Publicitas brings top staff and VIP clientele to town

Event: PPN Day 2005, Hong Kong Date: January 25-28, 2005 Number and profile of participants: 200 senior executives from the leading newspaper and magazine publishing companies and senior staff of PPN companies from around the world Slogan for the conference: 'PPN Day 2005 in Hong Kong: where the leaders in the global ad sales business meet' Length of programme: Four days three nights Accommodation: InterContinental Hong Kong Official airline: Cathay Pacific DMC used: PC Tour provided ground transportation and local tour services Publicitas Promotion Network (PPN) is one of the world's media giants with advertising sales offices across the globe. PPN chose Hong Kong for its PPN day when it brings together senior figures from the publishing world and its own staff. Kitman Mak, marketing director Asia of Publicitas Promotion Network, identified Hong Kong's accessibility and accommodation as key factors in selecting the destination. "Hong Kong is a world-class metropolitan city and has superb meeting and conference facilities for us to invite some 200 guests. "Since most participants were coming from a variety of points around the world, good accessibility was an essential element of our conference. "To ensure an excellent stay and remarkable experience for the participants, a high standard of hotels and a wide range of dining venues were also important," Mak says. After the welcome cocktails and dinner on January 25, an official opening ceremony and conference was conducted in the morning of the 26th. Six keynote speakers from the Hong Kong Tourism Board, and reputable corporations and advertising agencies in Asia, the US and Switzerland delivered their presentations to share their insights into how their organisations came up with outstanding initiatives to strengthen their market positions under difficult economic conditions. Top speakers The organisers went to great efforts to line up VIP speakers, including Selina Chow, chairwoman Hong Kong Tourism Board; Charlie Stewart-Cox, general manager marketing Cathay Pacific Airways; Mark Patterson, CEO North Asia Mindshare; Michael Hobson, senior vice-president — sales and marketing Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group; Marcelo Salup, executive vice-president and international media director Foote Cone & Belding International; and Daniel Hofer, CEO Publicitas Promotion Network. Two breakout sessions were held on January 26 and January 27. These were opportunities for all delegates to meet up, exchange ideas, review market conditions, update the development of their newspapers and magazines, and build or further enhance the working relationships in the media world. The conference was ended by a formal gala dinner held in Repulse Bay. Two previous PPN conferences have been held, the first in Miami in 1999 and the second in Tenerife, Spain in 2001. Mak says: "Both cities are nice, but with more of a resort style. In Hong Kong, good infrastructure enabled us to have many productive meetings and there were excellent options for leisure activities." For PPN the essential aim of the event was to cement contacts with key business clients in a memorable and personal way as well as an opportunity to formalise business leads. "The overwhelming response from delegates, the good relationship-building with our clients and the conclusion of a few important agreements with leading publishers, proved that this conference was an effective and successful one," she says. A grand Chinese banquet was held in the second evening at the Jumbo Kingdom. The theme of the evening was Chinese culture and multicoloured satin jackets were provided to all delegates. A multi-course Chinese meal was followed by an evening of entertainment. Pipes and drums "The highlight and surprise of the night was a performance by our senior management who appeared as a mysterious masked drum troupe and performed a dramatic and stirring percussion piece in total darkness," Mak says. She tells of a delegate from the US who wrote to her saying: "The blubber, eel, fish and more fish were quite entertaining. There I was trying to eat with chopsticks and no fork. I do have a great appreciation for fine food and was so thankful for many wonderful meals at the conference." The gala dinner was held in the last evening at Repulse Bay. Along with a fusion-style buffet, the evening's entertainment included the Hong Kong Police Pipe Band, a body-twisting acrobatic show and Cantonese opera. Mak quotes another delegate from Australia, who commented that: "The Hong Kong Police Pipe Band was something I was never expecting and will never forget." A choice of five leisure tours around various parts of Hong Kong were available to give visitors a chance to see other areas. The city received many plaudits from the international visitors, says Mak. "It was the first visit to Hong Kong for most delegates. Many of them had positive responses [about the city] and were looking forward to a return visit. A German delegate told us, 'I always had the feeling that I had to keep every moment close in my mind, because I want to remember this trip in the years to come'," Mak recounts.