Nike celebrates new collection and documentary launch

Nike showed off its newest apparel and footwear collection
at the Beijing Sport University’s indoor track building

Nike China launched two big items in early 2008: a new athletic and footwear collection and a documentary film, “Dare,” honoring 1984 Olympic athlete and former world record high jumper, Zhu Jianhua. Weber Shandwick was enlisted to publicize the retro-inspired collection, Olympic Pack, and “Dare” through media relations and an ‘80s themed event held in Beijing Sport University’s indoor track building.

Inspired by a 1984 photo of the Chinese track-and-field team’s visit to the Nike world headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon, USA, Nike’s new collection features the bold colors and big chunky fonts popular in the early ‘80s. By concentrating on the story told through each apparel and footwear piece, Weber Shandwick made a dynamic, emotive pitch that resulted in superior coverage for the collection.

For the documentary, “Dare,” the team exploited a chance to extend and develop its reach after the film was first broadcast on CCTV. A combination of relations with additional broadcasters, viral online video sharing and DVD distribution via traditional media partners brought “Dare” to a broad new array of audiences.

Using these strategies, Weber Shandwick successfully engaged the media, relating Nike’s heritage in China in a way that appealed to both trendy kids and athletic youth looking for an inspirational story.

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Crest Smile-vocates did a tour-for-smiles across China

Leading oral healthcare brand, Crest, carried out an advocacy-based campaign in China.

Weber Shandwick Beijing helped Crest enlist a group of traveling brand advocates, called Smile-vocates, who—along with the Crest mascot—hit Chinese sidewalks across the country raising awareness of Crest and “collecting smiles” from passersby.

Web 2.0 tools further enhanced the grassroots campaign. Our Beijing team conceptualized and launched a travel diary blog for the Smile-vocates, http://blog.sina.com.cn/xiaoxiaotuan2008, which has received over 5,500,000 hits.

Before the Smile-vocates’ tour of China came to a close, the troupe was even invited to co-host an episode of one of China’s No. 1 TV entertainment program, taking Crest’s coverage to the mainstream media.

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Vidal Sassoon launches Slim Beauty collection

Mark Hayes, global creative director of the Vidal Sassoon Academy
(fourth from left), with China’s top beauty editors and VS executives

In collaboration with Vidal Sassoon Academy and Levi’s Lady, Weber Shandwick, launched Vidal Sassoon’s latest Slim Beauty collection, a series inspired by the artists of early 20th century Vienna.

Slim Beauty applies the simple and sleek beauty of the Orient to hair styling through blunt, geometric cuts to create a slimming effect. The Slim Beauty collection was designed to evoke bold and confident attitudes, conveying Vidal Sassoon’s motto: “Dare to create. Dare to enjoy.”

The Slim Beauty campaign integrated above-the-line, below-the-line, in-store and online communications. Weber Shandwick arranged a group interview with top-tier fashion outlets for Mark Hayes, global creative director of the Vidal Sassoon Academy, placing his endorsement of Slim Beauty on TV programming. Social media was leveraged to drive word-of-mouth among “beauty junkies,” Vidal Sassoon’s target audience of active beauty trend followers.

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Celebrity Da S interacting with the audience

Chinese pop celebrity Da S joined Pantene in Shanghai in late December 2007 to help promote Pantene’s winter hair care collection.

Weber Shandwick Beijing supported the event, run by Pantene’s Consumer Development team, through media invitation, program design and celebrity management. The Weber Shandwick team capitalized on Da S’ status as the “Queen of Entertainment” to produce an impactful endorsement of Pantene’s winter product line. Da S’ past performances and personal style were leveraged to create a consumer-interactive program and a compelling media angle.

The event took place at Tesco Xin-guang outlet, where hundreds of enthusiastic fans and over 30 local media gathered. In a presentation featuring Da S’ style, Pantene shared hair care tips on withstanding the dryness and strong winds of the winter season.

Media results and audience feedback were positive, and celebrity management went off without a hitch. The team achieved brilliant PR ROI (81) with a 30-min exclusive TV interview and numerous print reports. This successful event was a prime example of Weber Shandwick Beijing‘s outstanding coordination ability and a great way to celebrate Pantene’s 60th anniversary.

