In an era where digital dominance dictates market growth, 3P Media’s ambitious venture into the APAC region serves as a testament to the company’s commitment to expansion and innovation. Celebrating its first anniversary, 3P Media has not only formed over 750 partnerships but has also revolutionized the advertising landscape through its robust Google Ads offerings, according to Prash Balakrishnan, Regional Media Sales Director at Roar Global and Head of 3P Media, the Official Media Sales Representative in Sri Lanka. From amplifying e-commerce for supermarket giants to bolstering hotel chains’ international presence, 3P Media’s synergy with Google platforms promises a new era of targeted advertising in the APAC region, Prash explains in this interview.

3P Media is completing its first year of operation this month. What has the past year looked like?

3P Media has achieved remarkable success in a relatively short period. In the first year alone, we have managed to establish partnerships with over 750 accounts. We have conducted numerous webinars, sessions, and in-person meetings with key ecosystem players to generate awareness about the capabilities of Google Ads and how 3P Media can help them maximize them.

This has resulted in several success stories, including assisting major supermarket chains in expanding their e-commerce offerings, helping airlines enhance their booking performance, and supporting major hotel chains in taking the Sri Lankan brand to international markets and boosting their booking performance. Our achievements have been the direct result of our fantastic team, our unwavering commitment to promoting Google platforms and ad products, and the strong reputation Roar Global has built over the past few years.

In what ways do Google Ads serve as an advantage for advertisers, and what makes them a valuable investment for brands?

Google has a global presence, not limited to just Sri Lanka. In the 2023 Global Digital Report by Meltwater, Google consistently ranks as the top search engine in terms of consumption globally and even in Sri Lanka, with 97.84% of internet users choosing Google as their search engine. Following closely is YouTube, which is not only a video-sharing platform but also the second-largest search engine worldwide. These two platforms are truly ubiquitous in terms of their widespread usage and engagement with the internet by people. Therefore, it was not a challenging decision to focus our sales efforts on these platforms.

Over the last year alone, the internet population in Sri Lanka increased to 14.58 million from just 11 million in 2022. There are millions of searches conducted in Sri Lanka daily. With the surge in internet consumption since the onset of COVID-19, YouTube watch times have skyrocketed, recording a monthly active user base of ~7 million. Sri Lanka boasts one of the most affordable and fastest data prices in the region, which has significantly contributed to the growth of YouTube in the country.

Google offers various properties that attract billions of users, like Chrome, YouTube, and Maps, to name a few — all of which are primarily used on Android devices. 88.7% of mobile web traffic originated from Android devices in Sri Lanka in 2023. This extensive ecosystem created by Google enables us to develop a highly refined understanding of our users.

We also provide our clients with comprehensive tools for conversion tracking. Google allows brands to identify at which stage of the customer journey potential customers tend to disengage. Armed with this information, we can then address any concerns or gaps in the next marketing campaign.

Considering the booming popularity of YouTube in Sri Lanka, what strategies should advertisers employ to maximize their reach on this platform?

A noteworthy fact about YouTube is that it has gradually replaced traditional television for many people. When I ask individuals in presentations about their TV viewing habits, only a few hands typically go up. Many people these days tune in to TV only for major sporting events. However, when it comes to daily YouTube consumption, virtually everyone raises their hand, so it is clear that YouTube is where a brand can find its target audience. Brands need to start treating YouTube as more than just a digital channel. We encourage them to consider YouTube as a television channel in its own right. By reallocating a portion of their TV advertising budget to YouTube, brands can leverage the platform’s incremental reach, which will complement their existing TV strategy while enhancing their digital presence.

In what ways has 3P Media played a role in expanding advertisers’ knowledge of Google Ads?

One of the insights we gained when venturing into the industry was that non-specialized advertisers found Google to be quite daunting. So, our approach was to simplify Google. We organized a series of webinars under the Google 101 banner, in both English and Sinhala, to share knowledge on basic tasks such as setting up a Google account and running and managing Search and YouTube Ads. The response to these sessions has been excellent; we have received positive feedback from pre and post webinar surveys and we are elated to bring real value to the market.

We also offer more specialized and in-depth sessions tailored to clients who have partnered with us. These sessions delve into technical products like conversion tagging and Google Analytics, which has recently transitioned to GA4. This strategy allows us to play a larger role in growing the Google ecosystem. Through bespoke training, we work closely with our clients to understand their specific needs and craft relevant programmes. For instance, an airline client may receive performance related training, while a CPG client is provided with awareness-based training. We are currently expanding this approach to other markets as well.

Is there a winning formula for advertising on Google or any digital platform?

When creating a digital marketing campaign, it is not about having a large budget; it is about using any budget wisely. The key to successful branding lies in the willingness to learn and understand one’s target audience. By identifying their interests and tailoring messaging accordingly, brands can maintain relevance across digital touchpoints, targeted at the right user with the right message at the right time. Brands need to be adaptable, able to seize opportunities and make necessary changes when something is not working or when audience behaviour and market conditions change. This is the beauty of the agility that digital marketing brings. This flexibility enables them to resonate with their audience, as demonstrated by the swift messaging by some brands during the Asia Cup, for example. However, to truly excel, brands must also focus on providing a seamless, fast and mobile-first user experience. Driving traffic to a website is futile if the booking or purchasing process is subpar, deterring potential buyers. Successful brands prioritize the frontend as well as the backend experience. These brands that attend to the needs of their customers are the ones that thrive.

In what ways has the digital marketing landscape in Sri Lanka evolved over the past three years, and how does Roar Global foster this growth through its partnerships with platforms?

What brands are quickly realizing in Sri Lanka is the relevance of social platforms and digital advertising. They have discovered that these platforms allow them to effectively convey tailored messages to their audience based on their interests and insights.  This level of customization is far more relevant and impactful compared to television and radio, which adopt a one-size-fits-all approach and don’t provide accurate data for measurement. These traditional channels often result in a lot of wasted advertising. Brands have also come to understand that digital platforms offer more efficiency in terms of budget allocation.

Companies also perceive digital platforms as more cost-effective, as they provide greater exposure for the same budget. Instead of spending a substantial amount on a 30-second television commercial, brands can reach more people and generate more impressions through sustained highly targeted digital campaigns. What’s more, these impressions are quantifiable, enabling businesses to measure the number of people who engaged with the content and even made purchases. Such measurement capabilities are lacking in traditional media.

Through our partnerships with top digital platforms, we actively raise awareness of the efficiency and effectiveness of these platforms to our clients and emphasize that digital means offer a more direct connection with the target audience in a manner that engages and resonates with them.

What can you say about Roar Global’s achievements in media sales representation, within Sri Lanka and in current and prospective markets across the APAC region?

In terms of our success, Sri Lanka has been our predominant market. Over the past three years, we have represented Meta through Roar AdX, which also now works with LinkedIn in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, and for the last year, we have represented Google through 3P Media. Our performance has consistently exceeded KPIs in our partnerships with both Meta and Google, and this has won the attention of other powerful platforms that have now invited us to explore new markets.

This is a remarkable achievement for a company originating from Sri Lanka as we are now trusted to represent these global giants in the region. We have actively embraced this opportunity and are confident in our ability to replicate our success in Sri Lanka in the new markets we venture into. Despite the unique challenges presented by nascent markets, I believe we are well-equipped to adapt our offerings and contribute to their growth. Our track record speaks for itself, and with the unwavering support of our platforms, we are poised to excel in every new endeavour we undertake.

We want to be the first choice for platforms looking to venture into the APAC region, for media sales and other support, and I am confident in the next 2-3 years, Roar Global will be a regional name.