, as we move into 2007, which promises to be another year of roller- coaster uncertainties in media!

The Congress is also sprinkled with panel discussions to encourage debate among the panels and participants so that at the end of the day there is a mature and nuanced understanding of how much or how little Convergence affects communications.

When Media Meet As One— Digital Convergence
An estimated 60% of Malaysia’s adult population access the internet directly – either at home or work. From podcasts to Internet radio, one of the big challenges for media agencies in 2007 will be to sift through all the emerging digital platforms and make sense of how consumers actually use them and then figure out which ones best fit their clients’ marketing strategies.

Marketers are embedding product placement in a growing number of video games. Online advertising is growing at 7 times the rate of the ad industry worldwide. And in Malaysia, it is projected to grow at 10 times the rate!

A recent research study conducted by media communications agency Universal McCann, based on a sample size of 4,670 respondents, reveals that 40% of Malaysian “netizens” (regular Internet users) spend more than three hours daily on the net.

“Media consumption continues to change dramatically with the convergence of multiple platforms,” comments Richard Halmarick, CEO of Carat South Asia. “Traditional media will lead for a few more years, but their value will gradually diminish as digital media powers up through online, interactive, and mobile usage.”