Tag: China

Hong Kong – Online marketing and enterprise data solutions provider iClick has fully acquired the remaining equity interest of Changyi Information Technology Co., the independent software vendor in China that provides intelligent retail and CRM solutions. 

Through the acquisition, iClick will be accelerating the expansion of its Enterprise Solutions business, spearheaded by its newly established ‘SaaS + X’ business model which aims to help companies strengthen their productivity and enhance their private domain through effective key opinion leader (KOL) recommendations, efficient targeted marketing and e-commerce partnerships while integrating data assets and solidifying their brand profiles.

iClick said that in consideration of the acquisition, it will pay RMB6,000,000 and will issue 3,091,327 American depository shares. Upon completion of the proposed transaction, Changyi will be wholly owned by the iClick.

Jian Tang, iClick’s chairman, co-founder, and CEO, shared that the demand for private domain traffic remains strong and they are capitalising on this trend through continued investment in their Enterprise Solutions business.

“The acquisition of the remaining shares of Changyi will accelerate the evolution of our Enterprise Solutions and better help our clients to innovate through digital transformation,” said Tang.

China — Creative and CRM agency Wunderman Thompson in China has announced that Joyce Ling has been promoted to chief transformation and strategy officer.

In her new role, Ling will take on additional responsibilities to drive client growth and innovation through digital and business transformation opportunities. Working closely with Wunderman Thompson’s global network, Ling’s vast understanding and the role will allow brands to fully maximise growth opportunities and impact future developments.

Ling will continue to report to Carter Chow, chief executive officer of Wunderman Thompson China.

Ling shared her thoughts on the essence of her new role, saying that in this ever changing market, where customers’ behaviours evolve with the change of hyper ecosystems, and their experiences alter with the speed at which touchpoints appear and disappear on daily basis, it is of no surprise that cookie-cutter marketing solutions can no longer work for brands.

“This is the perfect opportunity where Wunderman Thompson can tailor solutions for brands in order to achieve sustainable marketing and business results. This is already a reality in our industry and I am grateful to have the opportunity to lead this conversation for Wunderman Thompson here in China,” Ling said.

Commenting on this new appointment, Chow said, “We are all extremely pleased that Ling will be leading our business transformation. There is no one in the industry more suited or qualified than Ling to elevate Wunderman Thompson China’s current offerings of strategy, data, and experience, and inspire design-thinking mindsets in our team to create tailored solutions for our client.”

Recently in January, Wunderman Thompson saw the return of Joe Dy as its new chief creative officer for their Philippine division.

Shanghai, China – Hivestack, a global independent programmatic digital out of home (DOOH) ad tech company, has announced a strategic partnership with Chinese media agency BlueFocus Media. This will enable Chinese brands to plan, activate and measure digital out of home (DOOH) campaigns programmatically via the Hivestack demand side platform (DSP) from within China to outside China and all over the world.

The partnership between Hivestack and BlueFocus Media combines the strengths of both companies – the quality of BlueFocus Media’s clients omnichannel marketing business and the power and scale of Hivestack’s programmatic DOOH technology and its access to premium DOOH screens globally.

Troy Yang, managing director of North Asia at Hivestack, said that they look forward to working with BlueFocus Media to bring the benefits of programmatic DOOH to enable Chinese brands to reach their target audiences with more precision globally, at scale.

“BlueFocus Media is an important player in the local market and has incredible insights and understanding of the needs of Chinese brands. They are also clear about the challenges Chinese brands are facing in terms of the limits to overseas advertising. Hivestack is perfectly-positioned to take on these challenges thanks to the talent of our international team and our expanding global footprint spanning over 25 markets,” Yang said.

Meanwhile, Pan Fei, CEO at BlueFocus Media, commented, “We are excited to take a step into this innovative industry, which offers many opportunities to expand and elevate our current use of digital out of home (DOOH). This new partnership will be beneficial to both sides, with Hivestack providing Chinese brands access to a global inventory and improved data capabilities, which will in turn, bring Chinese brands to international audiences.”

Shenzen, China — New York-based creative advertising and digital experience company Stink Studios has opened its second office in China following a period of sustained growth. Located in Shenzhen, the office will be overseen by Ramzi Chaabane, managing director of the company’s Chinese headquarters in Shanghai.

The expansion is due to a deepening commitment to the innovative-focused nature offered by the China market, and the strengthening demand from Chinese tech companies for world-class creative campaigns, design and digital experiences. In addition, Stink Studios also has several high-value clients who have headquarters in Shenzhen, including Tencent, Oppo, and Oneplus.

Being based in New York, the company was early to the Chinese market, first opening its doors in Shanghai in 2015. The creative output of the Shenzhen office will be overseen by Addie Hao, senior creative veteran at Stink Studios, who has relocated to Shenzhen from Shanghai.

Commenting on the opening of the second office in Shenzhen, Stink Studios veteran Hao shared that she’s very happy to bring the good energy from their Shanghai office over to the new location in Shenzhen.

