Grey's China chairman Viveca Chan said the agency, which is affiliated to Hong Kong media company Tom.com, is best known for its main strength in outdoor signage. However, Li Jian, Fench president and chairman, was also eager to establish the company as a brand agency. Fench's website ranked it 11 in the top 50 advertising agencies in China and the "biggest multinational/multimedia company" in southwest China. In 2000, it joined Tom.com to form outdoor media group Fench Media.
"We have signed an agreement and what this allows us to do is expand our footprint. It is not possible for Grey to be everywhere so now we have four alliances (in China) that allow us to penetrate secondary cities," Chan said. "Geographically, the benefits are two-fold. It gives us local market support and local client contact. Together we can co-develop our work for clients."
Grey has alliances in place with agencies in Hangzhou and Nanjing and another with a public relations firm. Chan added: "My vision is to create a localised global agency. Having a local partner gives us local insight. I see great potential in this partnership."