| What is your staff size and how has that changed over the last 3 years? | |
|---|---|
| Leon Dorai : Global Brand Director | Leading an account servicing team of 4. Not much change. |
| Hilda Chan, Business Director | Leo Burnett HK has a total of 204 staff. My team currently has 8 members. I am new to Leo Burnett HK (I joined on Aug 10, 2015) so it is hard for me to tell the changes in Leo Burnett in the past 3 years. However, from my experience working in the other agency in the past 3 years, the staff size was stable - I used to manage 14 members in the team and the number was still the same when I left. I really hope my team will grow after we have more (and better) business with a bigger SOW in 2016. |
| Nimbus Yang, Group Brand Director | It's my 3rd month in Leo Burnett Hong Kong. I moved from two agencies with around 60 staff to this 200 staff size agency. 3 years ago, I joined a local PR social agency "TargetUni", leading a team of 7 members. 1.5 years ago, I joined the BBDO network digital agency "Proximity Guangzhou", leading an account team of 3 team members. |
| Andy Lai, Regional Brand Director | In my team, I have 7 subordinates (1AAD, 3AMs, 3AEs). Over the last 3 years, there are 3-6 ppl reporting into me. |
| Lisa Ip, Regional Brand Director | From 7 down to 2 teammates (changing team from Rejoice to Whisper) |
| Which office are you based out of? | |
| Leon Dorai : Global Brand Director | Leo Burnett Hong Kong |
| Hilda Chan, Business Director | Hong Kong |
| Nimbus Yang, Group Brand Director | Hong Kong |
| Andy Lai, Regional Brand Director | Hong Kong |
| Lisa Ip, Regional Brand Director | Hong Kong |
| What is your background, in terms of agencies, accounts, and client-side experience? | |
| Leon Dorai : Global Brand Director | Primarily servicing P&G brands throughout my 15-year career, namely Pantene, Febreze, Pringles and now Vidal Sassoon. Experience with only 3 agencies : Grey, JWT and now LB. |
| Hilda Chan, Business Director | I have a 100% agency-side background with solid regional / global account management experience from the past 10 years working on Cathay Pacific (global account in McCann Worldgroup HK), McDonald's & Absolut Vodka (national account in TBWA\ Shanghai), Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts (global account in TBWA\ HK) and intel (regional account in McCann Worldgroup HK). |
| Nimbus Yang, Group Brand Director | - 9 years experience in the advertising industry. - Starting the first 3.5 years in Saatchi & Saatchi Guangzhou, 2.5 years in DDB Guangzhou, 1.5 year in TargetUni, 1.5 year in Proximity Guangzhou. - Mainly handle Greater China Clients, Wrigley's (Doublemint, Extra, 5 Gum, Tata Bubble Gum, Pim Pom), P&G (Pampers, Rejoice), Vitasoy, Amway (Artistry, Nutrilite), Double A, Ping An Bank, Arawana Cooking Oil. Also involved in the pitch projects, such as Wrigley's, Head&Shoulders, Remy Martin, Mission Hills Golf Club, Nissan Teana etc. |
| Andy Lai, Regional Brand Director | 14+ years of advertising / communication experience, of which, - 12 years of brand management experience; split between two publicis agency (Saatchis and Leo Burnett), managing regional P&G brands ranging from Rejoice, Olay, H&S, Pampers, Whisper, Clearblue and Safeguard - 0.5 year of working in Y&R on Colgate - 1.5 years of start-up experience of running my small design and creative shops Account handled: P&G, Colgate Palmolive, AT&T, Cambells Soup, Krafts, Samsung Electronics, AIA Insurance, Carlsberg, Miller Coors, Marriott International etc |
| Lisa Ip, Regional Brand Director | Ogilvy 4 years, DDB 8 Years, LB 2.5 years Account Servicing |
| What has been your role in the new business and organic growth efforts of the agency? | |
| Leon Dorai : Global Brand Director | Understand the ins and out of the Client business. Identify opportunities for additional non-scoped work (primarily digital) relevant to the VS target. Cultivate a relationship based on trust with key decision-making Clients (Global, Regional and Local). Establish a culture of 'innovation and initiative' amongst the team. |
| Hilda Chan, Business Director | I worked on new business pitches when I was at my junior level - Account Manager / Account Executive - in a local agency in HK. I did not have to play an active role in new business development since I worked on global / regional accounts which were basically paid on a retainer-fee basis with a designated SOW set right in the beginning. However, during my time at McCann Workgroup HK managing Cathay Pacific, I built up a strong business planning and management sense and knowledge by acting as a business partner with my Client including carrying out critical tasks like annual projects prioritisation and new initiatives / innovation projects. |
