MindShare A-P notches up US$100m in new biz

<p>MindShare has made a record-breaking start to the year by notching </p><p>up more than US$100 million in new business billings across </p><p>Asia-Pacific in the first quarter of this year. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>This takes the media dependent's regional billings to more than </p><p>US$5 billion across the region, including Japan. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The new wins consist of about 70 separate pieces of business including </p><p>7-Eleven, Yahoo and Tom.com in Hong Kong; software solutions company SAP </p><p>in Singapore; Johnson & Johnson pharmaceutical affiliate Xian Janssen </p><p>and household appliance firm Guangdong Kelon in China; and President </p><p>Foods and BAT in Taiwan. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>MindShare regional business director, Chris Walton told MEDIA, "The </p><p>gains have been mainly in the dotcom, pharmaceutical, food, finance and </p><p>babycare categories. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"But the major issue is that more local clients are following the </p><p>multinational lead and unbundling media." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The fact that more local clients are coming on board shows that the </p><p>discipline of media specialism is fast being recognised, Mr Walton </p><p>said. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>And he expected media specialists to be in charge of more than 50 per </p><p>cent of the media and planning spend in Asia-Pacific within two to five </p><p>years from about 30 to 40 per cent currently. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>