Brand HK fast tracks China to the world (hktdc.com)


	Branding expert Chris Ingram says China needs Hong Kong's experience to fast track its global branding

	James Stuart, Managing Partner of The Ingram Brand Company, believes the biggest Hong Kong brand is the "larger then life" city itself

As an incubator and risk manager for the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong is perfectly poised to help Chinese companies build their brands globally. At the same time, international brands can leverage on the city's expertise and experience to access China, say two branding "gurus".

Chris Ingram, who bought into Hong Kong-based The Brand Company to form the Ingram Brand Company, hopes to bring a different business model in terms of branding and communication strategies to Hong Kong. "Hong Kong is certainly the top choice for a launchpad into China. The Chinese like to move quickly but with the momentum built on the expertise of our experienced people, we can help them with high speed global branding."

Mr Ingram should know what he is talking about. Since launching The Ingram Partnership in London in 2002, his prestigious client list has ranged from the London 2012 Olympic bid to Twentieth Century Fox and Diageo. He was also voted London's Entrepreneur of the Year in 2000.

Experience matters

Managing Partner of The Ingram Brand Company, James Stuart, said Hong Kong has unique capabilities in branding. "After all, Hong Kong has more than 40 years' head start over China in bringing international brands to the city and helping local brands to go global. Hong Kong has reinvented itself as a services port, and a centre of excellence for branding and marketing. China is still very much the manufacturing platform of the world and is looking at what the West and Hong Kong are doing. They are asking, how can we do better?"

Both Mr Stuart and Mr Ingram believe that Chinese companies can avoid the pitfalls encountered by many before them, as they choose the best strategies in their globalisation efforts. "Already Haier, which is a Chinese mainland brand in electronic consumer products, is very well known and has gone global - even though very few people know it is Chinese as it sounds quite German."

Both branding strategists believe that as China becomes more brand conscious, both the mainland and Hong Kong will benefit. Mr Stuart said: "Hong Kong is at the doorstep of China, but China does not have the skills or market experience to help local brands go global. What we have in Hong Kong is talented people. In their roles as provider and developer of services and systems, they can help Chinese companies build up their brands."

City of excitement

He said Hong Kong is a business to business centre so it is not too surprising that not many Hong Kong brands are recognised globally. "Part of the reason is because Hong Kong is not a manufacturing place. In Japan, Taiwan or South Korea you have cars, computers and other electronic products which end up in people's homes and they can relate to that. The lack of global brands has not hindered Hong Kong's prosperity. It is a service platform and it also provides headquarters for mainland companies and other multinational companies."

At the end of the day, Mr Stuart said the biggest Hong Kong brand is the city itself. "When people think of Hong Kong, they think of excitement. It's larger than life, much like New York or London. Certainly no European city has the same cachet."

Hong Kong the most creative centre for Asian marketing