Fallon Worldwide chooses Singapore for first Asian office

US creative hotshop Fallon Worldwide has confirmed that it will set

up a presence in Asia-Pacific within the first half of next year.

Fallon chairman Pat Fallon said the first office would be established in

Singapore, with another one likely to open in Shanghai at a later

date.

On Hong Kong though, he expressed doubts.

"Hong Kong is critical as a business centre, but I am not sure if it is

an advertising communications centre.

"Singapore has a lot of good work and it is in-depth, but we are going

to have to take another hard look at Hong Kong," he told MEDIA.

Fallon recently hired Mr Calvin So, formerly of Saatchi & Saatchi

Singapore, as associate creative director in its New York office, and Mr

Fallon indicated that Mr So could be the one to head up the Singapore

operations when it was launched.

Fallon Worldwide is the newly-formed, second global network of

Paris-based Publicis Group after it became part of the Publicis network

last February.

Fallon has a long list of major clients including BMW of North America,

Holiday Inn Worldwide, Starbucks and United Airlines.

Some have been with the agency for a decade or more, such as Lee and

Time magazine.

Mr Fallon said many clients stick with the agency because of its

holistic work ethics.

"Most agencies simply suggest solutions they think the client needs, not

what is actually needed," he said.

"We don't just suggest advertising every time a client comes to us with

a problem. Sometimes, what we suggest as a solution is something other

than advertising.

"We are the partners of our clients and we work as though profit and

branding are inextricably linked because we want to be held

accountable."

Mr Joe Duffy, chairman of Duffy - a Fallon company involved in strategic

design to build brands - said the agency even went as far as designing

the look of a restaurant and the dishes it serves.

"If you bring in design, advertising and now interactivity, you can

create a much stronger brand value," he said.

"Because, altogether, they put you in touch with as many people as

possible through all points of contact."