Eight agencies have thrown their lots in the fray - Publicis, Y&R, McCann Erickson, Leo Burnett, Lowe, Bates, Saatchi & Saatchi and Metta, the agency set up by former WE-Marketing MD, Andrew Lee.
Ocean Park declined to comment on the reason behind the pitch. However, the recent changes at WE-Marketing, which saw the agency lose Lee, executive creative director Simon Fung and general manager Iris Chan to newly formed agency Metta, is widely believed to have influenced the timing of the tender process. The Ocean Park account has otherwise been one of the great success stories of marketing in Hong Kong in the past few years.
Under the leadership of sales and marketing director Paul Pei, the local contender beat off competition from the establishment of Hong Kong Disneyland to register record attendance figures, totalling 4.9 million visitors last year, 800,000 more than Disneyland. “The old creative team worked very closely with the client who was known to be very pleased with their work,” said a source.
“But there are so many things that influence park attendance rates that one can never rest on one’s laurels.”
Ocean Park calls review
HONG KONG - Ocean Park has effectively ended its relation-ship with WE-Marketing, which will not be taking part in an open pitch for the homegrown Hong Kong amusement park's creative account.