| Nimbus Yang, Group Brand Director | - Oversee the business status and P&L, foresee and achieve the growth. - Keep close contact with client to secure the aligned income, build successful case from the existed projects, and get new project income via showcase team's capablity. - Pick high potential pitch invitation and lead the pitch. |
| Andy Lai, Regional Brand Director | I was leading two new business pitches in the Hong Kong offices over the past 9months; managing one of the profitable business unit - ARC WORLDWIDE driving organic business growth for Safeguard and Olay PCC brands. Expand the service offering from traditional shopper needs to E-commerce needs. |
| Lisa Ip, Regional Brand Director | Both organic and new business growth |
| As if you were writing to a prospective client, describe the agency in no more than 3 sentences: | |
| Leon Dorai : Global Brand Director | Creatively-driven is not just a vision, it's a basic-requirement. |
| Hilda Chan, Business Director | We are one of the world's largest agency networks with 96 offices in 84 countries worldwide. Leo Burnett HK is a dynamic and forward-thinking agency - we act as a modern marketing partner to grow our clients’ brand and business by creating and nurturting effective big idea platforms that increase value and deliver results. We believe in a simple and singular approach - put a brand's purpose at the center of communications to truly connect with people - which is the philosophy we called 'HumanKind'. |
| Nimbus Yang, Group Brand Director | 1. True insight and creativity owner that brings big idea to the brand. 2. Capable to bring the big idea in integrated campaign, driving the brand and sales in different touch points. 3. Pioneering among 4A agencies that embrace the new trends, includes but not limited to big data, digital innovation, social communication, O2O and E-commerce. |
| Andy Lai, Regional Brand Director | Leo Burnett is one of the most creative awarded agency in the region with successful track record in partnering with prospective client to provide effective and business building solution |
| Lisa Ip, Regional Brand Director | We deliver big human kind idea that help drive business growth |
| List the top few agencies that you do/will compete against most often: | |
| Leon Dorai : Global Brand Director | Anomaly Local BTL Agencies |
| Hilda Chan, Business Director | DDB HK, Ogilvy HK, TBWA\ HK |
| Nimbus Yang, Group Brand Director | Saatchi&Saatchi, Isobar, Blue Focus, TargetUni |
| Andy Lai, Regional Brand Director | DDB, Linsus, Saatchi, |
| In the eyes of clients, what do you provide of value, that none of your competitors do? | |
| Leon Dorai : Global Brand Director | A strong history, ownership and mastery of this brand that no other Agency could ever replace. |
| Hilda Chan, Business Director | We are their business partner, but not just another advertising company. We are the one who loves their brands; understands their vision, their needs and their challenges and, most importantly, with a strong passion to drive dynamic business changes through creative ways :) |
| Nimbus Yang, Group Brand Director | - Understand the brand and local insight, come back idea that really fits the brand and relevant to consumers. - Work close with the (digital) media project team to bring in innovation to campaign. |
| Andy Lai, Regional Brand Director | strategic and business mindset and macro overview |
| Lisa Ip, Regional Brand Director | LB staff work on PG business longer than most of their marketing directors. |
| In the eyes of clients, what do your competitors provide of value, that you do not? | |
| Leon Dorai : Global Brand Director | Flexibility, speed, cost. |
| Hilda Chan, Business Director | Digital capacity - with a well-established team and process in place. |
| Nimbus Yang, Group Brand Director | Integrated campaign planning and E-commerce capablity. |
| Andy Lai, Regional Brand Director | agility, grounded and down-to-earth local consumers understandings |
| Lisa Ip, Regional Brand Director | They have less baggage and more willing to take risk |
| Are there any negative perceptions about the agency that might hold your new business efforts back? | |
| Leon Dorai : Global Brand Director | Inflexible, slow, expensive. |
| Hilda Chan, Business Director | High turnover rate in the entire agency in 2015 has created adverse impact on Leo Burnett HK which puts our client relationship at stake and makes hiring (especially to attract good talents) difficult. |
| Nimbus Yang, Group Brand Director | Team resources and turn around speed. |
