SINGAPORE, 31 OCT 2005 – Singapore Press Holdings Limited is proud to be a main sponsor of Asia’s premier advertising and communications conference, ADASIA 2005.

The biennial conference returns to Singapore after a quarter of a century – the last time the event was held here was in 1980 - at the Suntec International Convention and Exhibition Centre from November 20 - 23.

About 1,200 delegates, from the media and advertising industry, comprising advertising agency staff, media owners, advertisers, as well as research and public relations practitioners are expected to attend the event. About half of the conference participants will be from overseas.

“As Singapore’s leading media company, it’s important that we support events that strengthen the overall advertising industry in the region. ADASIA is a conference that brings together key decision makers and people who control the advertising budgets for their companies from all over the Asia Pacific,” said SPH’s Executive Vice-President for Marketing, Leslie Fong.

“Asia is the most important market in the world, with the potential of three billion consumers. This will be a fantastic opportunity for everyone in the media business to meet and network, to strengthen existing ties and make new friends,” Mr Fong added.

As a main sponsor, SPH is hosting all 1200 delegates to an opening night dinner on November 21 at Swissotel The Stamford, with a welcome speech from SPH CEO Mr Alan Chan. Entertainment for the night includes a selection of local and international acts. Discussions for a special appearance by the acclaimed Crazy Horse Cabaret are in their final stages and the show is expected to go ahead - organisers said the plan is to feature 14 dancers from the original Crazy Horse Paris, in a special four-segment performance lasting about 20 minutes.

Crazy Horse Singapore is scheduled to make its local premiere later this year.

Local percussion band, Wicked Aura Batucada, will also play their brand of Brazilian samba batucada music fused with funk, afro beats and local ethnic and urban rhythms, while Fly Entertainment will put up a musical review called “Pages of Singapore.”

SPH’s flagship newspapers, the English daily, The Straits Times, and Chinese daily, Lianhe Zaobao will also jointly present a photo exhibition of over 200 pictures of milestones in Singapore’s history, dating back to the early 20th century.

The Straits Times and Lianhe Zaobao are the official newspapers for ADASIA 2005.

SPH is one of more than 60 companies who will showcase their publications, products and services, in an exhibition that runs alongside the main congress. Here delegates and the trade can choose to attend various specialist talks and seminars that exhibitors will organise. SPH is featuring its newspapers and magazines, online news editions, and its new outdoor advertising capability in SPH MediaBoxOffice.

Occupying 1,200 sq metres of space, the exhibition is the largest ever in the history of ADASIA.

ADASIA 2005 is jointly organised by four key associations in the advertising and media industry in Singapore - The Association of Accredited Advertising Agencies Singapore, the Association of Broadcasters Singapore, the Advertising Media Owners Association of Singapore and the Singapore Advertisers Association.

This year’ conference is a 4-day event with the central theme “Winning in Asia”.

Successful global campaigns, strategies, and programmes by some of the world’s leading brands will be showcased to see how Asian marketers can learn from them.

As will Asian brands which have made their mark in the region and the world.

SPH’s Marketing Chief Leslie Fong will present a talk on “Beyond Print: Lessons from Genghis Khan” while The Straits Times will present a segment on “Engaging the Press” as part of the series of specialist talks, seminars and workshops on related aspects of the industry

Other featured speakers include Mr Noriyuki Shutto, the Executive Advisor to Dentsu, Japan’s largest advertising agency, Mr Seong Soo Hwang, Samsung’s Vice-president and Head of Sport Marketing and Communications, and Mr Tony Fernandes, the maverick Director and Group CEO of Malaysia’s AirAsia.

World Marketing Federation President, Hermawan Kartajaya, Mr Michael Lee of the International Advertising Association and Mr Tham Khai Meng, Ogilvy and Mather’s Executive Regional Creative Director are also on the list of guest speakers.

Issued by Singapore Press Holdings Limited
Co. Regn. No: 198402868E

For more information, please contact:

Mr Arnold Gay
Head
Corporate Relations
Singapore Press Holdings
Tel: 6319 1216
Fax: 6319 8150
Email: arnold@sph.com.sg

About Singapore Press Holdings Ltd
Main board listed Singapore Press Holdings Limited is the leading media company in Singapore, in the print, Internet and broadcasting platforms. It publishes 13 newspapers in the four official languages and about 80 magazine titles. Everyday, 2.8 million individuals, or 88 per cent of the people above 15 years old, read one of the SPH publications. Its Internet Business Unit manages the online editions of SPH's major newspapers and magazines, which together enjoy over 300 million pageviews a month. SPH also owns a 20% stake in MediaCorp TV Holdings Pte Ltd, which operates free-to-air channels 5, 8, U and TV Mobile, and a 40% stake in MediaCorp Press Pte Ltd, which publishes free newspaper Today. SPH operates two entertainment radio channels, UFM 100.3 FM in Chinese and WKRZ 91.3 FM in English, under a joint venture company UnionWorks with NTUC Media, and owns an 80% stake in SPH MediaBoxOffice Pte Ltd, Singapore’s largest LED network media company.