GroupM to acquire Filmworks China

The acquisition comes in response to the growing desire among domestic companies to increase their branding in China and globally by being associated with world-class global entertainment assets, including Hollywood blockbusters, as China becomes the world’s second largest advertising market this year. Currently more than eight cinema screens go up in China a day with a box office that has doubled in takings since 2009, according to GroupM.

“Filmworks China will extend GroupM’s capability in entertainment marketing by providing our clients exclusive access to international world-class media properties,” said Bessie Lee, GroupM China CEO. “Hollywood films represent a huge opportunity for domestic brands to connect with consumers here in China, as well as those in the global arena. Few other media offer this kind of opportunity for reach and engagement on such a massive scale with international appeal.”

“In joining GroupM, we will help clients create successful marketing platforms in partnership with entertainment property owners with some of the world’s most sought-after assets,” said Sirena Liu, founder of Filmworks China.

Founded in 2010, Filmworks China focuses on comprehensive collaboration between major Chinese brands in China and high-profile international entertainment properties, including Hollywood films, US television shows, games and talent.

Filmworks China is the only company in China authorised to represent some of the most prominent Hollywood studios and gaming companies in the field of licensing, promotion and sponsorship, including Dreamworks Animation, Warner Brothers, Universal Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox, Electronic Arts and the Bruce Lee Enterprise.

According to the company, it has negotiated many high-profile placements for Chinese brands in recent years, most notably for TCL Television, Yili Group’s Shuhua brand milk in Transformers 3 and Kungfu Panda 2. The latter film was DreamWorks Animation's biggest promotion campaign to date in China, with 34 clients being secured through Filmworks, including Dongfeng Peugeot, Meters/bonwe, Uni-President, Watsons and Vinda, according to the company.

Filmworks China claims the first introduction of a Chinese brand to an American TV series by placing Yili Milk into The Big Bang Theory, a popular American sitcom.

Early this year, Filmworks China extended its reach to the ever-growing gaming world, integrating 360buy, one of the largest online shopping sites in China, into the popular Sims game created by Electronic Arts.