He never leaves home without it

Tim Pinnegar knows an Economist customer when he sees one, primarily because he is one. The 42-year-old, who recently took on the newly-created role of Asia-Pacific publisher at the magazine, freely admits to being a passionate reader of the title and -- as it turns out -- is never slow to do his bit for the bottom line. "Wherever I'm going, I buy a copy, because I love reading it," says Pinnegar. This is important because, as Pinnegar points out, one of The Economist's key challenges in the region is actually persuading people to read the publication. "That's probably one of our biggest frustrations -- actually getting people to read it," he explains. "The Economist was seen as being a little remote and stuffy, so the challenge was how to get the values across in a relevant, memorable and fun way." Clearly, however, Pinnegar is doing something right. Since joining the title in 2000 as regional advertising manager, circulation has risen by almost a third. In particular, the brand has made a deliberate attempt to create a more playful, knowing image -- which Pinnegar traces directly to his 13 years spent at Leo Burnett/Starcom in a variety of media roles. "A key part of the agency is to help clients build their brands," he says. "In an advertising agency, you always have this culture of looking for new ideas and different ways of doing things." It was this grounding that led Pinnegar to seek out Red Card, in an effort to make The Economist's regional identity a more distinct one. The result has been a range of eye-catching and award-winning campaigns, which have included such creative gems as stuffed monkeys, Rubik's Cubes and 'bluejacking' mobile phones. "Red Card sort of emerged out of an insight I had," explains Pinnegar. "It's all stuff that I think appeals to the target audience, but does it in a way that stands out. In Asia, you might need a slightly different approach." As Pinnegar knows only too well, however, getting people's attention is only part of the issue. The other is ensuring that the product is one that remains relevant in the diverse spectrum of Asian markets. And despite the hype about 'local sensitivities', Pinnegar makes it clear that The Economist will not compromise its product in this regard. "Sometimes we're a bit caustic and the economic stance doesn't always sit well in Asia, but that's what we believe," he asserts. "We're writing for the same person around the world." Pinnegar has spent 10 years in Asia, after a 1992 sabbatical to the region convinced him that his future lay in this part of the world. He makes no attempt to hide his affection for Asia, although points to its very diversity as a key challenge for The Economist. "For a regional media owner Asia is actually a group of very differing countries. From the mature markets of Singapore and Hong Kong to the rapidly developing ones of India and China," says Pinnegar. "A big challenge is to develop and execute strategies across these countries that can maintain a profitable business while investing for longer term growth." In particular, Pinnegar is directing his gaze towards Chinese and Asian companies looking to build their brands on a world stage. "That's going to be where the revenue comes from," he states. "(We have to) develop relationships now with Asian advertisers who in the future are looking to build their brands globally."