| Andy Lai, Regional Brand Director | Big agency do not understand local Chinese consumers and they are not connected to the post 90 consumers |
| Lisa Ip, Regional Brand Director | Lack of China market knowledge and digital capability |
| What are top 2 or 3 trends you see in terms of how clients are interacting with agencies in your market? What most makes clients unique in your market? | |
| Leon Dorai : Global Brand Director | They go to digital agencies for digital work. To design agencies for shopper work. They talk about how having all the work done by LB would be better for the brand. |
| Hilda Chan, Business Director | 1. They don't believe in the 'retainer-model' anymore - they put every project on a pitch even for projects with budget below USD20K 2. They work with content creation platforms & media vendors directly - to achieve cost efficiency and they think they are way ahead of agencies in this area 3. They are doing digital for the sake of doing it without having a long-term strategy (mainly because we do not have a lot of experts in this market ) |
| Nimbus Yang, Group Brand Director | - Looking for cost efficient solution for mass media buying, when TVC and digital media price goes up. Impact is the priority. - Drive brand preference via social communication. - Seek sales growth from E-commerce, including campaign cooperation with E-commerce platforms. |
| Andy Lai, Regional Brand Director | - E-commerce is one of the biggest trend in my client portfolio - Content management / development |
| Lisa Ip, Regional Brand Director | Clients more willing to talk over WeChat. They enjoy being treated like an investor. PG clients change assignment every 3 to 4 years, they expect agency to help them become successful via making the brand successful. |
| How has most new business come into the agency (i.e., competitive reviews/RFPs, proactive prospecting, organic growth, referrals, etc.)? How many competitive reviews/RFPs have you pursued over the past 2 years? How many did you win? Please explain. | |
| Leon Dorai : Global Brand Director | Business comes in via global re-structuring. |
| Hilda Chan, Business Director | RFPs, cross-selling agency's offerings, referrals Right now, I am working on 1 RFP. Again, I am only 1.5 months old here so I cannot give you a full picture here. |
| Nimbus Yang, Group Brand Director | In my past experience, most new business comes to agency via proactive prospecting. Got 2 competitive review and win 1. (These 2 are Head & Shoulders and Wrigley's. Win Wrigley's.) |
| Andy Lai, Regional Brand Director | Organic growth, competitive review. Successfully won 1 clearblue social/digital activation business over the pst 2 years, It was a competitive pitch with PR and Digital agency in China |
| Lisa Ip, Regional Brand Director | New business from PG is all about relationship. Early engagement with RBU to ensure they buy-in the big idea and made them convinced that other agencies cannot maximise as good as us in quality. Competitive Review has been a regular basis on all PG regional accounts. |
| Please explain how your particular client roster is made up of multi-national vs. local clients. What is the current situation and what are your goals moving forward? | |
| Leon Dorai : Global Brand Director | 100% multi-national. No changes expected. Currently 90% Design work, with aim to increase Delivery work to 30%. |
| Hilda Chan, Business Director | Right now, MNC vs local clients split is around 75:25. My goal (which is also given by global) is a 60:40 split between MNC vs local clients moving forward. |
| Nimbus Yang, Group Brand Director | Mainly multi-national.Firstly is to gain the local projects from existed multi-national client. Then with more successful cases built, pursue the local clients who have big budget and good entrepreneurship to grow with the agency. |
| Andy Lai, Regional Brand Director | NIL |
| Please explain how your office is currently experiencing AOR vs. project-based client work? Are you seeing a shift? What are the biggest challenges you’re experiencing? | |
| Leon Dorai : Global Brand Director | AOR on Design, not on Delivery. We are looking to get Delivery into an AOR structure. |
| Hilda Chan, Business Director | The current AOR vs project-based client work (not revenue) is roughly 50:50. I believe project-based % will be on the rise moving forward. If we want to stop this from happening, we would need to demonstrate what kind of value we can add to our clients. |
| Nimbus Yang, Group Brand Director | My account is AOR. But when global fee cut, there's smaller SOW. So more projects become out of scope that we can charge additional fee, but at the same time we need to pitch with local agencies who provide much lower price package. |
