Par Ernie Tadla

C'est l'histoire d'un entrepreneur établissant des affaires profitables en battant tous grands types globaux.
 
Dan Mintz est né et a été élevé à Brooklyn, et était le jeune à accepter dans l'académie de New York d'exécuter des arts. Il a commencé dans les affaires de film comme frais supplémentaires d'étudiant dans la renommée de film. Il est allé à Los Angeles où il a promu son éducation et expérience de production de film et a créé de bons raccordements avec certains des studios principaux de film.

Au début des années 90, il est allé en Chine établir un joint-venture en participation pour un studio important de film. C'était peu de temps après le fiasco carré de Tiananmen et le climat pour des associations avec les sociétés américaines était froid, sinon congelé, en particulier avec le ministère de la culture, qui devrait être impliqué.

Il a observé que les agences de publicité 4A globales faisant des campagnes pour les États-Unis les multinationales ont envoyé la production de film pour les films publicitaires de TV à Hong Kong, à Taiwan et à Singapour parce que la qualité du travail dans les maisons chinoises de production était inférieure. Filmez la production, comme beaucoup d'entreprises, vous composez du matériel (l'équipement) et du logiciel (les qualifications pour utiliser l'équipement). Dan a vu une occasion. Il était le logiciel - et il est facile de louer de ses contacts de réseau de LA - et il pourrait obtenir le matériel. En mars 1993, il a commencé des images de meneur de train internationales (PPI) sur sa table de salle à manger d'appartement dans Pékin.

Treize ans après - avec 450 personnes Pékin, à Changhaï, Guangzhou, à Los Angeles, et à New York - de PPI étaient devenus DMG, an international, independent full-service advertising and communications agency specializing in the greater China region generating more than $100 million US a year.

The big boys — Microsoft, McDonald’s, Boeing, GM, and Dell — were all there. They had deep pockets, global operations, pricey lawyers, accounting firms, and consulting firms behind them.

He developed DMG into China’s hottest creative, independent agency. He then added an events and public relations firm, ICN, and nailed international global accounts along with a portfolio of high-profile Chinese companies wanting to keep pace with the advertising expertise of their American competitors.

He’s a charismatic, creative genius in tune with the Chinese culture. He has never worked for a Western agency, didn’t attend college, but with street smarts, talent, an uncanny ability to handle diverse personalities and cultures, earned the respect of the domestic and international advertising world.

How did he beat the global 4A agencies to capture the creative account for Volkswagen-Germany’s first Chinese brand campaign in addition to a four-year Olympic marketing assignment for VW, a national sponsor of the 2008 Games in Beijing?

He did it the Chinese Way.

The others, the global hotshot 4A agencies, do business in China the way they do successful business in other countries. They are successful all over the world, but not in China.

Let’s break that down.

Mintz began with two Chinese partners. DMG chairman Peter Xiao had a deep and wide financial background and connections, tons of guanxi at high levels of the central government and the banking system.

Wu Bing, VP of DMG, has drive, determination and the operational savvy to get things done quickly in a society of bureaucracy and censorship. She was born in Beijing and at an early age was selected by the government to be trained as a gymnast for international competitions. When she was six, she was sent away to training facilities for grueling national competitive training, and eventually became a coach for international team competition.

While in Hong Kong, she met martial arts and action movie star Jackie Chan and appeared in movies with him. Dan was doing film production scouting in Hong Kong and met Jackie and Wu Bing.
 
Using the guanxi of Peter and Wu Bing, DMG targeted First Automotive Works (FAW) as the company they wanted to do business with. They made many trips to Changchun, delivering gifts liberally and personally, hosting banquets, developing deep friendships and cultivating relationships with the many Chinese managers, many of who ascended to high positions of authority and decision-making power over the years.

The three partners were unyielding in their demands on their staff to provide the highest levels of customer service and to exceed customer expectations. Their demands and expectations caused high turnover, but resulted in corporate relationships that were cemented to last. The true Chinese business objective — mutual benefit, win-win, and long-term relationships — was met with dedicated, committed staff.

Ernie Tadla, www.odysseychina.net

Excerpts from How to Live and Do Business in China: Eight Lessons I Learned from the Communists.

Next Week: Another Case History
An outstanding successful executive in North America, but not in China.