International Marketer’s Blog

International agency network Freedman has opened a Singapore office as part of wider plans to service a number of truly international clients. Marc Nicolson, Freedman’s recently appointed Managing Director, APAC, will be running the Singapore office and Sharon Lee has been appointed Account Director. A number of other key appointments are to follow soon.

“Our clients are asking for a global partner which can provide a seamless process for the implementation of global marketing efforts,� says David Moody, Freedman’s VP Business Strategy. “Today, using new technologies, a brand can be relevant in numerous different markets using the same core materials.�

Freedman works with international brands such as Electronic Arts, InterContinental Hotels Group, Delta Airlines and Shell. Its new office in Singapore is designed to help streamline the marketing performance of its wide-ranging client base, at a time when Asia is playing an increasingly important role on the world stage.

Explains Moody: “We let creative agencies focus on what they do best. What we offer, in terms of project management, involves a different mindset and different skills sets. We provide expertise in terms of how to appeal to a target market, and the means to adapt creative concepts and to make them relevant to various cultures. So much digital content in particular runs across numerous markets these days – we are able to implement a consistent and efficient approach.â€� (more…)

Kirin, one of Japan’s leading beer brands, has struck a deal with a south-east Asian beverage company, reflecting a broader trend for Japanese corporations seeking to expand international marketing activities in Asian growth markets.

Kirin is paying Y84.6bn ($972m) for a 14.7% stake in Fraser and Neave, the largest drinks company in Malaysia and Singapore and producer of Tiger and Anchor beers, according to the Financial Times report.

The deal highlights Japanese companies’ strategic effort to compensate for sluggish sales at home by turning to emerging markets in Asia. Kirin has made a number of acquisitions in the Asia-Pacific region over the past few years. The latest deal is expected to strengthen its currently weak position in the region.

The Japanese group, which also owns a food and beer group in Australia, has a goal to become a leading company in Asia and Oceania. Its aim is to increase its overseas sales ration from 25% this year to 29% by March 2013. (more…)

International agency network Freedman has opened an office in Atlanta as it continues to expand its international footprint. The opening of a base in Atlanta comes hand-in-hand with a recent contract win from international hotel group IHG, which is headquartered there.

David Moody, Freedman’s VP Business Strategy, explains that Freedman’s decision to open an office in the region is part of an ambitious growth plan. The move also follows the agency network’s recent repositioning under the strapline ‘Global Marketing Performance’ – which is designed to reflect the overall aim of its work with its international clients.

“Before, we were perceived as primarily European,â€� he says. “But in the face of rapid globalization, increasingly you’ve got to be able to provide a global solution. Our clients want a global partner – one which can offer an overarching process for marketing campaign implementation.

Account Director Neil Schrum will be working from the Atlanta base. Formerly at Digitas, and an American himself, he fully understands the market in which he will be operating. (more…)

The global marketing industry is likely to benefit from a new set of standards on the back of an alliance between two professional bodies.

The American Marketing Association (North America’s largest marketing association) and the Global Marketing Network (the marketing professionals worldwide membership group) have joined forces to co-develop a range of measures. The idea is to create a new set of global standards for the marketing profession.

The report, on utalkmarketing.com, says it’s hoped that the partnership will boost the profession with ‘the most comprehensive and widespread support’ for the international marketing community.

The measures include jointly developed branded membership offerings, new globally-accredited certification programmes, and the AMA being appointed as a GMV Professional Development Centre and distributor for GMN’s Global Marketer Programme in North America. (more…)

International marketing communications agency, Freedman has appointed Neil Schrum and Sharon Lee as Account Directors in Atlanta and Singapore respectively. Schrum and Lee bring with them a wealth of client and agency – side experience, enabling them to service international clients such as Delta Airlines and IHG from their respective bases.

“We’ve recruited highly experienced people who live in , work in, and fully understand their markets,� says Carolyn Addison, VP Client Services at Freedman. “ As a company, we help clients implement and optimize their marketing communications worldwide and for us to have credibility we need to have a presence on the ground in all markets. The Asian market is very different from EMEA and we need to understand the particular influences and drivers in each region if we are to help clients streamline their processes and improve their global marketing performance.�

Both Schrum, who was formerly at Digitas, and Lee, will be supported by the Freedman London office. Lee will report to Marc Nicolson, newly-appointed Managing Director, APAC, who is also setting up Freedman’s Shanghai office whilst Schrum reports direct into London.

