McCann expands relationship marketing unit

<p>McCann-Erickson's relationship marketing unit is boosting its </p><p>presence in Asia-Pacific because of the explosion in the number of media </p><p>channels that advertisers can use to target and interact with </p><p>people. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>McCann Relationship Marketing (MRM) currently has operations in Hong </p><p>Kong, Japan, India and Australia. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>An office was recently set up in Shanghai, with plans in the pipeline </p><p>for Taiwan and other major markets in the region. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>MRM's worldwide chief operating officer Pamela Larrick said the time was </p><p>now ripe to expand. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"The economy is better and clients are more aggressive. The key thing is </p><p>that there is a multitude of new ways to talk and interact with </p><p>consumers - the Internet, WAP, PDAs - which mean that companies realise </p><p>they must put more focus on the relationship they build with their </p><p>customers. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"We will, therefore, be pretty aggressive in developing or acquiring the </p><p>resources we need in this region to provide clients with the type of </p><p>support they require," she told MEDIA. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>MRM Hong Kong general manager Henrik Monefeldt added: "It's very </p><p>important that the brand is displayed consistently through all the </p><p>channels now available to advertisers as well as conveying similar </p><p>messages." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The growing focus in relationship marketing is seen by the fact that MRM </p><p>in Hong Kong has grown rapidly in the 18 months since it was set up with </p><p>Cathay Pacific as its only client. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Mr Monefeldt said that today, it has 10 active clients including PCCW </p><p>HKT, Marriott Hotel, Black & Decker and Japan Tobacco. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>As relationship marketing has a long history in North America, Ms </p><p>Larrick said that MRM in the United States was well positioned to </p><p>organise and transfer knowledge, technology, best practice and people to </p><p>Asia-Pacific. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>