Roundtable: Technology should serve marketing
Google feted 10 top marcomms professionals in Shanghai for an intense and wide-ranging discussion on the challenges for tech-driven marketing in China.
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Zero or hero? Industry polarised on zero-based budgeting
Clients see it as fiscal discipline. Agencies see it as short-sightedness. As zero-based budgeting makes a comeback, we assess its values and shortcomings.
Coke and McCann promote new-year dolls as China equivalent of Santa
SHANGHAI - For the annual Chinese New Year campaign, Coca-Cola China is reintroducing two clay-doll characters, A Fu (阿福) and A Jiao (阿娇), originally created by McCann in 2001. And in an intentional move reminiscent of how Coke refashioned Santa Claus in the 1920s, the cherubic figures are here to stay as long-term creative assets.
Bolei Digital launches real-time inventory tool for omni-channel retail
HONG KONG - Apparel retailers will be able to track their inventory in real-time across all outlets and tap into omni-channel retail with cloud-based software introduced by Bolei Digital and Purecomm.
Xaxis launches audience-buying services for advertisers in China
BEIJING and SHANGHAI - Audience buying company Xaxis, part of GroupM, has officially established local representation in China with its headquarters in Shanghai and a second office in the mainland's capital.
Savage: No 'hasty' decision on controversial Grey winner
Cannes Lions chairman says organisation will review 'I Sea' campaign, but not in the "heat of Cannes".
Accenture expands digital execution capabilities with PacificLink buy
HONG KONG - Accenture Interactive believes its just-announced acquisition of Hong Kong's PacificLink Group enhances the consulting company's ability to bridge fragmented C-suites by serving both the strategic and implementation needs of its Greater China clients.
The 'She-conomy': Chinese women under 30 are remaking the market
What does the emancipation of an entire generation of Chinese women in the new economy mean for brands?
PHD China wins Huawei media account in four-way pitch
Win covers media strategy and buying for traditional media.
Impasse with Tsai government puts brakes on Uber in Taiwan
The ride-sharing firm will halt its Taiwan service as of 10 February.
Nantong, Miteno are new kids on the block making splash in China M&A
Private equity, consulting, IT and even a metal-forging firm are pulling out their wallets to compete with the usual acquirers.
Lancôme controversy, one month on: Brand damage in HK worse than China
YouGov's June data show the negative impact the Lancôme concert-cancellation saga had among females in Hong Kong, but not China.
Alibaba's 11.11 GMV up 32% this year; major takeaways from a mega-sale
Everyone knows Alibaba raked in nearly US$18 billion. But beyond numbers, what can we learn from Singles Day this year?
Hello 'Moto': Lenovo gives up on selling smartphones under its own name
The company has also named new leadership for its mobile business.
PCCW Media launches OTT video service Viu, offers rapid subtitling
HONG KONG - Viu, a new over-the-top (OTT) platform launched yesterday by HK Television Entertainment (HKTVE), a subsidiary of telecommunications company PCCW, aims to compete with not only broadcast TV but also video piracy through the use of agile 'windowing' and rapid subtitling into Chinese.
Q&A: Tim Delaney on a nerve-wracking Shanghai opening, 'scam factories' & creative KPIs
SHANGHAI - Tim Delaney (pictured), chairman of Leagas Delaney Group, reveals the hits and misses of entering the China market as a latecomer in an exclusive interview with Campaign Asia-Pacific.
Programmatic conflict in China: iPinYou's point of view on PDB and RTB
The CEO and co-founder of iPinYou, Grace Huang, lists three rebuttals why being involved in both PDB and RTB is not a "conflict".
Australia: Ethical consumption bogged down by affordability, availability, apathy
Australia has in recent years seen a mobilisation of consumers who question the origin, methodology and philosophy of brands.
Nielsen launches Digital Ad Ratings in Hong Kong with Facebook panel
The service is now available in 29 markets.
Nielsen develops Digital Ad Ratings for China with Tencent
BEIJING - In collaboration with Tencent, Nielsen has launched its own measurement standard for digital campaigns in China, claiming the system is a step above iGRPs.
China to Airbnb: New Chinese name is 'ugly-sounding', like 'a filthy love hotel'
Airbnb says its Chinese name 'Ài Bǐ Yíng' is designed to be easier to pronounce, but netizens find it corny, antiquated or worse.
