e.wire is WPP’s monthly public round-up of news and initiatives across the Group’s worldwide network. The following are edited highlights; view the full version here.

Stop Press

Hill+Knowlton launches pan-African expansion plan

Hill+Knowlton Strategies, the global public relations and communications firm, has announced a major expansion plan for Africa that will provide consultancy services to businesses across the continent. The strategy includes the immediate establishment of offices in Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Ghana, to be followed by Nigeria and South Africa.

WPP nets Salmon

WPP has acquired Salmon, a leading multinational e-commerce digital agency. Salmon provides digital consulting, design, delivery and support services to major retail, wholesale and manufacturing brands including Akzo Nobel, Argos, Game, Halfords, Kiddicare, Morrisons, Selfridges and Premier Farnell. The agency will operate as an independent and stand-alone brand within WPP.

Wildcard tickets for Stream Asia 2013 in Phuket, Thailand

Attendance at WPP’s Stream Asia unconference is usually by invitation only — but this year four wildcard tickets are up for grabs. All you need to do is tell the team what you think will be the next big trend in media or technology in Asia. The deadline for entries is February 14.

New Offers

Maxus and ADK unveil joint media initiative across Asia

Maxus and Asatsu-DK (ADK) have announced the launch of a new Asia-wide initiative aimed at providing regional media planning and buying services for Japan-based clients. To be known as ADK+Maxus, the collaboration will provide ADK’s clients with direct access to market-leading media planning and buying expertise and scale across the Asia Pacific region, including China, through the Maxus network.

Sudler & Hennessey launches Quality Matters division

Sudler & Hennessey, the leading global healthcare communication agency, has launched a new division, Quality Matters, dedicated to improving the quality of healthcare and closing the gaps in care delivery.

WPP companies take full ownership of Colombian agencies

Grey, G2 Worldwide and MediaCom have acquired the outstanding shares in three leading agencies in Bogota, Colombia.

New Business

AGENDA Shanghai appointed digital agency of record for ECCO. The news follows the announcement that ECCO has chosen Ogilvy Public Relations Shanghai as its retained agency in China.

CTR Media Intelligence wins competitive pitch to renew its China Mobile contract. China Mobile is the country’s leading telecoms provider and heads the BrandZ Top 50 Chinese Brands of 2012.

MEC India awarded media duties for BlueStone.com, the online store for fine jewellery and accessories.

Banyan Tree appoints VML Qais to lead and manage its SEO and social marketing strategy in 2013 as it expands globally.

People

JWT Asia Pacific announces a number of promotions and the creation of a new regional management committee. As part of the changes JWT Bangkok CEO Bob Hekkelman becomes Southeast Asia CEO, overseeing operations in Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam.

Ogilvy Public Relations promotes Robert Mathias to Regional CEO North America, and Nathan Friedman to Regional Managing Director, Ogilvy PR West.

Stuart Taylor joins Kinetic Worldwide as CEO in the UK. Kinetic is the world’s leading planner and buyer of Out of Home media.

Awards

Ogilvy & Mather China’s Coke Hands named the world’s best outdoor campaign in 2012 by The Big Won Report while Ogilvy & Mather Sydney’s campaign Share a Coke was listed as the world’s 11th best campaign across all media channels in 2012.

Advertising Age ranks Grey third in its Agency A-List, with Ogilvy and AKQA among its Standout Shops and JWT named as One to Watch in 2013. Grey London was third in Campaign’s Agency of the Year 2012.

Ogilvy CommonHealth Worldwide’s John Nosta tops the Pharma100 List, which ranks the leading social media influencers in the pharmaceutical industry.

New Business Enquiries

Are you looking for an advertising or marketing services partner? WPP can help point you in the right direction - find out how.

Insights

Eight hours to respond to a crisis

Ogilvy Public Relations and CIC (China’s leading social business intelligence provider) have teamed up to launch 2012 Crisis Management in the Microblog Era. The white paper analyses 50 Chinese brand crises in 2012 and concludes that brands that respond within the first eight hours are more effective at controlling a crisis, shortening its duration and lowering the overall level of negative buzz.

“We” becomes “me” in India

Research by VML Qais has shown that growing individualism is the central theme among Indian 18-35 year olds. The findings of the Generation Asia report follow the most comprehensive attitudinal study ever conducted into that demographic in India.

Second to fourth tier Chinese consumers hold key to world economy

With 200 million households belonging to the consuming classes, China’s second to fourth tier cities are arguably the most important consumer segment in the world. Ogilvy & Mather China’s new book China Beyond — Change & Continuity finds that branding strategies need to be based on consumers’ voracious appetite for change and new forms of behaviour driven by digital technology and e-commerce.

WPP Reading Room

Find the latest and best published thinking from Group professionals in WPP’s popular Reading Room: groundbreaking articles, research, books, videos, blogs and more.

Some recent features:

G2 believes digital technology and the online environment have altered consumer behaviour — including the way people interact with and shop for brands. For more, read Uncovering the perceptions, attitudes and behaviours of Europeans towards digital media.
Headquartered in San Francisco, Tout is a social media platform that allows users to shoot 15-second video status updates via smartphones and webcams. Mindshare’s Marta Mattioli takes a look.

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