China computer brand adds Burnett to roster

<p>BEIJING: China's leading computer manufacturer Legend has added Leo </p><p>Burnett to its agency roster alongside fellow Bcom3 partner Dentsu. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>No pitch was involved. Burnett joined the roster following a credentials </p><p>briefing, which included a presentation of a major piece of research the </p><p>agency had conducted in China earlier this year. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Benjamin Tsang, Burnett's managing director for Beijing, said the </p><p>initial assignment centred on creative development for Legend's portal, </p><p>fm365.com. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>No billings were disclosed for the assignment. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The portal was belatedly launched last year in China's crowded and </p><p>money-losing internet sector, which is now dominated by early birds like </p><p>Sina.com and Sohu.com. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>But fm365.com's trump card is Legend's partnership with AOL Time Warner </p><p>in a US$200 million joint-venture to develop interactive services </p><p>for the Chinese consumer markets. It is expected that AOL's content, </p><p>chiefly its music properties, will play a key part in the overhaul of </p><p>fm365.com. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"The branding will need to be revamped following the partnership," said </p><p>Tsang. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Tsang believed Burnett's presentation of its Ad Savvy China research </p><p>findings had helped swing the business its way. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The research was both quantitative and qualitative and looked at how </p><p>Chinese consumers responded to advertising. It found urban Chinese were </p><p>no different from consumers elsewhere and were tired of boring, </p><p>Chinese-style advertising. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"The Ad Savvy research showed them our understanding of consumers in </p><p>China, our willingness to invest to understand Chinese consumers better </p><p>and our focus on creative excellence," said Tsang. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>