Media professionals and advertisers will gather here starting Thursday for the Asia-Pacific Media Forum, a three-day meeting to exchange ideas on coping with changes in media consumer culture.

The forum, organized by the Association of Asia Pacific Advertising Media, will bring together 27 experts from the communication media field to give insights on how to explore new ways of approaching and communicating with consumers to adapt with their shifting behaviors.

"Reinventing consumer culture is a challenge we must meet head on, or we'll become obsolete," head of the event's organizing committee Andi Sadha said Wednesday.

Rob Allyn, chairman of Sydney-based film and TV production company Margate House, will open the forum with a presentation themed "Power of the People", talking about the importance of content as the industry has become obsessed with technology.

"This business is all about meeting people's needs. The proliferation of new media doesn't change the fact that content is the most important thing," Allyn said.

"The major challenge facing the media now is how to deliver the message to consumers with the right tools".

He highlighted that advertisers and media companies should be able to differentiate their ways of approaching consumers although they delivered products similar to those of their competitors.

Alan Rutherford, chairman and president of the International Advertising Association (IAA), said the forum would also discuss how to rebuild relationships between advertising agencies and their clients.

He said another major issue in advertising nowadays was new talent. The IAA, therefore, will hold the Student Media Forum to allow students and experts to share ideas and seek career opportunities.