The SABRE trophy is the star of the evening in Shanghai and Guangzhou
In the last issue of Breakthrough we reported that GolinHarris had been named Agency of the Year at the SABRE Awards, which are sponsored by the influential PR newsletter The Holmes Report.
Since then, the striking, stylish—and rather heavy!—SABRE trophy has been traveling to all 31 GH offices around the world.
Starting in Singapore, our colleagues brought the prize to the landmark “Merlion”—a symbol of Singapore with the head of a lion and the body of a fish. Next, the SABRE got a taste of Singapore’s performing arts at the iconic, durian-shaped Esplanade.
The trophy arrived in Hong Kong just in time for “GH Social,” a quarterly activity where the whole crew enjoys an activity such as karaoke or even a few spirited boxing matches on Nintendo Wii (a GH client in the United States).
Our Guanghzou team took the trophy to a dim sum feast where it was surrounded by steam buns, meat balls, rice soup and desserts … now, it is diet time.
The SABRE trophy takes a ride, a workout and a rest in Beijing
In Shanghai, GH consultants spotted the SABRE trophy standing on “The Bund”, a block of colonial-style buildings situated on the shores of the Yangtze River. Across town, where China’s signature cityscape has sprung up from soggy farmlands, new buildings are appearing every day … including one designed just like a SABRE trophy.
The trophy made its way to China’s capital city via pedal-powered rickshaws and a stroll down Beijing’s very own Abbey Road, kind of. The team decided to let the prize enjoy a leisurely afternoon beside a lone fisherman in Ritan Park before its next journey to Japan.
GolinHarris Receives Gold Quill Awards in New Orleans
This spring, the Hong Kong office learned it pulled off the rare feat of winning not one, but two International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Gold Quill Awards—one of the most prestigious international PR awards—for its campaign to drive awareness of Bayer HealthCare’s erectile dysfunction treatment, Levitra.
Non-executive chairman Anne Forrest, one of the founders of GH in Hong Kong, accepted the award on behalf of consultants Ida Young, Wade Lundin and Sherlock So at the formal Gold Quill Awards Ceremony in New Orleans on June 25.
The evening featured a Joan Rivers impersonator, who is also an IABC member, as MC. She shared a few lighthearted comments with the audience about Levitra and GH’s “Dramics” campaign, which combined elements of TV drama and comic strips into eye-catching advertisements. For entertainment, there were appearances by “Cher,” “Eminem,” “Mick Jagger,” “Jennifer Lopez” and a remarkably fresh looking “Johnny Cash.”
Congratulations again to Ida and the team on the rare double!
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Cross-China Combo Get Golinnovation Award
A combined entry to the Golinnovation Awards brought home the top prize for teams in Beijing and Shanghai.
The Golinnovation Awards are an annual, internal award program that recognizes the creative culture within GolinHarris.
To build on its growing strengths in the Travel & Leisure and Food & Beverage sectors, Beijing and Shanghai teams created a new set of credentials designed to build interest in GolinHarris and ultimately win new business in these areas—both of which are flourishing in China.
The Beijing office created a glossy 20-page "travel guide” that highlights key aspects of China’s tourism industry and client work written with the tourist in mind. The Shanghai office created a credential "menu" complete with the traditional tri-fold, highlighting GH’s experience in the industry through tantalizing language and imagery to capture audiences’ eyes and stomachs.
Even before the official launch, teams began disturbing these creative materials to potential clients and developing new leads.
Sustainability Dinner Features Al Gore
Environmental activist and former U.S. Vice President Al Gore
Greater China managing director John Morgan and Jacinta Reddan, director of the corporate practice in Hong Kong, recently hosted a table for GolinHarris clients at an Association for Certified and Chartered Accountants dinner featuring Al Gore. The environmental activist and former U.S. vice president gave a 90-minute presentation on sustainability that had the 400-strong audience spellbound.
Sustainability is an issue that our clients and the business community in general are seeking to address, both to improve their communities and to ensure long-term business success. Everyone at the GH table was clearly moved by the event, even moving around the table in order to share their experiences with one another.
GH was the only PR agency to host a table at the event. Clients and invitees attending the dinner included representatives from China Light & Power, HSBC, Starbucks, Marks & Spencer, Cisco, DBS and Hung Hing Printing Company.
Lee Discusses Media Dynamics in China
Journalists and members of the Australian Chamber of Commerce came to the presentation about Chinese media
On June 26, Lydia Lee, director of GolinHarris in Shanghai and Guangzhou, participated in a panel discussion hosted by the Australia Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong to discuss “Media Dynamics in China—Getting your Message Across: A Public Relations Perspective.”
The audience consisted of many Australian businesses, as well as many American and European businesses interested in learning how the China media scene works. The event attracted more than 50 business leaders eager to learn about China’s media landscape.
Lee began the presentation with an overview of China’s media landscape, its roots and evolution. Then she described the media characteristics in tier-one cities Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.
