NFL Gets First Down in China
NFL, the most popular professional sport league in the United States, has set out to market its game in China. To carry out these tasks, the league appointed Weber Shandwick in Beijing to provide strategic counsel and media relations with the objective of raising awareness for American football and NFL among the Chinese public.
The agency has carried out various activities during the summer to promote NFL like the Warrior Crown flag football tournament for middle school students across China, where it successfully organized media support to promote the game. Weber Shandwick also utilize NFL’s summer tour by pitching various big stories for NFL in China’s most popular media including FHM, Men’s Health, Sports Illustrated and many others.
To announce the news of NFL’s establishment in China and its media initiatives, the Beijing office organized a media luncheon at the end of the summer to give the media a clearer view on the NFL roadmap in China.
Impressed with the results that Weber Shandwick generated, NFL is currently working with Weber Shandwick to kick off a long-term plan to promote the game of football and build a solid Chinese fan base.
Chinese players suiting up for the NFL’s arrival
Chinese-language NFL ads
featured the New England
Patriots Cheerleaders
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Pantene Marks 60-Year Anniversary
The global launch of Pantene Parthenon by Proctor & Gamble (P&G) aimed to totally restage the popular shampoo Pantene, from an upgraded formula and new package design to a new “Shirra” logo—marking the brand’s 60-year anniversary.
P&G China and the consumer team in Beijing worked together to bring the new Pantene philosophy, “Pantene Enables the Best of You to Shine Through,” to the public.
Following media education during phase one of the programme, the team soon turned to the Parthenon Launch Event.
An outdoor structure at The Place in Beijing was covered completely in white. Models dressed in various styles each presented an emotion, such as “Happiness” and “Passion”, serving drinks that corresponded to the emotion they represented. The set up demonstrated how Pantene helps women to express their unique feelings.
P&G China invited three Pantene spokespersons, Da S, Charlie Young and Vivian Chow, as well as Mila Lee from P&G Global, to witness the moment. With special effects from the overhead Sky LED, the four spokespersons successfully delivered key messages and made the memorable night brighter than the day.
The feedback from both the media and the client was overwhelmingly positive, with more than 100 journalists attending the event and ongoing coverage in the media.
The main stage and the special effect of the Sky LED
From left to right, Summer Wang, Vivian Chow, Mila Lee, Charlie Young and Da S unveil the new Pantene logo
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Hairstyling Legend Visits China
World-renowned hairstylist Sam McKnight—who has worked with super models, high-fashion brands and numerous celebrities including Diana Princess of Wales, Nicole Kidman, Madonna, Cate Blachett and Kate Moss—visited China as a Pantene Global Ambassador to promote the upcoming launch of Pantene Styling products.
Weber Shandwick’s consumer team in Beijing was honoured to host the world fashion icon. Despite having a tight schedule, McKnight showed great enthusiasm as he met with local media, granted exclusive interviews and appeared on a popular CCTV 9 news talk show. The next day he visited the first domestic beauty shooting of Vogue China and saw the Pantene Look of Season shoot.
“This is the best ever,” McKnight was quoted as saying of the trip. As for the Weber Shandwick team, they will certainly not forget rubbing shoulders with this fashion-world celebrity.
Sam McKnight at a Pantene event in Beijing
Sam McKnight on CCTV’s Up Close program
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Nortel Executive Speaks at Tsinghua University
To build and reinforce Nortel’s brand as technology innovator among the future business and political leaders in China, and strengthen Nortel’s visionary and innovative brand position with top-tier media, Weber Shandwick helped Nortel arrange a speech to a large group of students at Beijing’s Tsinghua University in April 2007.
Tshingua University, regarded as the “MIT of China,” is one of the most prestigious universities in the country. John Roese, Nortel’s chief technology officer, was invited as the speaker to share his views on industry trends and its inflections. Nortel has a long relationship with Tsinghua through various academic engagements, including funding scholarships. A group of key media was also invited to the speech and a media briefing was held in conjunction.
In the speech to the students and journalists, John Roese highlighted the mega-trends of hyperconnectivity, communications-enabled applications and broadband. China is experiencing dramatic growth and has a young and technologically aware population that is using cellular and Internet technology aggressively. With high expectations of connectivity, Roese predicted that the future will be even more communications-centric.
The event received positive feedback from Nortel, Tsinghua and journalists. The media briefing resulted in positive, in-depth coverage in some of the top-tier media in China.
A representative from Tsinghua presents an
award to John Roese, Nortel’s CTO
Honeywell Invests in China’s Largest City
Our China teams worked closely with Honeywell to announce the grand opening of its Global Engineering Service centre in Chongqing, China's largest city.
By tying in Honeywell Chairman and CEO Dave Cote's visit to China, the diversified technology and manufacturing leader aimed to demonstrate its ongoing commitment to supporting the government and business partners’ goals of building an energy-efficient and harmonious society.
This initiative was part of Honeywell's continual contributions to China's Go West policies, local economic growth and social development.
Local government representatives, Honeywell senior management and media attended the event. Chongqing Mayor Wang Hongju was also present for the opening ceremony.
Prior to the event date, Weber Shandwick also put in place a series of pre-event briefings with top-tier media across Beijing, Shanghai and Chongqing to encourage interests in the upcoming announcement and to align Honeywell's announcement with media feedback and interests.
Weber Shandwick also secured the attendance of nearly 30 top-tier media, including six journalists who flew in especially from Beijing and Shanghai to cover this event and hold executive interviews with senior management.
In spite of rain during the outdoor event, the agency worked together with Honeywell to hold a paper-cutting ceremony to officiate the opening, ensuring a smooth-running, memorable occasion that resulted in positive PR and stakeholder perceptions.
The event has resulted in nearly 90 quality pieces of coverage in the media.
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From left to right, Shane Tedjarati, Honeywell global vice president and China CEO; Wang Hongju, mayor of Chongqing; Dave Cote, Honeywell Chairman and CEO; and Wu Jianong, vice Mayor of Chongqing
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ExxonMobil Introduces Dr. Mobil
Recognizing that car owners are highly interested in learning about car and engine maintenance, ExxonMobil aimed to educate Chinese motorists of its premium quality engine oil’s ability to deliver enhanced engine protection and performance. The corporation partnered with the automotive department of one of China’s top-ranked universities, Tsinghua University, to bring the most up-to-date information on car maintenance from the industry to Chinese car owners.
The campaign was dubbed “Dr. Mobil.”
Weber Shandwick in Shanghai hosted a media gathering, Dr. Mobil first public appearance, at a Mobil 1 Car Care Outlet (CCO) earlier this year. Bringing the automotive education program to life, Dr. Mobil illustrated the importance of engine maintenance through an onsite car model. A live engine demonstration and 30-point safety check highlighted the benefits of synthetic oils and high standard services offered at Mobil 1 CCO.
ExxonMobil executive presented “Dr. Mobil” certificate
30-point check during an onsite demo
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