Blow for DDB as FCB grabs PNS China task

FCB Worldwide has launched a brand-building campaign for Park N'Shop's first PRC superstore in Guangzhou just weeks after winning a four-way pitch against Hong Kong 4As agencies including the incumbent DDB. The assignment represents a major new business coup for FCB, as the Hong Kong supermarket chain has aggressive expansion plans for the mainland market. The icing on the cake for the agency is the fact that the assignment centres on a superstore with more than 67,000 square feet of retail space, making it the biggest Park N'Shop outlet anywhere, including in Hong Kong. For DDB, however, the loss is seen as a major blow, because it has been Park N'Shop's agency in Hong Kong since 1991. FCB has been tasked with creating a campaign to motivate high in-store customer traffic and establishing the brand as providing the ultimate shopping experience in China. Television commercials and outdoor ads project an image of Park N'Shop being "the store for every day shopping" and as a retailer that offers the widest selection of the freshest foods with the best prices in town. The campaign opened with teaser TVC titled "Missing Women". "This TVC asks where all the women have disappeared to. Of course, they are all in the Park N'Shop superstore, which is huge and modern - there are even big TV screens at the checkout counter - and with the widest selection of products at the best prices," FCB Hong Kong managing director Margaret Kennedy said. The agency's recommendations at the pitch, which focused on both strategic and creative solutions, also included proprietary Mind & Mood research that profiled the behaviour of Guangzhou consumers. The buying and marketing director for Park N'Shop, Mr Jan Hes said, "FCB understood the importance of developing a powerful idea for the opening of our first mainland superstore. This idea is adaptable and can accommodate the regional market differences when launching new superstores in the rest of the PRC." He also expressed optimism that FCB's Mind & Mood research capabilities would help the campaign move forward with time. "Based on this deep understanding of consumer behaviour, our marketing communciation will resonate with mainland consumers to create new, exciting growth opportunities for our brand." TOP TEN TV RECALL HONG KONG 1) McDONALD'S: client: McDonald's; agency: DDB. 2) COCA-COLA: client: Coca-Cola; agency: D'Arcy. 3) SUNDAY (Female Ghost): client: Sunday Mobile Phone Network; agency: BBDO. 3) VITASOY (General Ad): client: Vitasoy; agency: Saatchi & Saatchi. 5) CTI: client: CTI; agency: Grey. 6) SUNDAY (Mosquito): client: Sunday Mobile Phone Network; agency: BBDO. 7) iCAN (Aaron Kwok - HSBC credit card): client: HSBC; agency: Bates. 8) PARK N' SHOP: client: Park N' Shop; agency: DDB. 9) MANULIFE MPF (Wong Chi Wah): client: Manulife; agency: Rapp Collins Worldwide. 9) HSBC/Hang Seng Bank MPF: client: HSBC; agency: Bates. Data on TV ads scoring the highest recall among consumers polled was collected by MARKET BEHAVIOUR (Hong Kong) LTD, on behalf of MEDIA. (November 13-24, 2000).

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