Why are Asia’s agencies still run by foreigners?
In a piece that first appeared in Encore, Robin Hicks asks if extroversion and an ability to troubleshoot in a foreign language are reasons enough for westerners to run Asian agencies.
During a recent pitch for a big government account in Singapore, the client was overheard saying how curious it was that most of the agencies trying to win his business were run by ang moh (foreigners, of the white variety).
In the context of the world’s second most globalised country (just after The Netherlands, according to a recent study by DHL on how internationalised economies are) with a history not unfamiliar with immigration, that might seem a curious observation to make by a Singapore government official.
Particularly as his government plans to let in thousands more immigrants over the coming decades to boost Singapore’s population – a plan that prompted a protest on the usually deserted Speaker’s Corner, where people go to protest, just a few weeks ago. Was this marketer among those who braved the monsoon rains holding signs saying ‘Singapore for Singaporeans’?
The main reason there are few “local” leaders in Singapore is lack of talent. Great local talent is hard to come by, not because it doesn’t exist, but because smart creative thinkers usually find a home in more lucrative industries like finance. They can make double their salary and we all know Singaporeans are driven by the dollar. So ad agencies pick up the scraps. Small wonder that agencies are forced to find good talent abroad. Ask yourself the question: why are most non-Singaporean companies led by expats? I don’t see a local head at McDonalds. I rest my case.
Great article Robin. It has been a common theme in Asia since the 70’s.
More Asian talent is coming through and adding their weight/experience to expat (not just ang mo) resource.
Many firms are Western and therefore start off by bringing in people that they trust and often they might have global/western experience with the brand that is hard to find in Asia. But as you said that is changing with Asian brands being led by Asians, although i have also seen this go the other way…
They are Asian brands and yet want Western experience/experience to bring them some direction/creative ideas that they weren’t getting from locals. It works both ways, i have also seen companies employ locals for the sake of it and come to regret it.
Ultimately the best person for the job should be employed regardless of where they come from, it’s all about what they can deliver, not about their MBA or their skin or who they know…if you employ the best person for the job you can’t go far wrong!
Interesting article and brings up some great points. One thing to note is that for many large marketing and/or advertising projects, very often the only agencies that statutory boards or ministries invite to pitch or that are shortlisted are large international agencies. And these types of players almost always have expatriate heads. However, if you look beyond those, at the small to medium sized agencies across the country, you’ll see a huge number of locally run and locally created companies. The irony is these guys have to fight tooth and nail to even get into the room with the “big boys”.
I myself help run a Singapore bred communications group that won a large contract from the Tourism Board a few years ago. So it’s not impossible to win these big accounts. But it’s rare and it’s tough. I know we were up against large international agencies and the only main reason we won that account was because we understood the topic area better than anyone else. In that case, the client choose content over all other criteria. But that, I know, was a rare case.
There will definitely be changes in this trend. We are constantly presented with the globalisation in the everyday life: on the commute home, the TV, social media, with advertising slogans and in the digital space. In a world of shrinking space, time and disappearing borders the impacts of globalisation are being felt by all countries.There are more Asian Talents who are rising to the top. It’s just a matter of timing and of course being given the right opportunity.
The China advertising industry is staffed by many foreigners. Largely ethnic Chinese from Taiwan, Malaysia and Singapore. Many learned their tricks from English and Australian expats a long time ago. Australia has long welcomed foreigners, British mainly. It’s all a cycle of windows opening and closing that works in open, ambitious economies. One notable exception is Thailand, where Thais produce great work for Thais. In that way, it’s ambitious. it is not, however, open.
The fact that a government official labels everyone with a white skin with the derogatory term “ang moh” is probably revealing of a local mindset that could prevent someone to manage effectively across cultures…