MOMENTUM
GolinHarris has been generating what it calls “focused momentum” in the Asia-Pacific region. What that means is that the firm doesn’t have as many dots on the map as most of its competitors, or as much critical mass, but it has demonstrated over the past two or three years the ability to grow in its target markets—Greater China in particular—at a very healthy pace, and to compete for both talent and clients attracted to a distinctive culture and a more personalized approach. Major blue-chip clients include a host of Hong Kong institutions (West Kowloon Cultural District, Hong Kong International Airport, CLP Power, HongKong Land), big regional brands (Jardines, New Zealand Kiwifruit) and multinationals (Citibank, Coca-Cola, Dow, Marriott, Unilever). Major wins in 2010 included the Singapore Tourist Board, 3M, Unilever work in Taiwan, Panasonic in South-East Asia, Galaxy Macau, Gamila Secret, French children’s wear company La Compagniedes Petits, and the firm’s first China-listed client, ZhuhaiZungfu.
REGIONAL REACH
GolinHarris has about 200 people spread across the Asia-Pacific region, with slightly more than half of them in the firm’s growing Greater China operation. The Hong Kong office, a regional hub in terms of account leadership and intellectual capital, is home to a team of around 40, while there are now about the same number in Greater China (energized by new leadership) and another 30 or so in Taipei, where the firm ranks among the top three international agencies. In South East Asia, the strong Singapore office is supplemented by an Indonesian office that is building a strong public affairs capability. There are smaller, stand-alone offices in Japan (20 people) and Australia (10), while other markets can be serviced through Weber Shandwick offices.
GLOBAL REACH
GolinHarris has solidly outperformed its peer group over the past few years. The firm is still a powerhouse in its Chicago headquarters market and it has strengthened the rest of its North American operations considerably over the past five years. Always among the strongest of the multinationals in L.A., its California presence also includes offices in Orange County and San Francisco. In New York, the firm is still undersized compared to some of its peers, but now has the quality to compete with any of them. The same can be said for Washington, D.C. 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, 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 multinational peers, despite a new Paris office.
EXPERTISE
In contrast to the North American business—still best known for its creativity in the consumer realm—the Asia-Pacific operations of GolinHarris have long been known for their corporate affairs capabilities, a reputation inherited via the acquisition of Hong Kong-based Forrest International a decade ago. The firm continues to be a leader in corporate in Hong Kong, Beijing and Singapore, but has been expanding its offer in recent years. The Shanghai office, for example, focuses on consumer marketing, with a strong food and nutrition specialty; Taipei includes consumer, tech and healthcare business; Singapore has been building in consumer (with McDonald’s) and healthcare; and Indonesia has an impressive public affairs practice. One growth area is sport and branded entertainment, which has seen GolinHarris partner with IPG sister company Octagon, a specialist in the sponsorship arena. The new group has already picked up assignments from American Express and a couple of Macau-based entertainment groups.
TALENT
Tim Sutton, who moved to Asia three years ago after leading Interpublic’s PR operations in EMEA, serves as chairman of both Golin and sister agency Weber Shandwick, and while the latter firm is significantly larger, he clearly hasn’t been neglecting GH. His management team—a mix of regional veterans and Sutton appointments—includes regional managing directors John Morgan (Greater China) and Christina Cheang (South-East Asia) and market leaders Darby Doll (former Shanghai chief at Ketchum, who took the helm of Golin’s China operations in 2010), Eddi Yang (a new hire from Ruder Finn in Beijing), Sarah Chin (promoted to lead Shanghai), Stanley Liu (Taipei), Johnny Saleh (Indonesia), Akihiro Kuba (Tokyo), and Emma-Jane Granleese (Sydney). Beyond the new China leadership, the firm added Suan Ong and Archana Muthappa to lead the Singapore corporate and technology practices respectively, and Jeremy Walker to lead the regional sport and branded entertainment practice,
CULTURE
A major focus since Sutton’s arrival has been ensuring greater collaboration both between GolinHarris offices and with other regions and other Interpublic agencies. Part of that effort has involved nurturing a sense of “family” in all offices across the region—something that’s easier at a firm of Golin’s size than it might be at some of its behemoth competitors—with investment in professional development (two midlevel Singapore staffers took part in the global leadership training program last year) and the “Next Generation Hothouse” initiative, which fosters cooperation among regional IPG companies. The result is that GH now feels more like “one agency” across the region, and has been picking up more network business—and more high-profile wins.
INTELLECTUAL LEADERSHIP
One of the qualities that makes public relations even more valuable in the social media age is its authenticity, and GolinHarris is making a play to “own” that issue (hopefully in the same way Edelman has used its 10-year research commitment on trust) with an initiative it calls Get Real, creating what it describes as “a 12-step program for authentic change.” On the industry leadership front, GolinHarris was one of a dozen agencies to sign on to a new code of conduct for a more international, professional and regulated industry in China in November.
CAMPAIGNS
Golin’s expertise in the sports arena was showcased in campaigns to promote the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon—an event and media relations campaign that covered everything from training to race day—and the launch of Caeser’s Golf Macau, a new resort. Work for long-time client Zespri ranged from school outreach in Hong Kong to partnering with the Nutrition Society of Beijing, all focused on communicating the nutritional benefits of kiwifruit. For Kraft, meanwhile, the firm’s Indonesia office has been promoting leading brands such as Jacobs and Kraft Cheese, as well as handling issues management, CSR and internal communications. Other highlights included brand strategy and integrated marketing support (including a strong digital and social media component) for TransUnion in Hong Kong, the introduction of a new China logo for Pirelli tires; the launch of a new photovoltaic testing and certification facility for Underwriters Laboratories; and issues management work on behalf of the poultry industry in Indonesia.
BRAND
With a lower profile than many of its larger competitors, GolinHarris has to work extra hard to stay on client radar screens, so since 2004 it has been publishing Breakthrough, an e-newsletter that includes both case histories and industry insights. The firm has also taken its “Real People, Real Stories” advertising campaign—which focuses on Golin team members—into Asia. The payoff was that GH beat out a host of larger peer companies to be named Campaign Asia’s Large PR Agency of the Year in Asia last year.
THE FUTURE
Golin’s focus is on “zones of excellence” in consumer (food and beverage, sports marketing, destination marketing, fashion and beauty, and digital) and corporate (public affairs, issues management, CSR) as well as healthcare, and there’s a case to be made that the firm is already among the market leaders in half of those practices—and a credible force in most of the others. It has momentum in Greater China and (to a lesser extent) South East Asia. If it maintains its focus, and can find ways to bring some of its smaller offices up to strength, there’s no reason it can’t continue to win more than its share against its larger competitors.