BEIJING – Ogilvy Beijing has been appointed to provide public relations services for the city of Xi’an, a rapidly-growing metropolis in central China playing a leading role in the country’s Belt and Road Initiative. Ogilvy will provide branding and integrated market planning for Xi’an, as the city embarks on a quest to promote its image in China and around the world as a “Global City and Cultural Capital.”
Ogilvy was chosen from among a dozen competitors that submitted bids for the project. The candidates spanned a wide range of organizations, including communications agencies, consulting firms and media outlets from China and around the world. Ogilvy’s appointment serves as a clear endorsement of the agency’s strong global network and long, successful track record in city and nation branding.
As the historical starting point for the ancient Silk Road, Xi’an today sits at the forefront of China’s massive Belt and Road Initiative, making the city poised to serve as an economic, cultural and transportation crossroads for Asia and beyond. But while Xi’an’s ancient history is known to many – its terracotta warriors are among China’s most famous cultural treasures – its rapid development as an economic and technology hub is less widely known. This project undertaken by Ogilvy will seek to spread awareness of Xi’an’s multifaceted offerings as a city both ancient and modern, traditional and dynamic.
The communications project targets a wide range of audiences spanning continents and cultures, but all linked by their key roles in the Belt and Road Initiative. Markets to receive particular focus include North America, Western Europe, Southeast Asia, Central Asia and Africa. With its global reach and strong belief in localization, Ogilvy is uniquely positioned to carry out this ambitious project.
“We’re very excited to have this opportunity to work with the city of Xi’an to tell their story to the world,” said Scott Kronick, Ogilvy Asia Pacific CEO for Public Relations & Influence. “Ogilvy has helped many Chinese brands in their quest to go global; our start-studded team of location branding experts looks forward to doing the same with our partners in Xi’an.”
Joe Zhou, Managing Partner of Ogilvy Beijing led the award-winning global branding of Chengdu in recent years. He said, “Building strong brands for cities and countries is something that we have long excelled at, with numerous cases from around the world showing our strong expertise in this field. Going up against competitors from different sectors in the bidding process, this win goes to show that despite today’s rapidly-changing communications landscape, Ogilvy’s global network and strong track record means we are best equipped to design impactful strategies and tell engaging stories that resonate around the world.”
As Xi’an emerges as a new leading center of China’s economic and social development, and a key hub for the Belt and Road Initiative, it becomes more important to highlight what is happening in Xi’an to the world. As Xi’an marches toward hosting the Belt and Road Forum in 2019, Ogilvy will be their partner to ensure that the world better understands the dynamism and opportunities in China’s ancient capital.
