Y&R maps plan for AP offensive

Robert Campbell, who has worked with leading creative companies including Mother, Naked, TBWA\Chiat Day and Wieden & Kennedy, joins in a regional capacity. "I hired Robert because I don't believe a traditional, linear approach in the development of work is the best way forward," said Chris Jaques, chairman and CEO of Y&R and Wunderman Asia. Jaques said the linear approach did not allow agencies to capitalise on a big idea which could be generated anywhere in the process. "We will still have strategic planners, but creative planning will be supplementary to them," he said, adding that the idea was to have a creative planner in each office. "The purpose (of Campbell's hire) is not to develop rigorous analysis, but to ensure we employ information on the consumer, the business, the category, etc, towards developing new and creative ways of communicating for our clients' brands." In past projects, Campbell roped in comedians, maitre d's and people from different walks of life in free-form discussions to help determine the best communications proposition for brands. "I love TVCs, but it's not always the best way," said Campbell, who in 2002 started Cynic, which operates along the same lines as media-neutral consultancy Red Spider. In separate initiatives, Y&R is also launching The Knowledge Group (TKG), a Shanghai-based consultancy which will offer brand research and analysis, leveraging Y&R's global Brand Asset Valuator (BAV) research resource. Ying Tong, previously with TKG in New York during a stint of more than 10 years with Y&R, has been appointed regional director, with Yu Lin and Charles Zhang hired as BAV analysts. TKG's set-up comes as Y&R prepares to hike investment in BAV. Jaques has proposed adding four markets -- Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong and Korea are likely candidates -- in BAV in 2005. BAV recently completed fieldwork for China and Singapore.