Zenith leaps to top of Recma rankings

<p>HONG KONG: Zenith has knocked MindShare off the top of the totem pole in </p><p>the Recma Institute's Asia-Pacific media agency rankings for 2000, but </p><p>its rise to the top has sparked a dispute. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The Paris-based organisation, which is no stranger to controversy having </p><p>been at the receiving end of numerous challenges over the years, put </p><p>Zenith in pole position based on billings of US$1.78 billion. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>However, MindShare, the frontrunner in 1999, was a close second with </p><p>$1.73 billion, while Starcom MediaVest placed third with $1.5 billion. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Critics said they were surprised by Zenith'a rise to the top, which was </p><p>helped by billings in China soaring a hefty 169 per cent from $172 million to $464 million. This was reportedly achieved despite </p><p>the loss of the $160 million Procter & Gamble buying account in </p><p>January 2000. Zenith regional chief executive officer Antony Young said </p><p>the figure for 1999 was never as low as $172 million. "It was a </p><p>lot higher than that, but Recma conducted its 1999 research without </p><p>consulting us." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Recma international sales manager Stephanie Cooper acknowledged that the </p><p>Asia-Pacific rankings have repeatedly generated controversy. However, </p><p>she said that Recma had made attempts this year to improve the final </p><p>product. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>It has been persuading agencies to submit income figures. But she </p><p>claimed that the move had been resisted by the majority of agencies. The </p><p>organisation's chief editor Eudes Delafon said he would be using </p><p>ACNielsen numbers from next year to verify the accuracy of information </p><p>submitted by agencies. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The rankings are currently compiled on claimed and unaudited </p><p>numbers. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>But Recma does attempt to verify the figures through research. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>- See analysis, p13. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>