Universal McCann launches in China: Media specialist will maintain full-service links with its parent agency

<p>Universal McCann has launched in China aiming to elevate the role </p><p>of media in the mainland's increasingly complex media and communication </p><p>environment. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>However, in contrast with the current trend of unbundling media units, </p><p>Universal McCann has opted to maintain its full-service link with its </p><p>parent agency. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Universal McCann worldwide operations director and executive VP Murray </p><p>Dudgeon told MEDIA the launch aimed at not just establishing another </p><p>network, but enhancing the existing network's media discipline. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Media plays a key role in driving the whole branding and creative </p><p>process, according to Mr Dudgeon, who said fragmented media consumption </p><p>was expanding the strategic importance of media in advertising and </p><p>marketing plans. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Media should be at the forefront of all strategic communication plans, </p><p>as it is the media planner who needs to sort out solutions on what, how </p><p>and where to carry the message tactically in the branding and creative </p><p>process. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>With global billings of US$15.2 billion, Universal McCann will </p><p>complete its worldwide launch by the end of this year, with operations </p><p>in about 127 countries. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Despite the current spree of mergers and acquisitions, Mr Dudgeon ruled </p><p>out further mergers with Initiative, another media brand under the same </p><p>holding parent, Interpublic. Mr Dudgeon said Universal McCann would not </p><p>build its network through acquisition or by merging operations of </p><p>different cultures. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>However, he did not rule out the possibility of combining forces in </p><p>terms of sharing research knowhow and techniques within the Interpublic </p><p>network. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>There are, nonetheless, potential acquisitions to be made in the arena </p><p>of specialist disciplines, such as the Internet. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Advertising conglomerates have rolled out their media independents one </p><p>after the other over the past couple years, with McCann-Erickson </p><p>Worldwide announcing the global launch of Universal McCann just last </p><p>year. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Mr Dudgeon said the agency had to make sure that all the criteria - such </p><p>as research tools, techniques and staff training- were fully in place </p><p>prior to the launch. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Universal McCann has invested on the worldwide launch of its proprietary </p><p>study, Media in Mind, which is a single source media usage and product </p><p>consumption research. In a bid to expand media's core driver role in the </p><p>communication process, further proprietary tools such as the media </p><p>neutral Mixology are being developed to enhance the agency's planning </p><p>clout. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"It's now the right time and right place to launch," said Universal </p><p>McCann Asia-Pacific regional director and senior VP Allan Medforth, who </p><p>said cheap media buys should not form the competitive clout of a media </p><p>agency. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The crux should be the big creative idea, as clients will not turn to </p><p>advertising agencies only for production services, but also branding and </p><p>ideas. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The point was to optimise the focal communication point with consumers, </p><p>according to Mr Dudgeon. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"It's the time to understand (and explore) the (most effective) contact </p><p>point with consumers," said Mr Medforth, who said the traditional method </p><p>of creating a 30-second commercial and leaving the media division to </p><p>fight for the spot was no longer relevant in today's advertising </p><p>process. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Spinning off media divisions was not a profit-driven move, but it was </p><p>about long-term development to prepare for the next generation of media </p><p>practice, said McCann-Erickson Guangming Greater China CEO Joop </p><p>Broeren. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Universal McCann is also eyeing further third party and media-only </p><p>businesses and has won US$1.25 billion worth of new business so </p><p>far. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>With a total of 108 staff in China, general managers Gary Sin, Aaron </p><p>Wild and Gilad Coppersmith are respectively heading up the offices in </p><p>Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Universal McCann's clients in China include: Colgate Palmolive, </p><p>Motorola, Johnson & Johnson, Maybelline, Nestle, L'Oreal, Gillette, </p><p>Darlie and Ping An. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Asked about expansion plans for China, both Mr Broeren and Mr Medforth </p><p>said further penetration inland was not necessary at the moment. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>