Gender agendas shape creativity
Male dominance in creative teams is nothing new—but a recent academic paper throws the effect on women into sharp relief.
CCTV's Muji claims denounced by Shanghai Quarantine Bureau
The plot has taken a twist with assertions of the opposite from both Muji and Shanghai authorities.
Watch: Car chat with creative hot-shop Jimmy+Amber
SHANGHAI - It has been almost three months since Jimmy Lam (林俊明) settled down at Leo Digital Network (利欧数字网络) as its new group chief creative officer, while co-launching 'Jimmy+Amber' with Amber Liu under the same network. Campaign asks the duo, on their way to the airport for an annual retreat, how things are working out.
Ad-fraud video: The $7 billion problem explained in under five minutes
Bot traffic is estimated to be worth more than drug-trafficking, but how has the industry arrived at this number? How insidious is this problem? And how hard is it to solve?
Hong Kong jewellery giant looks to Japan to offset losses at home
Chow Tai Fook, the largest jewellery retailer in Hong Kong, is shifting its focus to Japan as the number of visitors from mainland China plummets at home.
Nike, Muji targeted in China consumer rights exposé
Both companies are accused of having misled consumers through their marketing.
Brands nervously await CCTV's 'name and shame' night
A look at which industries and brands may find themselves in defensive mode come Wednesday night, and how they should react.
Trump deflates Chinese interest in US property, tourism and education
Four in 10 Chinese are more negative about the US following Trump’s first month as president.
The case for copying: Whose idea is it anyway?
An ECD argues on behalf of imitation at Spikes Asia.
Interpublic loses one to DAN as Carat names China CEO
McCann Worldgroup Shanghai's group MD heads to the DAN media agency.
Isobar China hires CEO from TNS
Agency puts faith in value of diverse backgrounds for new CEO role.
Air China says racist travel tips were 'misinterpreted'
A statement provided by Air China apologises but attempts to distance the brand from the scandal by blaming the magazine editors.
Shot at Spikes: Not sure about being in advertising? Watch this
Our reporters capture some honest answers to their QOTD from creatives at Spikes Asia.
Spikes delegates tell us what work they wish they'd done
Our reporters capture some honest answers to their QOTD from creatives at Spikes Asia.
Shot at Spikes: Creatives recount their scariest pitches
Our reporters capture some honest answers to their QOTD from creatives at Spikes Asia.
Healthcare creativity in China: The not-so-bitter pill
Healthcare ads in China, hemmed in by tight rules and conservative clients, have long been criticised for lacklustre creativity, but that is improving, according to a Spikes Asia presentation featuring Johnson & Johnson and J. Walter Thompson.
Brandolympics 2016: Sina Weibo generated 95.84% of total countable buzz
Publicis Shanghai and Linkfluence offer social-listening insights into the branding side of the games.
Lufthansa suggests that German quality is a form of filial piety
In its first campaign localised for China, the airline addresses an aloof, efficient image with a story about family ties.
Mongolia no longer a wait-and-see market: BrandZ
A BrandZ study offering advice for market entry highlights how Mongolia has more in common with Indonesia than it does with neighbouring China.
The anatomy of fear and its impact on creativity
McDonald's and OMD examine how client and agency can overcome Asian tendencies and take the ‘brave pill’ together.
Ruder Finn acquires Hong Kong-based Daylight Partnership
Daylight founder David Ko to lead Ruder Finn’s regional digital arm after acquisition.
Leo Burnett Hong Kong confirms 15 layoffs
Agency calls the move a realignment of resources toward Shanghai.
2016 Kam Fan awards: Grey, Zenith named top agencies
Grey and Zenith win top spots at the 2016 awards, but no Grand Kam Fan was awarded.
Photos: Miaozhen roundtable in Beijing
CHINA INNOVATION 2016: A roundtable discussion co-hosted with Miaozhen last week touched on the sources of innovative ideas, the abilities of AIs, the validity of data and whether consumers even know what they want.
Tech Talk: Linkfluence, Pixels, Qlippie Live, Alipay and more
A weekly roundup of tech news and announcements.
