MOMENTUM
Despite the fact that GolinHarris is still not on the “A-list” for most multinationals seeking comprehensive regional support in the Asia-Pacific region, the firm continued to grow at a steady pace in 2007 and 2008, and—market conditions notwithstanding—was able to outperform most of its peers in 2009, with most offices flat and one or two showing growth. The firm was helped by continued stability among its largest clients, which include multinationals such as Dell, Dow, McDonald’s and Wrigley as well as local leaders such as Everbright, Towngas, and Hongkong Land. Some—like Jardine Matheson, VTech, Li & Fung, Marriott and Mitsubishi Electric—have now been with the firm for more than a decade. There was new business from a variety of clients, ranging from the West Kowlooon Cultural District and Hong Kong International Airport to brands such as Kiehl’s, Glenfiddich, and Omega to the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Perhaps the biggest win was Coca-Cola selecting Golin to handle a range of brands including Coca-Cola, Sprite and Nestea, as well as the Sprite Music Awards.
REGIONAL REACH
Outside of the U.S., GolinHarris does not have the network infrastructure of a Weber Shandwick or an Edelman, but its localized “zones of excellence” model—in Asia, it has such zones in China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan—seems to be serving it well. Each of those offices is a significant player in its local market, serving a mix of multinational clients and local leaders, and in Hong Kong (named PR Consultancy of the Year at the Asia-Pacific PR Awards) and Taiwan in particular the firm is among the top two or three players, with about 40 people in each location. The Hong Kong office is best known for its work in corporate and public affairs and integrated marketing; in Taiwan, the firm has strong consumer and integrated marketing credentials and a growing corporate affairs group. The China operation is about the same size, with food and beverage and consumer expertise in Shanghai and a corporate affairs focus in Bejing. The South-East Asia operation includes about 30 people spread between Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia, with consumer PR and public affairs capabilities now supplemented by a growing healthcare offer. There are smaller operations in Japan (about 20 people) and Australia (a five-person team) and of course Golin continues to have access to Weber Shandwick and other Interpublic sister agencies in markets throughout the region.
GLOBAL REACH
Impressively, given the state of the global economy, GolinHarris enjoyed what might well be the firm’s best year ever in 2008: its fourth consecutive year of double-digit growth under chief executive Fred Cook. The firm is still a powerhouse in its Chicago headquarters market—one of the two top firms in the city—and has strengthened its North American operations considerably over the past five years to the point that it can compete for U.S. business with anyone. What momentum GolinHarris has in the EMEA region continues to be provided by its flagship U.K. operation, which has been performing with zest and vigour for the past four years now. Last year was no exception. While the pace of progress was slowed somewhat by the economic downturn, significant new business wins included the British Science Association, Glenfiddich, and Unilever. But The U.K., for all its growth and good work, remains a midsized operation—slightly more than 50 people—while the firm’s continental presence is still puny in comparison to its peers.
EXPERTISE
GolinHarris has two core practices in the region—consumer marketing and corporate affairs—both of which span all of the firm’s Asia-Pacific offices. The consumer practice is distinguished by an integrated approach that draws on a wide range of in-house resources as well as close collaboration with other IPG agencies, and has particular expertise in the food and beverage sector (clients range from McDonald’s and Starbucks to Unilever and Wrigley to New Zealand Kiwifruit) and managing PR for signature events such as the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon. The corporate affairs offer is equally broad, and is supplemented by an impressive public affairs offer in Hong and Kong, where the emphasis is on large-scale public engagement and community outreach, and in Singapore, where the firm has several public sector accounts. Two additional areas enjoyed strong growth in 2009: issues management, particularly in relation to the economic crisis, but also including strong NGO outreach capabilities; and healthcare, with a client list that includes Bristol-Myers Squibb, Bayer, Wyeth, sanofi-aventis, Medtronic and GlaxoSmithKline.
TALENT
One of the keys to Golin’s success over the past two or three years is a strong, stable management team, led by chairman Tim Sutton (who holds the same title at Weber Shandwick) and regional managing director John Morgan. They are supported by Sarah Chin, who leads the Shanghai office; Taipei managing director Stanley Liu; Christina Cheang in Singapore; and relative newcomer Warren Wang, a Futurebrand veteran who joined as general manager in Beijing a little over a year ago.
CULTURE
While strong local market roots continue to set GolinHarris apart, the past year has seen an increased focus on cross-market collaboration and professional development—a stepped up exchange programme within the region and beyond, a “next generation hothouse” meeting for future leaders—designed to create a “one agency” culture. The firm has also expanded its own CSR activities, ranging from participation in the Hong Kong Land Rat Race to a camera donation effort in Taiwan to assistance at the Shanghai Xuhai Elderly Community Centre. The result is a culture that is an interesting blend of the traditional GolinHarris values with a strong local flavour.
INTELLECTUAL LEADERSHIP
GolinHarris has been focusing its thought leadership in the region on three primary areas: corporate social responsibility, public engagement, and digital. In the CSR arena, the firm has forged a relationship with NGOs such as global development agency Plan International and Habitat for Humanity, while helping clients such as Dow build connections with groups such as the China Youth Development Foundation. In the public engagement arena, the firm has developed capabilities that go beyond traditional PR to include community outreach and stakeholder collaboration.
CAMPAIGNS
Few firms in the region worked on as many high-profile events in 2009 as GolinHarris: the 90th birthday celebration of the Bank of East Asia, which attracted 4,000 business and political leaders in Hong Kong; Habitat for Humanity’s work in China, including the visit of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter; an Omega event to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the first moon landing, featuring astronaut Buzz Aldrin; and the 50th anniversary of Glaxo SmithkLine in Singapore and the opening of a new $600 million vaccine plant. The firm also provided PR support for efforts to generate community support for and promote the new West Kowloon Cultural District, an attempt to turn Hong Kong into a hub for arts and culture; worked on the launch of cosmetics company Kiehl in China; handled NGO activism issues for Jardine Matheson palm oil company Astra Agro Lestari; a Hepatitis B disease awareness campaign for Bristol-Myers Squibb; and women’s health education efforts for GSK. Finally, the firm handled a number of major integrated initiatives, such as a family values campaign in Hong Kong, urging fathers to make more time for their families; and marketing for Vaseline in Taiwan. In both cases, GH produced advertising and digital content, and more traditional PR materials.
BRAND
Last year saw the introduction of the new GolinHarris brand platform, developed in the U.S., focusing around “Real People. Real Stories.” It’s an approach that appears to resonate in Asia, particularly internally, reflecting the fact that Golin has deeper local roots than many of its multinational rivals and has worked hard over the years not to lose the “family” feeling that has long been a part of the firm’s culture (and may be easier to maintain in 40-person offices than it is when the headcount reaches triple figures). The platform is reflected in a revised e-newsletter, breakthrough, which focuses on the firm’s work in the region; in a new A-P website; and in a new print advertising campaign that focuses on the firm’s people. The result is that while Golin still doesn’t have a profile in the region to match some of its largest competitors, it does have a strong local presence in its core markets.
THE FUTURE
Despite a difficult economic environment, GolinHarris maintained its momentum in the region last year, continuing to punch above its weight when it comes to local market assignments from both indigenous clients and overseas multinationals and getting on the radar of a growing number of multinationals seeking regional assistance. The firm probably could and should be making a lot more of its strategic corporate affairs and public engagement capabilities in the region—something clients in other parts of the world may not necessarily expect from Golin—and looking at geographic expansion.