| Andy Lai, Regional Brand Director | Yes, I am seeing a shift of more project-based work. The biggest challenge is coming from the desire of wanting for agency consolidation and marketing budget cut. |
| On a scale of 1-10, how well do your presentations back up the agency’s recommendation with an irrefutable logic trail? In other words, how well do you typically build a strong argument for the agency’s recommendation? (10 = we are always strong in this area) | |
| Leon Dorai : Global Brand Director | 10 |
| Hilda Chan, Business Director | 8 |
| Nimbus Yang, Group Brand Director | 7 |
| Andy Lai, Regional Brand Director | 6 |
| Lisa Ip, Regional Brand Director | 8 |
| On a scale of 1-10, how well do you build your presentations around a new and unexpected strategic consumer insight vs. a predictable consumer insight? In other words, how well do you always have something brand new to share about the client's target audience? (10 = we are always strong in this area) | |
| Leon Dorai : Global Brand Director | 6 |
| Hilda Chan, Business Director | 8 |
| Nimbus Yang, Group Brand Director | 7 |
| Andy Lai, Regional Brand Director | 7 |
| Lisa Ip, Regional Brand Director | 5 |
| On a scale of 1-10, how well do you build your presentations around a new and unexpected creative/concept/program/tactical idea? (10 = we are always strong in this area) | |
| Leon Dorai : Global Brand Director | 8 |
| Hilda Chan, Business Director | 8 |
| Nimbus Yang, Group Brand Director | 6 |
| Andy Lai, Regional Brand Director | 6 |
| Lisa Ip, Regional Brand Director | 6 |
| On a scale of 1-10, how well do you demonstrate the business impact of your recommendations? (10 = we are always strong in this area) | |
| Leon Dorai : Global Brand Director | 6 |
| Hilda Chan, Business Director | 5 |
| Nimbus Yang, Group Brand Director | 4 |
| Andy Lai, Regional Brand Director | 6 |
| Lisa Ip, Regional Brand Director | 5 |
| Overall (and as you consider the questions above), what do you believe most holds back the effectiveness of your client and new business presentations? | |
| Leon Dorai : Global Brand Director | Clients feel that we can use simpler, cheaper means to achieve similar results. |
| Hilda Chan, Business Director | Lack of a clear business picture - which includes business objective, business value / impact. From my 1.5 months experience here at Leo Burnett HK, I did not see any business conversations happening with client - which is a big problem. We should start to have proactive business conversations with Client and to build up solid business cases to prove our value as a partner of our clients. |
| Nimbus Yang, Group Brand Director | Team's clarity and alignment on the client's true issue, client's expectation, insight and strategy. |
| Andy Lai, Regional Brand Director | People's mentality towards the desire of winning the business; Team spirit; |
| Lisa Ip, Regional Brand Director | Proving of effectiveness in business growth |
| Bottom line, what do you think the agency most has to do to improve at new business? | |
| Leon Dorai : Global Brand Director | Resource adequately as we are already overloaded on day-to-day work. |
| Hilda Chan, Business Director | Brand Management Team has to be transformed from 'project managers' to 'business partners' of our clients. |
| Nimbus Yang, Group Brand Director | - A strategic tool come up convincing consumer behaviour finding and insight via solid data tracking and analysis. - Team's mindset and working model change to embrace the new trend and react fast. |
| Andy Lai, Regional Brand Director | Establish the spirit of winning ; new media and insight understanding |
| Lisa Ip, Regional Brand Director | Different pitching strategy to different client. |
| Any advice for us as we prepare the training program for you? | |
| Leon Dorai : Global Brand Director | Get specific on P&G - I'd love to hear successes in building new business with this Client in particular. |
| Hilda Chan, Business Director | How to approach or retain an existing client whose relationship with agency is at stake (to put it into context, many clients complained to me about the high turnover rate when I first met up with them)? How to persuade clients to involve agency in their business planning sessions or to share their business data with us? How to motivate the team and transform the team to be more 'business-driven'? |
| Nimbus Yang, Group Brand Director | - Suggestion on how to achieve efficient internal review and turn around. - Ways to inspire creative team to deliver good work. - Effective ways to motivate creative team to improve work. |