Da Ernie Tadla

Il lancio di Bora era il nuovo lancio dell'automobile più riuscito nella storia automobilistica della Cina. FAW/VW non ha potuto farlo abbastanza velocemente.

I tedeschi, eccedenza danneggiante tranquilla che non ottiene la loro agenzia di pubblicità, realmente smarting perché DMG non era seguente la loro politica globale per la pubblicità e stile e disposizione di vendita. Tuttavia, le vendite erano fenomenali. VW ha assunto una ditta de Hong Kong di ricerca di mercato del mondo-codice categoria per studiare il motivo per i risultati stupefacenti del lancio.

La conclusione: anche se DMG non ha seguito la politica globale di VW, di mercato ha risposto perché il cinese reagisce a qualcuno che introducesse a loro il senso sul mercato cinese.

APPROVAZIONE, ora per quella grande. In un momento in cui le vendite globali dell'automobile nel resto del mondo stavano andando giù i tubi, VW ha deciso introdurre il golf, no. 1 automobile vendente nel mondo, in Cina, nel mercato dell'automobile crescente più veloce del mondo. Il mercato in Cina stava avvertendo 40%-50% aumenti dell'annuale.

Questa volta, VW e FAW hanno chiesto a DMG per fare il lancio di golf senza l'offerta affatto competitiva.

DMG potrebbe vedere che VW Germania ha desiderato consolidare la relative pubblicità ed introduzione sul mercato in Cina con una singola agenzia di sorveglianza, che inoltre userebbe per le 2008 Olimpiadi. VW, che era Olimpiadi garante, era tempo grande andante in Cina e DMG desiderato dentro sul viaggio.

Era cruciale che il lancio di golf è eccezionale come il Bora era stato. È stato osservato come fa un passo-pietra nel grande programma del Dan per il suo impero di comunicazioni di commercializzazione a livello internazionale. In order to do that, he had to:

• maintain the guanxi of the FAW/DMG relationship

• make the Golf the best selling car in China as it was in the rest of the world

• get on the on-ramp for the selection of the single VW supervising agency, which would include DMG overseeing all the other 4A agencies serving FAW/GM business and the other VW cars being marketed in China

• get on the on-ramp for the selection for the contract for the events and PR management for the VW Olympic campaign

Dan needed an automotive executive with international and new model launch experience.

With an international headhunter search team, Dan found his man. He had a solid track record of automotive advertising agency leadership, of successful product launches and was CEO of a leading global 4A agency in North America.

The new man rolled up his sleeves and began producing papers, studies, strategies, marketing plans, etc. He worked hard, diligently, earnestly, and sincerely. He was personable and friendly.

He had also come over with the same set of perceptions and attitudes I had. I spent countless hours working, eating and relaxing with him, encouraging and coaching him to open his mind and accept the Chinese way.

In spite of my efforts, he didn’t change and continued thinking, acting and trying to sell cars like he had done in North America.

The Golf launch flopped.

After five months, he returned to North America.

Success has many fathers, but failure is an orphan.

There are several reasons for the Golf flop. In the time between the Bora and Golf launch, the market had drastically changed.
• Several years of annual doubling of car sales had changed the automotive landscape
• Expansion and additional entry of more global players
• Existing manufacturers greatly expanded product variety and selection
• All the more it was necessary that the lead man be thinking and implementing the Chinese way, not the Western way.

DMG continued on, winning the creative account for VW’s first Chinese brand campaign over O&M, DDB, BBDO, Grey Global and Saatchi & Saatchi. In addition, VW gave DMG a four-year marketing contract for the 2008 Olympics.

So you ask, why, after the Golf flop, did DMG win those two large, prestigious contracts?

Guanxi and face.

If this had happened in North America, the ad agency would have been fired. But the Chinese way is to take the long view. It is normal and accepted that a business relationship goes through phases, but the Chinese focus on the long-term, on strengths, trust and respect.
They had known and worked with DMG for over ten years. They respected and trusted each other.

Ernie Tadla www.odysseychina.net

Next Week: Two Case Histories
• Microsoft in China
• Wal-Mart in China