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UK's top advertising and production companies to help Chinese brands conquer world

Updated: 2009-05-12 11:41

"Chinese brand owners have big opportunities to export their brands globally and the UK is in China to help them conquer the world," said Moray Maclennan, Worldwide Chief Executive of M&C Saatchi on April 29 as part of a 30-strong delegation of advertising and production companies who have come to Beijing with the backing of the UK government.

The delegation hosted a forum on why‘Creative Britain' is a gateway for Chinese global expansion, and why China is such a key market.

According to Maclennan, 67% of international advertising agency networks already have their European headquarters in London and more US brands use the UK as a springboard to the rest of the world than any other market.

"Creative Britain' can help build global fame, organic growth and profit for Chinese brand owners and brands" said Maclennan. Other key points he raise include:

On the UK…

"The UK creative industries are growing twice as fast as the economy as a whole, representing 7.2% of GDP…UK advertising is central to this."

"Internet advertising is bigger in the UK than any other market, taking 14% of advertising revenue."

On the UK as gateway fro Chinese expansion…

"80% of international campaigns managed by UK agencies are created by the UK fro the rest of the world."

"By 2012, 50% of UK agency clients will come from outside the UK, including China." Janet Hull, Marketing Director, Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA), also spoke at the conference on being:

"Important….Professional…Accessible."

"We [the UK] are consistently in one of the top two slots fro creativity in advertising…we offer the best training for practitioners in the world….the IPA can open the door to Chinese brand owners looking to do business with UK agencies."

Other speakers at the conference were Penny Verbe, Chief Executive, Smoke and Mirrors, and Steve Davies, Chief Executive, Advertising Producers Association (APA).

The Beijing London Advertising Forum, organized by the UK's Institute of Practitioners In Advertising (IPA) and the Advertising Producers Association (APA)，has brought together Chinese brand owners, advertising agencies and production companies for the purpose of creating international partnerships in the areas of branding, advertising, export marketing and business growth.

'Creative Britain' arose out of an initiative by the UK government to put the creative industries at the heart of its economy and to reveal the UK as a world center of excellence.

The creative industries in the UK are make up 13 creative sectors including Advertising; Architecture; Arts&Antiques; Crafts; Design; Designer Fashion; Film&Video; Software; Computer& Video Games; Music; Performing Arts; Publishing; Television & Radio.