Tech Talk: Yahoo, Sizmek, Facebook, IAB, Twitter and more
A weekly roundup of tech news and announcements.
CCTV refutes Samsung China claims that Note7s were not flawed
"External heating"? No way, says a CCTV-commissioned investigation.
Publicis Communications finalises Greater China structure
Michael Lee and David Gompel get larger roles.
Forrester gives full marks to only three digital agencies in China
A new report ranks agencies according to 15 services covering strategy, marketing and technology.
Havas Media names Mediacom's Karl Wu as Greater China CEO
Karl Wu will be responsible for Havas Media Group’s brands in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
Hong Kong digital advertising body aims to advance market
Digital Marketing Association to focus on measurement standards, training.
In-taxi media firm Touchmedia reportedly ceases China operations
Company had 50,000 headrest-mounted screens in seven Chinese cities.
Tmall's 8-hour catwalk a glitzy preamble to Singles' Day
Tmall yesterday live-streamed an eight-hour fashion show in Shanghai to rev up for the coming 11.11 online shopping fest.
Photos and videos: Taiwan's 4As Awards
Photos and videos from the Taiwan 4As Awards held on 30 September.
Updated: WeChat influencers caught faking article views; TripAdvisor among affected
WeChat is clamping down on zombies that inflate exposure numbers.
Hong Kong consumers remain resistant to ecommerce: KPMG/GS1 research
Hong Kong consumers still have "strong intentions to buy from physical stores", casting doubt on their acceptance of the Singles' Day push next week.
Amid ad-revenue shortfall, Twitter points to ballooning Asia user numbers
Twitter's Aliza Knox puts focus on the platform's engagement rates and cost per engagement.
Raising the stakes in fighting fakes
As China strives to shake off its reputation as the counterfeit capital of the world, brands and retailers are turning to technology to combat the copycats.
Unilever levels up its startup game with collaborative space
22,000 square-foot 'Level3' workspace in Singapore HQ provides proximity to Unilever brands and Foundry programs.
Starbucks China enables social gifting via WeChat to brew up sales
WeChat's 846 million users can pay for a Starbucks digital gift card through the app's Wallet function.
Secret weapons in China's luxury ecommerce: A mobile number and a ribboned box
Clued-in online retailers in China use every aspect of the experience to telegraph luxury to demanding buyers. And domestic companies are better at it than those from the west.
Richard Lee departs PepsiCo after 19 years
Veteran marketer says he will "pursue new passions".
Coca-Cola's China media moves from Publicis to DAN
Dentsu Aegis Network will set up a dedicated in-house team, the Dentsu Coca-Cola Community (DCCC).
Campaign China's top brand missteps from 2016
Here's a look at the top five eyebrow-raising marketing-related incidents from China in 2016.
Joox: We don't believe in conversion through audio ads
A music-streaming service that doesn't like the sound of audio ads? Joox explains why it's playing a markedly different tune from Spotify.
DDB China's Richard Tan gives way to Danny Mok
Mok is still on gardening leave from his Leo Burnett role for another 10 days, and took time to look ahead to his new gig at DDB.
Former Razorfish head Vincent Digonnet named APAC CEO at MullenLowe Profero
Vincent Digonnet says his focus will be accelerating the shift from digital communications to platform building.
Boutique creative agency partakes of Kraft Heinz China
After two rounds against multinational agencies Havas and Leagas Delaney, a local hot shop came out on top.
Conflicts of interest plague China's programmatic market
While every market has its own set of challenges related to programmatic trading, the biggest issue in China is the protracted conflict of interest between local ad tech companies.
10 things you need to know about ad fraud
A quick and painless guide to the serious and painful problem of ad fraud. All brand marketers should know at least this much.
TubeMogul fully licensed in China, promises to not take positions on sell side
TubeMogul is now fully licensed (after obtaining its ICP - Internet Content Provider permit) to operate in China, having grown its salesforce in Shanghai to six people and its R&D office in Chengdu to 50 engineers.
Serviceplan Korea breaks barriers with CEO appointment
Julie Kang becomes not just the agency's first female CEO, but its first Korean CEO.
Exclusive: Cheil wins China Unicom account in 11-way pitch
JWT Beijing was the incumbent agency from 2013 to 2016.
