Advertising agencies in Asia and Asian-focused agencies are used to advertise non-Asian products to Asians in the US and Asian countries. An Asian advertising agency can bring the cultural nuances of the Asian culture to its marketing and advertising. Asian-focused advertising agencies advice and ratings will give you the top Asian ad agencies and advice from advertising gurus about advertising in Asia.

Advertising agencies in China had hoped that the potential of this huge market would come to fruition during the Olympics. The reasons why this has not turned out to be so is debatable. Know that:

1. Advertising agencies in China are extremely creative but need to measure the effectiveness of their work as opposed to being merely creative.

2. Advertising agencies in Asia were affected by the change in the world economy, which brought down profits.

3. Asian-focused advertising agencies are putting their faith into the huge market represented by China.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Look for the highly rated advertising agencies in Asia

US advertising agencies do a lot of work in Asia to sell American products. However, there are Asian ad agencies that are doing really incredible work. The winners of advertising award competitions are the best of Asian-focused ad agencies.

I recommend: The Association of Accredited Advertising Agencies of Hong Kong 2008 Kan Fam Awards list the winners in print, multi-media and video mediums. The Longxi Awards is the global Chinese advertising awards organization and you will find a mixture of American and Asian ad agencies winners.

Get advice on advertising agencies in Asia

Use first-hand perspectives from knowledgeable sources about advertising agencies in Asia.

I recommend: The Business Mirror has a long article on the current situation for Asian advertising firms, suggesting that technology has moved so quickly that agencies have not been able to compensate for it in their marketing. Tom Doctoroff, CEO of J. Walter Thompson China, writes at length about where the opportunities lie in China and how to use them.

Get advice for Asian-focused advertising agencies for marketing Asian-Americans

The Asian-American market is the most affluent ethnic group in the US. Any Asian-American advertising agency that engages in Asian market targeting needs to integrate the core values and buying habits of Asian-Americans into advertising campaigns, branding and so forth.

I recommend: XL Concepts advises on the American-Asian market and what you need to do to break into it. Reuters' article on the American-Asian market advises on the values and buying habits that motivate this marketing segment.

American advertising agencies in Asia, or Asian advertising in the US, exist to help your business promote your products and services to your target market. Asian Americans make up a large percentage of the United States' population and offer high income potential.

If your business currently targets or would like to start targeting the Asian market, choosing an advertising agency that understands the unique trends and qualities is a must. Work with traditional print or broadcast advertisements, billboards, online marketing and direct mail to connect your products and services to your consumers.

Hire an Asian American advertising agency to:

1. Increase profits in a new market. Asian American advertising agencies raise brand awareness with creative promotions.

2. Gain a new perspective from a professional advertising expert.

3. Introduce a new product or re-introduce an existing product. Agencies use Asian market targeting to ensure you place your ads in the right spots.

4. Compete with other companies to increase your market share.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Identify what your business needs from Asian American ad agencies

Consider your previous ad campaign strategies and budgets when deciding what you need for your latest venture with an Asian advertising agency. Establish a realistic budget and make a list of the types of strategies you require, such as media planning, press releases, multilingual copywriting and editing and sales training materials.

I recommend: Search for Asian-focused advertising agencies like Admerasia and ASB Communications in New York City, NY, and Ameredia in San Francisco, CA. These firms offer services in market research, television and print advertisements, ethnic branding, translation and media planning and buying.

Search for advertising agencies in China and the United States

Find Asian ad agencies locally, nationally or internationally depending on where you want to place your advertisements and where your business is located. Travel and communication can be expensive, so consider working with an agency in your area that focuses on the Asian market, allowing you to spend more on advertising and less on overseas communication.

I recommend: Make a list of about 12 to 20 advertising agencies in Asia-focused markets such as AdAsia Communications and 66 Communications in New York City, NY and C2 Advertising in Los Angeles, CA. These firms offer services in logo design, packaging, corporate and brand identity, event marketing and strategic planning.

Contact the top Asian-Focused advertising agencies from your list

Browse agency websites to view online service lists and portfolios. Pay close attention to the research information and types of ads shown on the websites and begin to narrow your list to a more manageable 6 to 10 Asian advertising company options. Contact representatives to discuss phone interviews, portfolio viewings and, if possible, client meetings.

I recommend: Consider advertising agencies like Cultural Marketing Communications in Chicago, IL, and Spark Media Lab in Singapore. Choose Asian online advertising options as well as promotional services like ethnic marketing strategy, photography, online marketing, print design and multilingual communications.

Choose an Asian American advertising agency and begin work on your new campaign

Finalize your budget and list of requirements for services and deadlines. Discuss the timeline of your ad plan and work with the Asian advertising agency to break into the Asian market. Task the firm with a new website design, business stationery creation and press releases to offer information about your multilingual or multicultural venture.

