Fleishman-Hillard Forms Partnership With iSoftStone

Creating Digital Marketing Solutions for Clients

BEIJING, Nov. 27, 2012 – Fleishman-Hillard has announced a partnership with leading China-based IT services provider iSoftStone (NYSE: ISS) to create innovative digital marketing solutions. Fleishman-Hillard will leverage iSoftStone’s capabilities in data analytics, cloud computing, mobile and Internet technologies to create and execute marketing campaigns that find, attract, engage and convert consumers across different platforms, especially Web, email, social media and mobile.

“With insights from data, we can help clients adjust their communications in a way that drives repeat purchases,” said Li Hong, Fleishman-Hillard’s president for China. “With iSoftStone solutions, we will be able to identify target customers more accurately and incentivize them more effectively because we will know where they have been and what they care about a brand or product. We will have a much clearer idea of what they want and will recalibrate our communications with a view to driving sales growth. We can now narrow the gap between what our clients’ customer relationship management programs promise and what those programs actually deliver to consumers – and we can do it across all media platforms, be they paid, earned, shared or owned.”

With over 500 million Internet users and 1 billion mobile phone users, China presents enormous growth opportunities across a wide range of new digital technologies to connect with consumers. Total expenditure of digital advertising topped US$5 billion last year, out of a US$47.6 billion total advertising expenditure, surpassing the funds spent on traditional newspaper advertising. The explosion in digital marketing makes perfect sense in China, where digital media are growing rapidly.  

“Our partnership with iSoftStone allows us to leverage this wave of digital marketing,” said Lynne Anne Davis, Fleishman-Hillard president for Asia Pacific, who noted the agency has already partnered for leading companies. “We have won two contracts. One enables clients to track digital consumers’ online behavior, with which we can provide real-time interfaces with purposeful campaign messages to generate leads on an e-commerce platform. And the other campaign uses digital platforms to communicate to a targeted group of medical doctors and skin care experts and dermatologists. We’re also developing strategies to drive social media traffic through microbloggers, community websites, celebrities and other fan groups to various platforms. Rather than sticking exclusively to corporate or product communication, this integrated approach allows us to magnify our opportunities.”

T.W.Liu, chairman and CEO of iSoftStone, said: “As an innovator in the China IT services industry, we have been closely monitoring the emergence of the digital consumer generation in China and actively developing digital marketing solutions. The solutions can be seamlessly integrated with existing OA and ERP systems. Through the solutions, we also provide full digital marketing services across the entire customer engagement life cycle, from tracking consumer behavior and analyzing consumer data to managing digital properties of clients’ brands or products. Teaming up with Fleishman-Hillard, we can leverage their front-end marketing capabilities to bring more value to more clients by helping improve both top-line growth and marketing efficiency.”

About iSoftStone

Started its business in 2001, iSoftStone is a leading China-based IT services provider serving both Greater China and global clients. iSoftStone provides an integrated suite of IT services and solutions, including consulting & solutions, IT services, and business process outsourcing services. The company focuses on industry verticals that include technology, communications, banking, financial services, insurance, energy, transportation, and public sectors. For more information, please visit www.isoftstone.com.

About Fleishman-Hillard

Fleishman-Hillard Inc., one of the world’s leading strategic communications firms, has built its reputation on creating integrated solutions that deliver what its clients value most: meaningful, positive and measurable impact on the performance of their organizations. The firm is widely recognized for excellent client service and a strong company culture founded on teamwork, integrity and personal commitment. Based in St. Louis, the firm operates throughout North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East, Africa and Latin America through its 80 owned offices. For more information, visit the Fleishman-Hillard website at www.fleishmanhillard.com. Fleishman-Hillard is a part of Diversified Agency Services, a division of Omnicom Group Inc.

About Diversified Agency Services

Diversified Agency Services (DAS), a division of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE:OMC) (www.omnicomgroup.com), manages Omnicom’s holdings in a variety of marketing communications disciplines. DAS includes over 200 companies, which operate through a combination of networks and regional organizations, serving international and local clients through more than 700 offices in 71 countries.

About Omnicom Group Inc.

Omnicom Group Inc. (www.omnicomgroup.com) is a leading global marketing and corporate communications company. Omnicom’s branded networks and numerous specialty firms provide advertising, strategic media planning and buying, digital and interactive marketing, direct and promotional marketing, public relations and other specialty communications services to over 5,000 clients in more than 100 countries.