McCann expands relationship marketing unit

McCann-Erickson's relationship marketing unit is boosting its

presence in Asia-Pacific because of the explosion in the number of media

channels that advertisers can use to target and interact with

people.

McCann Relationship Marketing (MRM) currently has operations in Hong

Kong, Japan, India and Australia.

An office was recently set up in Shanghai, with plans in the pipeline

for Taiwan and other major markets in the region.

MRM's worldwide chief operating officer Pamela Larrick said the time was

now ripe to expand.

"The economy is better and clients are more aggressive. The key thing is

that there is a multitude of new ways to talk and interact with

consumers - the Internet, WAP, PDAs - which mean that companies realise

they must put more focus on the relationship they build with their

customers.

"We will, therefore, be pretty aggressive in developing or acquiring the

resources we need in this region to provide clients with the type of

support they require," she told MEDIA.

MRM Hong Kong general manager Henrik Monefeldt added: "It's very

important that the brand is displayed consistently through all the

channels now available to advertisers as well as conveying similar

messages."

The growing focus in relationship marketing is seen by the fact that MRM

in Hong Kong has grown rapidly in the 18 months since it was set up with

Cathay Pacific as its only client.

Mr Monefeldt said that today, it has 10 active clients including PCCW

HKT, Marriott Hotel, Black & Decker and Japan Tobacco.

As relationship marketing has a long history in North America, Ms

Larrick said that MRM in the United States was well positioned to

organise and transfer knowledge, technology, best practice and people to

Asia-Pacific.