I recommend: Begin working immediately with Asian-focused advertising agencies like Wasabi Kikaku and K & L Advertising in New York City, NY, and InterTrend Communications in Long Beach, CA. These agencies focus on broadcast, online and print ads, event planning and marketing, consulting and website development.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Start with a couple small projects before embarking on a large campaign. American advertising agencies in China are expensive, so communication and trust is key to a strong campaign. Add projects once you know the firm works well with your budget and timeline.

By 2011, the Asian-American community as a whole is projected to have a spending power of more than $600 billion. The market tends to have more education, more income and higher home values than the American norm. When hiring an advertising agency to help you develop a plan to reach Asian Americans, it helps if you know some key terms that relate to different segments of the population, which is very large and diverse. There are also some general marketing terms that can help guide you to the right firm.

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The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

The South Asian community and Asian-Indians

The South Asian community encompasses people of Indian, Bangladeshi, Pakistani and Bhutanese descent, among others. Asian-Indian is a term used to differentiate people of Indian ancestry from American Indians, or people descended from indigenous Americans.

I recommend: ASB Communications develops ad campaigns for the South Asian market.

Asian DMAs

DMA stands for 'Designated Marketing Area.' It refers to people of a geographic region who get their news from the same television and newspaper outlets, etc. Asian DMAs are markets targeted for their large Asian communities.

I recommend: The Television Bureau of Advertising has a list of the top 25 Asian DMAs.

Multicultural advertising, ethnospecific advertising, and ethnic branding

Multicultural advertising means developing a marketing plan that reaches many cultures. Ethnospecific advertising and ethnic branding are part of a multicultural advertising plan, in that they target different segments of the ethnic market.

I recommend: AdAsia Communications provides multicultural branding and advertising services to help businesses reach the Asian market.

Pacific Islanders

Pacific Islander is a broad term that encompasses the peoples of the Oceania region, including Polynesia, Micronesia and Melanesia. Pacific Islanders are considered a segment of the Asian market. In the United States, the term also applies to indigenous Hawaiians.

I recommend: Cultural Marketing Communications, an Asian-focused advertising company, specializes in developing marketing plans geared to Pacific Islanders.

Multi-channel marketing

As the television audiences grow ever more splintered, the thirty second television spot has lost its prominence in marketing campaigns. These days, advertising agencies spend a lot of time researching where different segments get their information so they can develop a plan that encompasses multiple channels, or modes of communication, be it a Web site, billboard or radio spot.

I recommend: Marketing Vox has a feed of articles on multi-channel marketing.

Localization

It's useless to try developing a single advertising campaign and that will connect with people worldwide. Instead, companies localize their marketing campaigns, so they draw appropriately from the language and symbols of other cultures. Asian-focused ad agencies provide localization services.

I recommend: Ameredia provides what it calls translation, transcreation and localization services to reach the Asian community. VenTaja Marketing has an article on "internal localization," i.e., localizing marketing campaigns within a business's home country to reach out to different ethnic groups.

Whether you'd like to target Asian consumers in the U.S. or overseas, an Asian advertising agency can help. These agencies specialize in reaching Asian consumers and are very knowledgeable in what works and what doesn't.

The strategy you should use when working with Asian-focused advertising agencies will differ depending on the goals you would like to achieve. However, here are some things you should do to help bring any project into focus:

1. Research advertising agencies in China and other Asian countries to see how they reach their markets.

2. Look at Asian ad agencies located in the United States and see what the differences in strategy are.

3. Do some research on Asian market targeting so you can better understand and communicate with your agency.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Research advertising agencies in China and across Asia

It stands to reason that advertising agencies in Asia will have a good idea of how to tap the Asian market, seeing as their employees are immersed in Asian culture on a daily basis. Even if you don't want to use an agency in Asia, it's a good idea to at least speak with a representative at one.

I recommend: Talk to e21. This is a good agency to start a relationship with since it has several offices in China, but also a base in California. It focuses on working on U.S. ad campaigns that will run in China and vice versa. If you're looking to target consumers from another part of Asia, such as India or the Philippines, visit Reed Business Information's excellent directory of ad agencies across the continent.

Look at Asian ad agencies located in the United States

Lots of top U.S. companies, such as Anheuser-Busch, Nordstrom and McDonald's use Asian ad agencies based in the U.S. to reach potential customers here and in Asia. The advantage to working with a U.S. agency is that it's easier, and cheaper, to meet in person.

I recommend: Check out C2 Advertising's online portfolio to get a look at what the company can do. It creates ads in English and in other languages, such as Chinese. Then look at SalesVantage's directory for more than two dozen similar agencies to find one close to where your business is based.

Learn more about Asian market targeting

Although advertising agencies in Asia and almost any Asian American advertising agency will try to give you the spiel about how to reach the market, you need to do some research on your own. That way, when you work with the agencies, you will better be able to tell them what you want.

I recommend: If you plan on targeting Asians, not Asian Americans, read the article on Asian consumer marketing on Emerald Intelligence's website. If you're more interested in reaching Asian American consumers, read Quirk Enterprises' article on advertising to that market.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Whichever Asian ad agency you use, avoid stereotyping in your ads. Otherwise you will repel way more customers than you attract.