BEIJING: Saatchi & Saatchi has snatched the US$7.4 million
China Netcom national agency or record business from Ogilvy & Mather,
which launched the broadband brand about a year ago in the mainland.
The review focused on strategic and creative recommendations aimed at
moving China Netcom to the next stage.
Saatchi Beijing general manager, Charles Sampson, said: "China Netcom
has around 20 different products and it was looking to create cohesion
among them so that it works seamlessly under the China Netcom brand.
"China Netcom liked the vision we gave the brand. It particularly liked
the strategic and creative execution we recommended to move the campaign
forward."
The account shift to Saatchi comes as the broadband operator, whose main
competitor is China Telecom, appears to be preparing to move into the
fixed line and mobile businesses as the mainland further liberalises the
telecommunications industry.
Zenith, meanwhile, won the media side of the business from
MindShare.
Sampson added that the pitch was handled in two stages - creative and
media - but stressed that the two agencies worked closely with each
other to win the assignment.
