FCB launches FCB Open to unlock new New Zealander opportunity for Kiwi businesses

FCB New Zealand has confirmed the expansion of its integrated strategic offering with a new consultancy arm focusing on the new New Zealander market.

The new offering, named FCB Open, has been introduced to respond to the increasing diversity of New Zealanders and the significant growth opportunity this presents to the agency’s clients and New Zealand business in general. FCB Open will help clients to identify specific insights, develop tailored media and creative strategy and guide execution through the agency’s integrated model.

The offering will be led by Vera Dong, one of China’s leading brand and communication strategists who will partner with Murray Streets, FCB New Zealand’s general manager, innovation and strategy. The initial focus will be on offering an authentic understanding of the Chinese market living in New Zealand, before broadening out to other ethnic segments later in 2018.

Dong, who moved to New Zealand with her family four and half years ago, has had an extensive career as a strategy partner at Ogilvy Hong Kong and at agencies such as TBWA and Darcy in Beijing and New York.

In the past 25 years, Dong has led, or played a major role in, launching or re-branding many international brands in China, the Asia Pacific Region and global markets; including Mars Confectionery, Procter & Gamble, Coca Cola and Hong Kong Disneyland. More recently she been a brand consultant to Nike and Microsoft.

Says Streets: “We wanted to ensure we’re keeping pace with the changing ethnography of New Zealand so we can offer the strongest advice to our clients and generate effective work that connects with these communities. We wanted to go beyond superficial understanding and enlist the talent of industry professionals who authentically understand these significant, growing communities. We’re really excited to start working with Vera. She combines an authentic, first-hand understanding of how it feels to be a new Chinese immigrant to New Zealand with experience in research, brand and advertising skills.”

Says Dan Martin, CEO, FCB: “Talking to New Zealand’s leading marketers it became clear that being able to unlock the huge commercial opportunity that these new Kiwis represent will be vital to our clients over the coming decade. Central to this is hiring world class talent such as Vera that have been exceptional strategists in markets such as China, but also know and get New Zealand culture. They can get to the heart of what makes new New Zealanders tick, but they are then able to mould that insight into an unfair competitive advantage for our clients. As New Zealand’s most effective advertising agency it’s vital that we help our clients stay ahead of the competition in this fast-changing country.”