“Being closer to our clients and in the heart of one of the technology capitals of the world is truly amazing. We have been blessed to receive many applications from young designers and developers who were happily surprised to see a leading international creative agency opening in their city,” Hao said.

Shanghai, China, — Porsche, the German automobile manufacturer specializing in sports cars, has announced the appointment of Michael Kirsch, current CEO of Porsche Japan, as the new president and CEO of Porsche China, Hongkong and Macao effective on June 1, 2022.

Kirsch holds extensive leadership experience in the automotive manufacturing industry. He has held the position of CEO of Porsche Japan since 2019. Prior to that, he previously held the same position at Porsche Korea for three years. Between 2012 and 2016, he gained a detailed insight into Porsche China in his role as chief operating officer. His other notable employments were holding senior management positions at BMW and at an international hotel chain.

Detlev von Platen, member of the executive board responsible for sales and marketing at Porsche AG, commented, “In his various roles, Michael Kirsch has contributed to successfully develop Porsche in Asia and he is the ideal choice as CEO of Porsche China – one of our most important markets worldwide. Michael has been very successful, especially when dealing with customer satisfaction and service quality. I am confident that he will set further strong impulses with plenty of valuable initiatives for the Chinese market and will continue to increase the impact of our brand there.”

Kirsch takes over following the departure of Jens Puttfarcken, who is moving to Audi AG to take on the role of head of sales for Europe. Puttfarcken held the president and CEO positions for Porsche China, Hongkong and Macao since 2018.

“Jens Puttfarcken has excellently positioned our brand in China and successfully expanded both the customer base and the dealer network. He has been leading a dedicated and strong team in China which keeps Porsche always connected and engaged in this dynamic market. We thank him for his great commitment and wish him all the best for his new responsibilities,” Platen said.

During the tenure of Puttfarcken, China continued to be Porsche’s largest single market since 2015. The market is strategically important to the brand with its size, great dynamics and innovation strength. Under the previous leadership of Puttfarcken, Porsche continuously expanded its business footprint and invested in terms of electrification, innovation and digitalization. In addition, Porsche Digital China was founded in 2019 and spun off at the beginning of 2021. Moreover, the foundation stone was laid for the establishment of a research and development satellite location in Shanghai, which is due to open in 2022.

Shanghai, China – Essence has recently announced the appointment of Gabrielle Kong as its agency’s new vice president for strategy in China. She will be responsible for leading brand and communications strategy for the agency’s clients and initiatives in the market.

In her new role, Kong will be reporting to Benjamin Wei, CEO at Essence China.

She is a seasoned strategy leader in media and advertising, helping marketers to drive growth and differentiation for their businesses, and brings into Essence more than a decade of industry experience from both the agency and brand sides.

Kong joins Essence from PHD in China where she served as group strategy director, where she was also a key account lead for a breadth of clients and was instrumental in winning new business for the agency. Other companies she has worked at include Carat, Razorfish, AKQA and Estée Lauder.

Speaking about her appointment, Kong said that she looks forward to working with the team to help marketers make smarter, more predictive decisions that will impact business outcomes in the short and long term, as well as build more differentiated communications platforms for ideas, experiences and execution.

“I’m thrilled to start a new chapter with an exceptionally talented team. Essence radically improves the value and relevance of advertising for brands and consumers by combining the principles of data science and the power of technology, while strategy unites data and analysis with human insight and creativity to identify and unlock more growth opportunities for brands,” Kong said.

Meanwhile, Wei commented, “I’m excited to welcome Gabrielle to our Essence team. As a strategist with creative, digital and media agencies, as well as on the brand side, she brings with her extensive knowledge and experience from across brands and categories. I believe her strategy leadership will help uncover more opportunities for growth, spark ideas that will differentiate brands away from the average and deliver better experiences for consumers, further strengthening Essence’s unique position as a full-service media agency for new-era marketers in China.”

Shanghai, China – To celebrate the upcoming Chinese New Year, automotive manufacturer BMW in China has launched a new campaign, with the aim to bring sheer joy to all its customers across the country.

BMW said that its Chinese name ‘Bao Ma’ translates to ‘precious horse’, and the campaign is a visual feast of the ‘precious horse’ celebrating and welcoming the Year of the Tiger, an animal known for its vibrancy, playfulness, and bravery, as well as power.

The campaign, which was created in collaboration with creative production agency TBWA\BOLT and artists from Real Good Studio, utilises various visual and audio elements amplifying ‘Hu’ or Tiger in Chinese and ‘Ma’, the ‘precious horse in Chinese, to represent the Year of the Tiger.

Titled ‘Nothing but sheer joy’, the campaign seeks to brighten and entertain, bringing a lighthearted smile to the audience wherever they are during this festive season, veering away from seasonal campaign stereotypes of heavy-hearted emotional family reunions and CNY messages.

