Building a new alternative to the global order is both fun and exhausting. It takes commitment and luck in equal measure as well as a healthy dose of self belief. So when, over the course of a few short months, a plan comes together it makes all the air miles and time worthwhile.
This is how we are all feeling here at Hotwire today as we announce our new exclusive partnership with The Hoffman Agency in Asia. The hidden relationship has been there all along, with our CEO Barbara Bates working in the same market and having a long-standing friendship with Hoffman agency founder and CEO, Lou Hoffman. But as so often happens in life, the catalyst for change was an introduction to a mutual friend during a post Christmas vacation trip.
The meeting was between Barbara and Hoffman Hong Kong GM Marc Sparrow – an ex Hotwire colleague – who embraced the idea of a partnership with his customary gusto. And with the full encouragement of Lou and the wider Hoffman management team across Asia, the partnership has taken shape with relative ease. The beauty of the end result lies in its simplicity. We have shared values; both of us share a similar culture and outlook; and both of us view communications as a business enabler. In short, we mirror each other in so many ways.
So enough about the romance between our two agencies. What does it mean for our clients and for future client relationships? The answer is simple. Hotwire can now provide a single agency solution for any global business looking to move into Asia or who is looking to review their Asian communications. In such a fast growing and dynamic region, the importance of local specialists working across borders in a consistent manner is paramount. With Hoffman, we can now provide this assurance and deep capability across the key seven Asian economies, extending down into Australia.
And for Hoffman, the partnership opens up the opportunity to serve an extended client base and access to a network of exclusive partners and affiliates in locations where it has limited coverage, such as the Middle East and Latin America. Not just for existing clients but for new clients looking for an alternative to the global agency networks, the new partnership between Hotwire and Hoffman offers something different and fresh.
So it’s been an exciting day so far down here in Australia. The news has literally followed the sun as we announced at 12 noon Pacific time in San Francisco, followed by Sydney, Hong Kong and finally London. Adding Hoffman to our family feels like adding the final part of a complex jigsaw – it’s satisfying, exciting and full of promise. For more information, do just drop me a note at andy.west@hotwireglobal.com and let’s talk Asia.