'Economic patriotism': China’s bank brands strongest in world
America's Wells Fargo loses its status as the world’s most valuable banking brand to China's ICBC.
Alibaba to sponsor Olympics until 2028
Alibaba will become the games' official e-commerce and cloud services sponsor.
Mashable partners with Tencent to launch in China
The two companies have partnered to translate Mashable content into Chinese.
Wieden+Kennedy names new Shanghai ECD as Yang Yeo departs
Yeo, ECD since 2014, has returned to Singapore.
5 Campaigns that rocked China in 2016
Have a look at work that pushed advertising boundaries in China over the past year.
DMA: A practical guide to China's data and analytics scene
Takeaways from Campaign Asia-Pacific's DMA conference yesterday in Shanghai to sort the help from the hype.
Volkswagen China's Paul Hu: Rethinking the meaning of media efficiency
As PHD takes over from MediaCom following a procurement-led pitch, Volkswagen China, like many brands, is grappling with how to make sure it gets the most out of its media spend.
JWT China creates CEO role, fills it from McCann
Carter Chow (周世雄), previously chief marketing officer for Greater China at McCann Worldgroup, starts at JWT in the new year.
Marketers in China to face new legal readings of consumer data
CHINA INNOVATION 2016: With the fast pace of technology and business models in China, we can expect novel legal questions to be asked of marketers in future.
Innovation starts with the letter 'C', not 'I'
CHINA INNOVATION 2016: A roundtable discussion co-hosted with Miaozhen last week touched on the sources of innovative ideas, the abilities of AI, the validity of data and whether consumers even know what they want.
Breaking the internet, Chinese style
CHINA INNOVATION 2016: How brands are tapping China’s unique influencer marketing environment.
The ‘new order’ of virtual reality
CHINA INNOVATION 2016: Peddling products in thin air may be the future reality of marketing in China.
What should China make of Trump's anti-China rhetoric?
China insiders comment on how Trump won, and share their views on the possible impact of his aggressively anti-China stance.
Programmatic breaks a fresh trail in China
CHINA INNOVATION 2015: Limited data exchange and the lack of neutrality delays ‘good innovation’.
Unintentional searches can end up in more purchases: Study
Brands should make accidental online encounters a deliberate part of their strategy.
Trading places in Greater China: Saatchi's Chen and Ng, Yooya's Steere and more
Here is a roundup of recent people moves in advertising, marketing, media and digital in Greater China that have not already been reported by Campaign. Please let us know if we missed anyone.
Chinese consumers power an innovation engine
CHINA INNOVATION 2016: China’s innovations in business models translate to imaginative marketing, enabled by novelty-craving consumers who are keen to experiment.
What to make of Papi Jiang, and tips for making the most of KOLs
CHINA INNOVATION 2016: Papi Jiang is arguably the top KOL in China at the moment and even has venture capital behind her, but how do three firms rate her?
Photos: 2016 Greater China Agency of the Year Awards night
The 2016 Agency of the Year Awards for Greater China were presented last night at the Hyatt on the Bund in Shanghai.
Photos: 'Ladies of Media' luncheon raises nearly US$25,000
The event in support of Mother's Choice drew more than 80 female executives.
Vince Viola named managing director of Addition+ Asia
The McCann veteran will head the programmatic company, tasked with product rollout and growth in the region.
3 tech companies that may advance location-based ads in China
Despite smartphone ubiquity, location-aware marketing has not taken off in China. We look at the reasons why, and some companies that may change the picture.
Ogilvy & Mather Vietnam returns two Lions of own accord
Ogilvy Vietnam has returned two awards recently won at Cannes Lions after determining that some elements of its Rhino Rescue Project campaign "did not run in-market as stated".
Practicology opens Hong Kong office, appoints Greater China head
UK-founded consultancy Practicology has launched in Hong Kong, its third Asia-Pacific office, to serve Chinese clients.
2016 China Digital A-List: nomination deadline TODAY!
Nominations for this year’s China Digital A-List are due today! Hurry to make sure your digital superstars make it on the list.
US best at engaging with Chinese tourists; HK and Singapore, not so much
GLOBAL - Not all countries get it right with destination marketing to the Chinese. A Mailman report has found that many of the world's tourism boards fail to meet the demands of Chinese social-media users, and some even have fake engagement.