Stephane Koeppel, BMW China’s VP of brand and marketing, said “The campaign brings an unexpected and unique perspective to Chinese New Year celebrations by bringing together the dynamic and complementary characteristics of these two auspicious animals.”

Meanwhile, Mo Chen, BMW China’s executive creative director, explains that the campaign injects a sense of joy, which is at the centre of BMW’s brand, together with the Tiger to deliver an entertaining creatively unique experience.

“No tears, no pressure, nothing but sheer joy to welcome in the Year of the Tiger,” said Chen.

The campaign kicked off last 27 January, and was launched in cinemas and across social media including Weibo, China’s Tiktok, and Bilibili, as well as BMW’s own channels. The scope also includes films, posters, and consumer engagement via a user-generated content (UGC) component where the audience is invited to join, create, and deliver their individual interpretations of joy during the celebration.

In addition, the campaign includes a physical set of limited designed collectables including Red Packets and Spring Festival Scrolls, which can be accessed via BMW China’s official app.

Shanghai, China – Media communications agency OMD in China has won the media mandate of global denim brand Levi’s, which will drive media strategy, planning and buying for the iconic denim brand. 

Through the agency’s empathy planning workflow – OMD Design & E2E data platform – OMNI, OMD China delves into the Chinese Gen-Z’s behavior and identified opportunities to accelerate growth for Levi’s with an innovative integrated media solution. 

A spokesperson for Levi’s commented that they were deeply impressed by OMD China’s advanced strategic thinking, strong data capabilities and excellent innovation. The spokesperson also added that the agency’s youthful and dynamic team has shown great passion for the brand and the denim culture.

“They were able to resonate with our consumers and translate this youthful energy into a strong integrated communication blueprint that is rooted in Levi’s heritage and DNA. This year, we will collaborate with OMD to embark on a new journey and explore more innovative marketing possibilities in the Chinese market to bring accelerated growth to the Levi’s brand,” the spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, Connie Chan, CEO at OMD China, commented, “We are excited to be working with an iconic brand who appreciates our vision and insights on the market’s Gen-Z consumers. OMD brings together a unique combination of expertise and strategic approach which taps on our network’s capabilities to deliver impactful and innovative solutions to our clients. We look forward to [supporting] Levi’s in achieving their growth targets.”

Shanghai, China – Carat, the media agency under dentsu, has won once again the account of dairy company Mengniu Group as its strategic media planning agency in China. Carat has long worked with Mengniu Group since 2017 where the group used its data-driven solutions and consumer-centric strategy and planning for Mengniu’s brand growth.

Mengniu is dedicated to supplying healthy, nutritious and delicious dairy products to consumers in China and overseas. The company is one of the leading in the market of premium milk, yoghurt, fresh milk and cheese, and aims to expand its global reach.

Ami Qian, chief executive officer at Carat China, said, “We are thrilled to be continuing this cornerstone partnership. This renewal comes as our relationship with Mengniu enters its 5th year and is a testament to Carat’s growth-driving, results-based approach. We are proud of our track record helping this ever-expanding portfolio of brands reach new audiences in China and around the world.”

She added, “Mengniu is a leading and innovative brand in China, and our strategic approach emphasizes placing greater insights and capabilities at the heart of communications planning. Carat’s market-leading data-driven approach delivers the deep knowledge and insight required to strategize for this complex portfolio of products across multiple consumer segments within this highly competitive category. We are looking forward to another glorious year with Mengniu.”

Shanghai, China – Advertising agency Ogilvy in China has been tapped by agricultural product production business Tongwei Group for the launch of its newest pet food brand Pjoy. Through the agency appointment, Tongwei Group aims to expand its brand portfolio to tap into business opportunities presented by the fast-growing domestic pet food segment.

Ogilvy China will be responsible for crafting the new brand and charting a business roadmap that would support sustainable growth, leveraging robust market analysis and consumer research to define a scalable business segment, identify the new brand’s target audience, and develop new product concepts, product mix, brand positioning, naming and personality. 

In addition, Tongwei Group’s strategic recommendations are then translated into the real-world by Ogilvy’s advertising, experience and public relations teams, who spearheaded and executed the new brand’s visual identity, packaging design as well as e-commerce content and communications strategy.

Sandy Ng, president at Ogilvy Consulting in China, said, “Pjoy is a true testament of how Ogilvy’s offerings across capabilities can work seamlessly together to help support our clients and give birth to a new brand starting from market opportunity analysis all the way to the brand communications execution. We look forward to establishing Pjoy as the go-to choice of premium pet food in China.”

Pjoy’s product line currently includes 16 different types of cat and dog food that can be mixed and matched to suit the animal’s preferences and diet needs. All products are free of additives, artificial colorings, preservatives, and cooked through 3 different methods to ensure high-nutritional value. 

Furthermore, Ogilvy Shanghai supported the brand launch just ahead of this year’s Singles’ Day festival, delivering an integrated communications strategy and amplifying brand awareness KOLs and KOCs on key Chinese social media platforms.