SPDB appoints McCann

SHANGHAI Shanghai Pudong Development Bank (SPDB) has handed its entire credit cards advertising business to McCann Worldgroup, following a multi-agency review that included incumbent Young & Rubicam.

The account shift is expected to include above-the-line, database and relationship marketing. Universal McCann already handles media planning and buying. SPDB launched its own-branded mainland credit card last year, after launching a dual-branded credit card with minority shareholder Citibank in 2003.

"They want to establish a strong and premium brand image for their credit card," explained McCann Worldgroup Greater China chairman and chief executive officer TH Peng.

Peng added that the bank is looking to target two groups of consumers for its credit card - those that already have a debit card, and those that have a credit card with competing institutions.

"If we have a new offering, people will wake up," said Peng. SPDB's credit card includes a raft of features that he believes will prove attractive to consumers in China's nascent credit card industry.

"China is still considered a cash market, but that's one of the reasons why SPDB wants to capture the potential at this stage," he added.

The win comes as McCann Erickson Guangming completes a major reshuffle of its China management, which sees the departure of national MD Don Norris. The agency has named three new MDs to run its offices in Shanghai, Beijing and Hong Kong.

Eunice Wong, former marketing director with Jardine Restaurant Group in Hong Kong, has been appointed MD of McCann Shanghai. Margaret Chan, who had overseen business development at McCann Beijing has been promoted to MD while Spencer Wong, ECD and executive vice-president of McCann China, also becomes MD of the Hong Kong office.

All three report directly to Peng, who said that the moves were partly triggered by an increasing demand for local work from McCann's global client roster, in particular Intel and L'Oreal.

"Therefore, all our management teams have got to have deep understanding of the local markets," he said.