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Creating online buzz for General Motors in China

Senior executives play Jack Bower in China online buzz campaign

With the number of Internet users in China soaring past the 200-million mark in 2007, clients are increasingly turning to Weber Shandwick to use online communications to reach consumers and other stakeholders in new and innovative ways.

Weber Shandwick Shanghai recently deployed Screengrab—Weber Shandwick’s interactive, social and emerging media practice—to create online buzz around General Motors’ launch of its futuristic OnStar telematics by uploading an action video onto key video-sharing sites. Casting three senior general mangers in the role of TV series “24” star Jack Bauer, the video demonstrates hard-to-believe OnStar features such as “Turn-by-Turn Navigation” and “Remote Door Unlock.”

The video short was first witnessed by media at a launch event in Shanghai as part of an action film sequence in which the executives find themselves caught up in adventures around town on their way to a conference. The Weber Shandwick team also created an extended social media program covering video-sharing sites including Youtube, Tudou and Youku.

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Weber Shandwick Beijing advocates for clean technology

Nicolas Parker, chairman of Cleantech Group and Cleantech China,
briefed reporters at a group interview arranged by Weber
Shandwick at the Beijing Cleantech Forum

Government and business leaders from around the world recently gathered in Beijing at the first-everCleantech ForumTM in Asia Pacific, hosted by Cleantech ChinaTM, LLC.

Through panel discussions, networking and exposure to innovative business, the Beijing Forum encouraged participants to maximize the vast business opportunities for Cleantech solutions in China, especially in light of looming environmental challenges for the country.

Weber Shandwick Beijing partnered with Cleantech China to introduce the concept of "clean technology" to the Chinese public and to promote the Forum, generating strong media interest and attendance.

Through global collaboration with the Cleantech, Venture Network, LLC, Weber Shandwick has already helped manage similarly successful events in Frankfurt and Toronto.

At the two-day long event in Beijing attendees discussed a range of topics, from alternative energy to carbon reducing innovations and water technologies. Featured speakers included Shi Dinghuan, state counselor for clean technology and former secretary general, ministry of science and technology; and representatives from BP, General Electric and China National Chemical Corporation.

In order to spark local media interest before the event, Weber Shandwick Beijing arranged a press conference for Chinese media. Consequently, numerous publications, including China Central Television, 21st Century Business Daily and China Daily attended the main event, which included a group briefing with Nicholas Parker, chairman of Cleantech Group and Cleantech China, coordinated by Weber Shandwick. Besides local media, representatives of Reuters, The Economist, Newsweek and other foreign press, as well as influential environmental blogs, such as TreeHugger, were in attendance.

The event was a success, setting the stage for future Forums in China to support the acceleration of clean technology.

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Weber Shandwick partners with InBev for 2007 Citizenship Report

Representatives from InBev present Chinese officials with
the company's sustainability report

Weber Shandwick China has been engaged by InBev, the world’s leading brewer, to build the Belgium-based brewer’s corporate reputation in China through corporate social responsibility (CSR) benchmarking, media communications and public affairs.

“InBev’s goals are to enhance awareness of itself as a corporate leader in China and be recognized as the gold standard for “responsibility” in the brewing industry. We are excited to be a part of its team,” said Darren Burns, managing director for Weber Shandwick in Shanghai.

In its first move with Weber Shandwick, InBev released its 2007 Citizenship Report—the company’s annual CSR report—to key Chinese stakeholders. This report earned InBev the distinction of being the first corporation in China to submit such a report to the China Corporate Social Responsibility Promotion Center’s Center for Environmental Education and Communication (CEEC), part of China’s State Environmental Protection Agency.

“This is an excellent start for InBev in building its industry leadership in corporate social responsibility in China. We are very happy to have full support from the Weber Shandwick team, from planning to implementation of the project,” said Fei Che, InBev China’s vice president, corporate affairs, Asia Pacific. “We are impressed by the team’s professionalism, efficiency and dedication, all of which are producing excellent results for this important project.”

In this successful joint initiative between InBev and CEEC, Weber Shandwick worked to engage key Chinese government officials, industry associations, academia and media on the growing importance of energy conservation, emissions reduction and water purification for the brewing industry.

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