TOM OMG ranks third largest advertising company in China on successfully Integration Hong Kong, July 10, 2005 TOM Outdoor Media Group Limited (TOM OMG), the outdoor advertising flagship of media group TOM Group Limited (HKSE: 2383) announced it has been ranked the third among the 100 largest advertising companies in term of revenue in China in 2004. It was also ranked top advertising company with its own assets. The rankings were compiled by China Advertising Association and were officially published at the July issue of Modern Advertising magazine. It was the first time TOM OMG joined the rankings after integrating the subsidiaries and unifying the brands. The result reflected an immediate effect of successful integration, and the widespread recognition by the industry China Advertising Association has compiled the revenue rankings for more than ten years. Every year, over 1,000 mainland advertising companies, mostly the influential companies from different regions, declared their revenue to the association. The competition was fierce and the rankings were so authoritative and widely recognized by the industry and outsiders as an important status report on advertising companies. China Advertising Association has compiled the nationwide list since 1993. The list was expanded from 10 to 20, and eventually the 100 largest. The official announcement of the list was made in 1994 at the Modern Advertising magazine published by the association. The advertising companies reported their revenue to their local advertising organizations every year. After selection and confirmation by the provincial and municipal advertising associations, the data was sent to China Advertising Association for rankings compilation in order to produce accurate and fair rankings.
Shi Xue Zhi, the Secretary-General of China Advertising Association said, The rankings were authoritative report published by the association for more than ten years. It aimed at encouraging and affirming the top advertising enterprises. The key to a successful enterprise lies on the real revenue rather than the clinched deals. TOM OMG ranked the third in 2004 reflected its operating capability and influence. Li Jian, the president of TOM OMG said TOM OMG ranked the third largest advertising company was a great boost to the whole team. We have successfully integrated units and unified the brands. Our efforts displayed the synergy on integration. It not only helps TOM OMG develop into a leading outdoor media player nationwide, but also brings abroad the media talents, experiences and knowledge. It is an added value for TOM OMG to become a great outdoor, widespread network and one-stop company. Fench Media, the subsidiary before integration, has been ranked seventh in the list. Two other companies in Chengdu and Fuzhou have also been proud to be put on the list for several times. After three years of integration, the team power and spectacular result of TOM OMG have now been showed. Its brand promise Too Powerful to Miss was also materialized. TOM OMG held a press conference in June at the newly relocated office in Shanghai announcing that 14 subsidiaries have been brought under the brand of TOM OMG, as well as elaborating the brand promise and its future development. The integration has been proceeded on the basis of branding, resource and cultural integration. Branding integration Brand integration included the unified of corporate identity system and the establishment of Too Powerful to Miss as the brand promise. The power comes from the strongest advertising network and massive professional service teams of TOM OMG, as well as the extensive reach of outdoor media. It marks the influence 2
of great outdoor and network communication. TOM OMG has especially designed a series of brilliant artworks to be shown on outdoor media, newspapers, magazines, and internet, to fully display the visual impact from the professional designs. Resource integration TOM OMG has made four major accomplishments on resource integration as follow. Building a great outdoor media network platform (TOMS14100 system) - TOM OMG has kept a database of media resources from nearly 60 cities. Clients can view from the network the advertising media information in terms of locations, photos, stream of people, the advertised brands and its effect, etc. It materialized the one-stop solution of network sales. Setting up of intellectual management database It is a systematic record of knowledge and experience from different teams. The information can be shared among the teams on the network, thus effectively enhance the professional service and competitive edge of the teams. Establishing new media research and development centre It pulled together the new technology, crafts, materials, and styles, and applied them into the figures and pictures of outdoor media. It added value to the clients and intensified the attraction of the advertising. Opening of nationwide customer centers TOM OMG has opened nationwide customer centers in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. These centers brought the publicity of international and local clients to different regions in the country, and regional clients brands nationwide. Clients no longer need to travel to the advertising distribution city looking for an advertising media. 3
Cultural integration The core of team integration lies on cultural integration. TOM OMG standardized the value and enterprise initiative of the team, collected and ironed out the different systems of its subsidiaries. With the combinations of international and sophisticated experience, it revised a range of systems that standardized the workflow and boosted the efficiency and quality of service. TOM OMG also put emphasis on training. It designed a series of training programs and set up training fund for the management and the staff. It aimed at building an organization of learning and innovation. It also established management titles and the professional titles to provide rooms of development for the staff. Cultural integration strengthens the cohesion and enhances the edge of the team. On completion of branding, resource and cultural integration, TOM OMG already equipped with a standardized operating model, solid internal sales network, and professional service team. These strengths help TOM OMG expand its local and international markets, as well as build an international brand. In future when TOM OMG is looking for strategic partners, it will consider cooperation in the form of joint ventures in order to fully leverage the resources and strength of both parties to provide professional outdoor advertising services for the clients. TOM Outdoor Media Group TOM OMG is one of the five primary units of TOM Group. It operates the largest billboard network with over 300,000 square metres of asset space in Mainland China covering nearly 60 cities in Mainland China. Through 14 operating subsidiaries providing one-stop solution and professional service, TOM OMG s revenue in 2004 grew 24% against 2003 to HK$369 million. In 2004, key new concessions were secured in 10 cities, including Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Dalian, Jinan, Fuzhou, Xiamen, Zhengzhou, Shengyang and Chongqing. These included 18 unipoles along the highway leading to the Pudong International Airport in Shanghai, as well as 3 largest advertising billboards in Guangzhou. Major advertising clients include NEC, 4
AVIVA-COFCO Life Insurance, Kia Automobile, Konka and Futian Automobile. Over the years, TOM OMG secured over 200 professional awards including over 60 nationwide awards. It grasped nearly 20 awards on the 2004/2005 China Advertising Annual Awards, and the 2nd China Outdoor Advertising Conference, becoming the domestic media team that scored the largest number of awards. President Li Jian was also named The 10 Most Influential Advertising People on the 2nd China Outdoor Advertising Conference. These awards generated positive effect in boosting the brand of TOM OMG, and marked the widespread recognition of the professional service provided by TOM OMG. China Advertising Association has earlier announced the 100 best advertising companies in term of revenue in 2004, TOM OMG is proud to be ranked at top three. TOM Group Limited TOM Group Limited (HKSE stock code: 2383) is listed on the Main Board of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong. A leading Chinese language media conglomerate in Greater China, TOM Group has diverse business interests in five key areas: Internet (TOM Online), Outdoor (TOM Outdoor Media Group), Publishing, Sports, Television and Entertainment across markets in Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. In each of the areas it operates, TOM Group has secured market leadership. Headquartered in Hong Kong, the Group has regional headquarters in Beijing and Taipei, and 3,400 employees in over 20 cities. #### For press enquiries: TOM Group Limited Ada Lee General Manager, Corporate Communications Tel: (852) 2121 7810 Fax: (852) 2127 7576 E-mail: corp-comm@tomgroup.com 5