Door Ernie Tadla

De lancering Bora was de meest succesvole nieuwe autolancering in de automobielgeschiedenis van China. FAW/VW kon niet hen maken snel genoeg.

De Duitsers die, nog over het krijgen van hun reclamebureau niet kwetsen, smarting werkelijk omdat DMG hun globaal beleid niet voor reclame volgde en stijl en geen formaat op de markt bracht. Maar toch was de verkoop fenomenaal. VW huurde een firma van wereldklasse van marktonderzoekHong Kong in om de reden voor de verbazende lanceringsresultaten te onderzoeken.

De conclusie: hoewel DMG niet het globale beleid van VW volgde, antwoordde de marktplaats omdat de Chinezen aan iemand reageren wie markten aan hen de Chinese manier.

O.K., nu voor grote. Op een tijdstip waarop de globale autoverkoop in de rest van de wereld onderaan de buizen ging, besliste VW het Golf, Nr te introduceren. 1 verkopende auto in de wereld, aan China, de snelste groeiende de automarkt van de wereld. De markt in China ervoer 40%-50% jaarlijkse verhogingen.

Dit keer, VW en FAW vroegen DMG om de lancering te doen van het Golf zonder enige het concurrerende bieden.

DMG kon zien dat VW Duitsland zijn reclame en marketing in China met één enkel controlerend agentschap wilde consolideren, dat het ook voor 2008 Olympics zou gebruiken. VW, dat een Olympics sponsor was, was gaande top in China en DMG die binnen op de reis wordt gewild.

Het was essentieel dat de lancering van het Golf zo opmerkelijk is aangezien Bora was geweest. It was viewed as a stepping-stone in Dan’s grand plan for his international marketing communications empire. 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