Ex-M&C creative Hon moves to Clipper's HK headoffice

Hon becomes creative director at the agency, joining Bryan Wong, the former Publicis ECD, who was named creative director last year. Hon, with 14 years' experience in 4As agencies, said he left M&C Saatchi, where he had been just under three years,because he wanted to try a new way of working. "The Clipper idea is such a great idea," he said. "The way we work is simpler, more efficient and I think it is more creatively driven." Clipper, carrying a tag of 'ideas to go', positions itself as a nimble operation offering faster turnaround on ads than larger agencies. Hon joins the agency after it launched its first campaign secured as a discreet operation to Dentsu, a TV, print and outdoor push for Bank of China. Clipper pitched against Saatchi & Saatchi and Grey for the task. The three agencies are thought to be involved in an ongoing pitch for the bank's corporate branding work. The Bank of China could not be reached at presstime. The new campaign, promoting the bank's rebranded Wealth Management Prime product, aimed at its most affluent customers, is the financial institution's most visible marketing activity since several members of its board quit after a loan scandal. The TVC, which also serves a branding role following the bank's recent low profile, portrays images of teamwork and trust. The theme differentiates the drive from campaigns for rival schemes which focus on product benefits. Banks in Hong Kong have shifted their competitive focus to upscale premium products as low interest rates have dulled the ability of current accounts to differentiate a bank. Dah Sing Bank launched a campaign to promote its product last month, following pushes by Citibank and HSBC earlier last year.