Hylink’s international branches provide online advertising solutions to clients in the US, UK
From his 25th-floor office in The Shard, London’s tallest skyscraper, James Hebbert, UK managing director of Hylink Digital Solutions, has a bird’s-eye view of the UK capital. But his vision extends far beyond London and the UK itself to cover the whole of continental Europe.
As the first independent Chinese digital advertising agency to go West, Hylink helps international and domestic brands navigate the spectrum of digital advertising across the tech, beauty, travel and or fast-moving consumer goods sectors.
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Hylink UK Managing Director James Hebbert (right) hosts the “Digital China” discussion panel in London. Provided to China Daily |
In doing so, Hylink has been imparting momentum to the larger Chinese digital advertising sector and winning the trust of global clients, particularly those in London, New York and Los Angeles.
Hylink, which started in Beijing in 1994, is now a multibillion-yuan company listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange.
In 2014, the company began expanding by setting up overseas offices. These offer customized marketing plans for South Korean, European and US companies entering China, and for Chinese enterprises entering business in those markets.
Hebbert thinks now is the right time for Chinese advertising companies to expand abroad and start building a global reputation.
“It has been a very interesting journey so far,” he says. “In the previous years, the trend was that many Western (marketing) companies were moving to the East. Now times are changing and confident Chinese companies are going global and moving (to the) West.”
He cites the June-July soccer World Cup in Russia as an example. “It was the first time for the world to see more Chinese brands at a World Cup. In the future, we’ll see even more Chinese brands. It’s the beginning.”
Demand for overseas marketing strategies will soar in China as more Chinese companies are selling abroad, Hebbert says.
“Some people in the West are still unaware of the China tech giants that are driving innovation. With Tencent, Baidu and Sina as Hylink shareholders, we have strong relationships with Chinese media platforms,” he says. “But our mission is very simple. We are a two-way culture bridge helping the UK and (continental) Europe to have more access to the China market.
“I believe the UK needs to look at the bigger picture, especially with the uncertainty around Brexit next March. We need to recognize and embrace new opportunities, especially as China goes global with ambitious plans such as the Belt and Road Initiative.”
Against the backdrop of the UK needing more opportunities outside Europe, and China opening its arms to global partners, Hylink sees profound market potential, Hebbert says.
“Lots of European brands are eyeing the China market, but they are not fully equipped to serve or attract Chinese consumers. So there’s a huge opportunity for Hylink. Also, we see the new confidence in Chinese companies, especially in the digital space. It’s an interesting challenge to make them influential.”
Hebbert brings to his Hylink job the experience he gathered in senior roles at such agencies as Mountainview Learning and Seatton and as chief of staff to the global CEO of New York-based Ogilvy & Mather. One of the reasons he joined Hylink, he says, was that compared with Western advertising agencies going to China, it was far more visionary and exciting to do the opposite.
“I was first attracted to China because it’s the only market that’s growing and it has always been an exciting place. Joining Hylink was a no-brainer for me.”
In addition, Hylink values openness, something that has helped bring success, he says. “There are about 500 Chinese companies in London, and I believe I’m the first British managing director of a Chinese corporation in the UK. The company’s founder, Su Tong, is very open-minded about growing organically and values the importance of hiring locally.”
Since the end of 2017, Hylink’s Hebbert-led London office has focused on culture, travel, luxury, fashion and retail sectors. Its big-name clients include the British Museum, the London Symphony Orchestra, luxury goods store Harvey Nichols and other boutique brands.
Hylink is also helping Chinese cosmetics, technology and automobile enterprises with branding activities in the UK and is also looking to set up branches in Berlin and Paris next year.
Being a relative novice in Western markets, Hylink has been dealing with multiple challenges like the Chinese stereotypes that exist among prospective London clients.
“The UK clients are more skeptical, especially when the stereotype of made-in-China was still there,” he says. “I’m proud to change the stereotype to show that as a Chinese company, we are professional, innovative and creative. Market education is very key here.”
That sustained effort has paid off. In 2017, the company notched up 8.2 billion yuan ($1.2 billion; 1.05 billion euros; ￡916 million) in sales revenue, up by almost 24 percent year-on-year.
Xiao Mingchao, CEO of Trendsbigger, a digital marketing consultancy, says the Belt and Road Initiative offers huge potential for the growth of the Chinese advertising industry.
“Our research found that most of the companies have been keeping a close eye on the progress of the BRI projects. Some 86 percent of the surveyed companies have a deep understanding of the initiative, and about 70 percent of them are sure they will increase investment in the BRI economies,” he says.
“It is an inevitable trend. Chinese companies will seek to serve the economies involved in the initiative. However, at present, most of them are engaged in trading goods, technology, research and development projects. There is a void in advertising and creativity-related culture industries. This means there’s great potential for growth.”
( China Daily European Weekly 11/16/2018 page30)