Unafraid to explore, amaze and unravel the possibilities, DERIC WONG, CEO of OMD is a class apart. Here’s why.
Deric Wong: “What really differentiates OMD Hong Kong is the fearless mentality that runs in our veins—Fearless creativity. Fearless products. Fearless collaborations.”
Media agencies are usually conformists. Afraid to advise head-strong clients, they strive to satisfy, proving that corporate courage is in short supply and doing what’s best for the client, isn’t always wise. “Wrong!” says Deric Wong, CEO of OMD. A keen industry veteran, Wong fills a niche.
He tells it as he sees it and that’s won him the admiration of the industry and many amazed clients. “I am not afraid of challenging norm. Only through challenge can we grow to explore and through adventure can we realise our hidden potential.”
Wong’s talents run further afar and way beyond than just media knowledge and skills. An astute people’s person he is rallied as one of the very best professionals the industry has to offer and focussed on delivering and exceeding the highest expectations.
“At OMD Hong Kong, we work like an orchestra. Internally, we are structured to allow each person to become a specialist, be it Strategic Planning, Research, Content Marketing, Programmatic, Digital Strategy, Programmatic, Data Marketing, Platforms & SEM or Production. Throughout the entire planning and implementation process, our business directors are the ones who bring every specialist together to achieve clients’ business goals.”
Early Days
“The 80s and early 90s were a prosperous era for the advertising industry in Hong Kong. It was the time when Hong Kong’s advertising industry found its creative voice and played an influential role in shaping the city’s culture. 2-min thematic TVCs were broadcasted and newspaper front covers were launched as teasers. As time went by, questions on marketing investment efficiency and media innovation came into question,” recalls Wong.
“In 1998, OMD Hong Kong, part of a global advertising network Omnicom, was set up to make media investment accountable. Aiming to adopt the best practices from our global network, OMD was launched to bring positive development to the Hong Kong advertising industry and spearhead smarter media strategies to help every campaign achieve clear performance goals.”
Changing with the Times
The emergence of wealthy Chinese consumers has driven a massive growth for the advertising and media industry in the Greater China market, Wong notes.
“Coupled with the evolution of advertising technologies and new media platforms such as WeChat (China), Viu (new TV in HK) etc. have also changed the way consumers consume media.
“Comparing the industry across borders, Hong Kong operates in a free economy with minimal government restrictions. Hence, the media landscape is immensely different than China that operates in a more enclosed market environment where local players are favoured and internet censorship is obligatory.”
“With Hong Kong being the hub of Asia, OMD Hong Kong has adopted a ‘glocal’ strategy where we help local brands be globalised and global brands be localised. Envisioning the digital revolution, we beefed up all our specialist capabilities and brought in talents from overseas. 50% of our people are equipped with specialist expertise ranging from strategists, data scientists, content planners to programmatic traders and platform managers.”
“We don’t just focus on creating the next big thing. To drive sustainable success, we are determined to make every part of our services, products and talents into the next bigger things.”
Managing Expectations
Technological development has progressed faster than economic growth says Wong and “what really differentiates OMD Hong Kong is the fearless mentality that runs in our veins—Fearless creativity. Fearless products. Fearless collaborations.”
Over the past year, this fearlessness has been pronounced and we have moved very fast. For example, we have been:
• reshaping the linear ‘client-agency-media owner’ relationship to a new model of strategic alliances who work towards all parties’ goals.
• tapping into data technology and insights for communications planning to help brands personalize their storytelling.
• boldly restructuring how we internally collaborate and setting up new Data, Analytics and Content teams to empower our Business Directors to help clients drive business growth.
Our fearless mentality is driving us to venture outside of our comfort zones to seize new opportunities every day.”
Integrated Solutions
“OMD Hong Kong offers the most integrated and effective communication solutions simply because we have transformed with time and have built future forward expertise in house. “No other media agency in Hong Kong is equipped with the same depth and breadth of marketing skillsets,” says Wong.
“Our work has been consistently recognized at regional and local awards, over 500 awards won since 2007. In 2014, OMD Hong Kong was named ‘Asia’s Smartest Media Agency’ by WARC and ‘Best Marketing Partner’ by HKMA/TVB Awards. Recently, our network has also been crowned the ‘Most Awarded Agency Network Worldwide’ by The Gunn Report for 11 consecutive years.”
Art of Micro-Innovation
Hong Kong is a developed market, but we are behind many countries in the digital revolution. This was due to talent shortage; smaller market and a lack of bravery among Hong Kong clients and agencies to innovate. Hence, OMD has remodelled its purpose and operation to provide clients with integrated media communication solutions that are digitally led to drive business growth and consumers engagement.
Although belonging to a global network, OMD is here to help Hong Kong sustain its global city standing. Our growth emphasizes on two areas— product and people.
• Horizontal expansion in the services we offer. This is an exciting time when we have been given the best tools to craft more effective brand/advertising experiences. As a media agency in Hong Kong, a city that has always been a test market, we are in the perfect position to explore new possibilities.
• Diversity of talents. This is about nurturing and curating a pool of talents with the depth of knowledge and experience needed to deliver on our products/services.
Micro-innovation is our trade secret. We don’t just focus on creating the next big thing. To drive sustainable success, we are determined to make every part of our services, products and talents into the next bigger things.”
For additional information, please visit www.omd.com/hong-kong
Hong Kong’s Business Leaders share market and interest intelligence in the pages of HKMVC 2018
