CAREERS MEDIA: Bates boosts 'Net knowledge

<p>Bates Asia is moving to become a truly multimedia agency after more </p><p>than 30 staffers, including regional president Jeffrey Yu, completed a </p><p>six-month University of British Columbia post-graduate diploma course on </p><p>Internet marketing and e-commerce. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The effort, which was spearheaded by Mr Yu, was not the precursor to </p><p>setting up an independent interactive unit; it was aimed at allowing a </p><p>broad cross-section of agency staffers - creatives, account handlers, </p><p>planners and strategists - to be able to function in the New Economy </p><p>environment independently and effectively irrespective of which </p><p>department they worked in. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>As such, it was the largest undertaking of its kind in the Asia-Pacific </p><p>region by any agency. The student ranks were made up of creatives, </p><p>account handlers, senior and junior suits. Even affiliates CCG.XM, </p><p>Zenith and 141 participated. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Mr Yu said that Bates was pushing towards being a truly multimedia </p><p>agency, where people were well-versed in all aspects of on and offline </p><p>media. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"The Internet is a new medium and it should be treated as part of the </p><p>whole media. What I don't want to see is our creatives or account people </p><p>talk to a client about television and print and then when they get to </p><p>the Internet say, 'Sorry we have to refer you to our interactive guys'," </p><p>Mr Yu said. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Mr Yu said a similar initiative would be conducted in 2001 and that the </p><p>agency would again pay the course fees. However, he warned that those </p><p>who failed to complete the course might have to reimburse the </p><p>agency. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"This year, about 60 people signed up for the course. But only 33 </p><p>passed. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>For those who failed they must give a good explanation or they will have </p><p>to refund the agency," he said. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>