Hakuhodo and Zenith swoop in on $5m Kao HK account

HONG KONG: Zenith Media has teamed up with Hakuhodo to win the HK$40 million (about US$5.1 million) Kao media account. The Japanese cosmetics brand had put the business up for pitch as it sought to achieve a greater media buying efficiency in Hong Kong in combination with effective creative recommendations. The pitch also saw Optimum Media Direction team up with I&S BBDO, the eighth-largest agency in Japan, which is majority-owned by BBDO, both part of the Omnicom network. The incumbent, Dentsu Hong Kong, lost out while trying to hang on to the assignment along with long-time media agency partner, The Media Edge. Zenith regional director Roland Crouch described the alliance as a one-off relationship, capping negotiations that occurred over the past 12 months. In Japan, Zenith currently partners with Yomiko Advertising. However, the latter does not have a presence in Hong Kong. Crouch said that the arrangement could open the door to other similar arrangements with Hakuhodo in the future. "This is a very unique first step for us and we believe it could lead to something regional," he said. "Right now, it's one step at a time but only if both sides feel we can add value."

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