Addison, who works for all of Freedman’s global clients, including brands such as BlackBerry, Xerox, Shell and Philips, says that the appointments of Schrum and Lee in the new Atlanta and Singapore offices come at a really exciting time for the agency. (more…)

LG is re-positioning itself as a lifestyle brand with an ‘emotional’ approach, to differentiate itself within the fiercely competitive electronics sector.

The global brand has this month launched an integrated marketing campaign with broadcasting and online advertising for its Infinia line, part of an estimated $100 million annual effort.

Kwan Sup Lee, VP-Global Brand Marketing, LG Home Electronics, spoke to Ad Age about the firm’s global brand marketing strategy.

“Although we don’t spend as much as Samsung or have the brand heritage that Sony has, there is a good opportunity for the LG brand,â€� he said.

“We are addressing the market with a different strategy with an emotional approach, instead of focusing on picture quality or this function or that function.�

LG Electronics sells a range of home entertainment products, mobile phones, home appliances and business solutions, all under LG’s “Life’s Good” marketing theme. (more…)

International campaign implementation specialist, Freedman, has launched a consultancy service designed to enable global brands to optimize creative campaigns across channels and across borders.

The new ‘C3 Audit’ service is built around three key pillars: content, culture and creativity. Louie Chow, International Communications Director, explains the idea behind the offering: “In marketing and branding they talk about content, but not about whether it’s creatively or culturally relevant. Content is not useful if it’s not culturally relevant.�

Freedman’s network of senior creatives and implementation specialists across the globe is already helping brands such as IHG, Philips and Shell to deliver better campaigns. The goal of the ‘C3 Audit’ is to give local versions of global campaigns relevance and resonance on a local as well as an international level. At a time when many global brands are taking cost-cutting measures, Freedman’s C3 Audit service offers a much-needed opportunity to use resources more effectively than ever before, reducing overheads as well as ensuring success.

“We can offer an objective approach,â€� says Chow. “If there is a big idea, it can work globally. We are here to discover how.â€� (more…)

Consumers worldwide are less anxious about the recession this year, but are still spending cautiously, according to a new global survey with implications for implementation of marketing strategies.

According to a report in Ad Week, anxiety levels among consumers are highest in Spain, Mexico and Japan, and more than half of the respondents in India, the United States and France remain worried about the future.

However, the percentages of respondents claiming to be anxious in regards to spending are down from last year. Only 54% of US respondents characterised themselves as anxious this year compared to 63% last spring, but this is still higher than the pre-recession level of 42% in spring 2007.

The survey, conducted by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), concludes that businesses should regularly assess marketing processes such as product pricing and in-store marketing. BCG also suggests that marketers respond to this climate by innovating with products featuring “quality and craftsmanship” in home-based categories such as furnishings, appliances and electronics. (more…)

Office products company Staples has created the role of senior vice president of global brand marketing in line with international growth, appointing ex-P&G marketing chief Steven Fund.

The new role is effective as of 12 July, and will see Fund overseeing the strategic, creative, operational and financial aspects of Staples’ brand marketing globally. He takes responsibility for integrated brand management and marketing communications, as well as the company’s brand strategy, marketing, advertising and PR across worldwide markets.

Fund will report to Mike Miles, Staples President and Chief Operating Officer.

Miles said of the appointment: “Steve brings 20 years of world class brand management, marketing and advertising experience that will help further Staples recognition as the leading office products and services company.â€�

“With continued global growth, Steve will guide Staples’ efforts to reach businesses with our promise to make buying office products easy, while enhancing our reputation as one of the world’s premier brands.”

Fund was previously Global Marketing Director at FMCG giant Procter & Gamble’s (P&G) Gillette Global Business Unit, where he was responsible for the Fusion and Mach3 brands. (more…)

International campaign implementation specialist Freedman has launched a bespoke, online translation workflow tool in order to allow its clients to optimize their global campaigns and to allow them to cut out unnecessary layers of work, thereby saving them time and money when implementing campaigns across multiple markets.

iTranslate is part of Freedman’s selection of integrated creative and production solutions – including iPlan, iAdapt, iApprove, and iDeliver – which allow increased efficiencies for clients working on international marketing communications .

iTranslate offers a number of key benefits to clients. According to Chris Scott, Operations Manager, “The whole system is online so all clients need is a web browser. There is no need to worry about different licences as the tool automates manual tasks and communicates directly with translators.�

Using the tool, the majority of work can be done outside of the client’s direct involvement. Once files are complete they convert back to their original format. “It makes the whole process of translation quicker and cheaper,� explains Scott.

Freedman will be working with InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) to integrate the tool with its content management system, allowing for seamless translation and use of web copy across multiple markets. (more…)