McCann wins Airmate creative

The incumbent agency was Fujian Ogilvy on a project basis.

Besides corporate branding, the annual contract will see the agency in charge of Airmate’s key products, including electric fans, rice cookers, electric heaters and other small home appliances.

According to James Yang (pictured), VP of McCann Erickson Guangming Guangzhou, half of Airmate’s previous business focus was on the China market, and the other half on overseas markets, including the US, Europe, Korea and Japan. “But with the global financial crisis and drop in orders from overseas clients, the company has decided to shift its business focus to the China market, as China’s Government is putting a lot of effort in stimulating the domestic market,” he said.

Airmate was established in Taiwan in 1973 and moved its factory in Shenzhen to become one of the earliest joint venture corporations in 1991.

Midea is the number one home appliance brand in China and has Government backing. Konka Group is another major home appliance player in China. Airmate, whose shareholders are Taiwanese, is considered a foreign enterprise.

The annual adverting billing is worth Rmb 30 million (US$1.36 million). The immediate campaign will be in print, for Airmate’s electronic fans, in January 2009.