Ogilvy Expands into China's Yangtze River Delta with Nanjing Yindu Acquisition

Yindu Ogilvy to further strengthen O&M's offering in second-tier Chinese cities as global brands target the next wave of competition in these critical markets

BEIJING, Dec. 20, 2011 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- Ogilvy & Mather (www.ogilvy.com) announced today that it has acquired Nanjing Yindu Advertising Agency, the largest full service marketing agency in Jiangsu province. The acquisition of Nanjing Yindu bolsters Ogilvy's services and reach in the Yangtze River Delta, a crucial region that encompasses not only Jiangsu province but also Anhui and Zhejiang provinces, the future battlefields for global brands and a hotspot for up-and-coming Chinese brands.

Jiangsu has the second highest GDP of all Chinese provinces and enjoyed 12.6 percent economic growth in 2010(1).

"To prepare for the inevitable shift of business interests to lower tier Chinese cities, we have already been working with Nanjing Yindu for more than five years to explore opportunities and to strengthen our partnership. We know Yindu very well and are confident that this acquisition will bring tremendous benefits, local insights, knowledge and expertise to global clients that are pursuing expansion in this region of China and to Chinese brands looking to spread their wings," said TB Song, Chairman of Ogilvy & Mather Greater China.

Since its establishment in 1994, Nanjing Yindu has developed a strong roster of clients which includes dozens of well-known national brands such as Jiangsu Mobile, Heilan Home, Jiangsu Yanghe Brewery, Nanjing Iveco, MoonHare, Simcere, Longliqi and China Construction Bank.

The new agency, to be called Yindu Ogilvy, will house more than 250 professionals who specialize in traditional and digital brand strategies, creative advertising, media planning and event management. Areas of particular expertise include FMCG, pharmaceutical, technology, financial and lifestyle brands.

"I have been completely impressed by Nanjing Yindu over many years, first as a competitor, then as an associate. Madame Zhang has built, in my view, the best local Chinese agency. They are a terrific addition to our business. Not just their outstanding professionalism but also their strategic presence in Jiangsu, a prosperous and dynamic province dominating the Yangtze basin, makes them a dramatic and important addition to our operations in China," said Miles Young, Global CEO of Ogilvy & Mather and an Economic Consultant for the Jiangsu Provincial Government.

"This investment confirms our belief in the importance of China as a market for our clients - Chinese and multinational - and it points to the expansion of the market beyond the traditional big three cities of Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. Ogilvy has pioneered expansion in this direction, and the acquisition of Nanjing Yindu is the latest and largest example of a strategy that works," Young added.

Current Chairman of Nanjing Yindu, Ms. Li ZHANG, will continue to serve in the same role, reporting to Mr. TB Song, Chairman of Ogilvy & Mather Greater China.

Ms. Li ZHANG, Chairman of Yindu Ogilvy, said, "Today we are thrilled to be joining one of the largest, most respected and most creative marketing communications agencies in the world. Having partnered with Ogilvy on several client assignments over the past several years we have seen how passionate they are about working with Chinese brands both domestically, and increasingly internationally, as these brands turn their sights overseas. Ogilvy's wealth of experience and expertise in this area has been invaluable for our local clients and has already contributed to the fast growth of Nanjing Yindu. We're sure their counsel will be even more highly sought after following today's announcement."

This acquisition expands Ogilvy & Mather's presence in Greater China to more than 16 agencies(2) in 18 cities and follows Ogilvy's November 2010 launch of Apex Ogilvy, a joint venture with a Chengdu-based marketing agency in Western China. Ogilvy & Mather Asia Pacific was named Campaign Asia Pacific's Network of the Year on December 13, 2011.

(1) Yangtse Evening News, February 16, 2011
(2) Including O&M Advertising, OgilvyOne, OgilvyAction, Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, Neo@Ogilvy, RedWorks, H-Line Ogilvy, ITop, iconmobile, The Brand Union, Red Wasabi, Ogilvy Auto, Raynet Ogilvy, BlackArc Ogilvy, Apex Ogilvy and Yindu Ogilvy.

For a photo or more information, please contact:

Sarah Guldin
Corporate Communications
Ogilvy & Mather Group China
sarah.guldin@ogilvy.com
(86 10) 8520 6552
www.twitter.com/ogilvychina  
Sina weibo: http://t.sina.com.cn/ogilvy

About Ogilvy & Mather

Ogilvy & Mather (ogilvy.com) is one of the largest marketing communications companies in the world. Through its specialty units, the company provides a comprehensive range of marketing services including: advertising; public relations and public affairs; branding and identity; shopper and retail marketing; healthcare communications; direct, digital, promotion, relationship marketing. Ogilvy & Mather services Fortune Global 500 companies as well as local businesses through its network of more than 450 offices in 120 countries. It is a WPP company (NASDAQ: WPPGY.)  For more information, visit www.ogilvy.com.

About Nanjing Yindu

Established in 1994, Nanjing Yindu is the largest full service marketing agency in Jiangsu province, PRC. Specializing in traditional and digital brand strategies, creative advertising, media planning and event management, key clients include well-known national brands such as Jiangsu Mobile, Heilan Home, Jiangsu Yanghe Brewery, Nanjing Iveco, MoonHare, Simcere, Longliqi and China Construction Bank.

About WPP

WPP is the world's largest communications services group with billings of $66 billion and revenues of approximately $15 billion. Through its operating companies, the Group provides a comprehensive range of advertising marketing services including advertising; media investment management; consumer insight; public relations and public affairs; branding and identity; healthcare communications; direct, digital promotion and relationship marketing and specialist communications. The company employs over 153,000 people (including associates) in 2,400 offices in 107 countries. WPP companies include Burson-Marsteller, Hill & Knowlton Strategies, JWT, Ogilvy, Millward Brown, MindShare, TNS, and Wunderman. For more information, visit www.wpp.com.