Ogilvy HK scoops $1m southern China briefs

<p>SHENZHEN: Ogilvy & Mather Hong Kong has scooped two southern China </p><p>assignments worth a total of US$1 million at a time when the </p><p>agency is in an aggressive drive to build its share of business from the </p><p>nearby Pearl River Delta. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The China Merchants real estate and Huawei Technologies accounts were </p><p>won without a pitch, according to Joseph Wang, group managing director </p><p>for Hong Kong and southern China and vice-chairman for China. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Both accounts will be serviced by the agency's Hong Kong operation, </p><p>which expects to grow its share of business from southern China to about </p><p>10 per cent of total revenue in the next two years. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"We find that clients in southern China tend to gravitate towards </p><p>agencies in Hong Kong. They feel we can bring expertise from outside, </p><p>which is relevant to them because they are looking to grow their </p><p>business and export their products beyond China," Wang said. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"In revenue terms to the agency, the accounts are not huge, but we are </p><p>only at the start and the potential is very great - both companies </p><p>understand that they need to develop a brand positioning going </p><p>forward." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>China Merchants appointed the agency to handle its brand consultancy </p><p>assignment, having previously worked with a number of different local </p><p>shops on a project basis. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The conglomerate started out in the shipping business and diversified </p><p>into tourism, finance and industry. Its move into real estate came after </p><p>it was granted a remit to develop Shekou in southern China. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"China Merchants wants to develop a brand profile as a national builder. </p><p>They want to be positioned against the other big mainland developers, </p><p>including Vanke (China's biggest-listed real estate developer)," said </p><p>Wang. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The Huawei brand consultancy brief grew from a crisis PR assignment O&M </p><p>had earlier secured to help the privately-held communications technology </p><p>and equipment provider counter charges by the Bush administration that </p><p>it had supplied fibre optic products to Iraq. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Wang said Huawei had its eye on exporting to Eastern Europe and Latin </p><p>America, where it believed its experience in supplying to a developing </p><p>economy like China would prove useful. Huawei pulled in sales of close </p><p>of US$2.7 billion last year. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>