The topic of media allowance was hotly discussed, as well as how to deal with both print and electronic media. Lee shared with the audience some successful case studies and provided general council. The key takeaway for the audience was that China is a very special place and changing constantly.
“From the overwhelming response and interaction, we see there is a lot of interest about China and how the media works. Media is a critical part of the equation for any business expansion, and knowing it is crucial for any business planning to enter or grow in China,” said Lee.
GolinHarris Emphasizes Good Employment Practices
GH generated coverage of major clients such as Marriott, Starbucks and DHL to highlight their reputations as employers of choice
As one of the top-rated agencies for employee satisfaction, GolinHarris understands that internal relations is vital to success. We are passing this along to our clients who in turn are also cultivating employees to champion their companies’ cause.
For example, we helped position DHL as an “employer of choice,” a company where the best talent flocks to begin and grow their careers. By designing an “Appreciation, Care and Talent Development” (ACT) campaign, Asia’s leading express and logistics company won the “Best Training, Learning & Development Award” at the Hong Kong HR Awards 2007 and the “People Development Program of the Year Award” at the 2006 Customer Relationship Excellence Awards.
Our consultants are also known for their media expertise, which is why Marks & Spencer recently enlisted the firm to help its HR director and a pair of trainees prepare for newspaper interviews covering their vaunted post-university management training program. The training included theory and practice, and in the end the interviews generated two fantastic pieces of coverage in the South China Morning Post and Career Times.
Associates at Marriott International refer to each other as the “Marriott family,” and it is little wonder why—the company is widely recognized as having industry-leading retention rates. GH secured sizable coverage for Marriott in the Hong Kong Economic Times and Next magazine, promoting its long-term investment in staff as the key to success on its 80-year anniversary.
GH also secured major interviews for Starbucks' Hong Kong general manager Thomas Hahn in the Hong Kong Economic Times and Capital magazine, highlighting the company’s commitment to its “partners,” or employees, strong management trainee program and caring workplace culture.
Asia's "Prime-Timers": The Next Consumer Wave
GolinHarris’ ageing-issues practice, Longevity, is gaining strength in Asia Pacific in response to the emergence of a powerful ageing consumer demographic across the region.
The ageing demographic in markets such as Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan and Australia is set to shake up the way marketers and communicators think about life-cycle marketing, according to Jacinta Reddan, regional head of the agency’s global Longevity practice.
“This seismic shift creates significant opportunities for corporations savvy enough to recognize this enormous potential,” said Reddan. “Across Asia Pacific, smart businesses have seen the growth of the older demographic coming for some time. This is not merely a trend. An increasing number of people aged between 45 and 60, or ‘prime timers,’ will begin to retire from the active workforce over the next five years in key markets.”
Reddan commented that communicators need to better understand this new segment to have traction with this discerning audience.
“For businesses with a good understanding of this sector, the prime-timer segment offers enormous opportunities,” she said.
Reddan recently worked with Australia’s leading aged care peak body to build partnerships between corporations and the nation’s fast-growing aged and community care sector which is valued about five billion U.S. dollars.
GolinHarris is Their Cup of Tea
Six Hong Kong consultants got to step in front of the camera for a change during an interview with Tea Magazine
Six GolinHarris women became overnight celebrities when they appeared in the “Her Cup of Tea” section of Hong Kong’s Tea Magazine.
Professionals are profiled at dynamic companies and share what they like in work and life. The article begins, “In PR, one has to be professional yet cheerful; these six ladies from GolinHarris are typical models of those who work in the PR field.”
The magazine went on to describe the GH colleagues as outgoing, cheerful and model PR professionals.
Heard Through the Grapevine...
The Hong Kong office has begun work with the 300-year-old fine wine merchants Berry Bros. & Rudd
The Hong Kong office has secured a new client that is sure to have its consultants bubbling over with excitement: fine wine merchants Berry Bros. & Rudd.
The relationship stems from an existing partnership between GH and Berrys in London. The team in Hong Kong has now embarked on a media relations campaign that will keep the 300-year-old company top-of-mind when Hong Kong journalists write about the wonderful world of wine.
Consultants Jacinta Reddan, Wade Lundin and Sherlock So are thrilled to be working on the account … especially Lundin, who was coincidentally taking a certificate course in wine at the time they were pitching for the business.
"Fruity Friday" Spurs Health Kick in Hong Kong
The Hong Kong office enjoyed its participation in the World Cancer Research Fund’s Fruity Friday event so much that fruit is now a regular staple in the pantry
On June 29, the Hong Kong office participated in "Fruity Friday," organized by the World Cancer Research Fund Hong Kong.
GH staff gathered to enjoy fresh fruit and fruit juice as part of the event, which raised funds for research into cancer prevention and promotes the importance of a healthy diet and lifestyle.
Fruity Friday was such a hit that the office has now arranged to have fresh fruit delivered every week.
