Bridging China, Europe digitally

International branches of Hylink give online advertising the Chinese touch

From his 25th-floor office in The Shard, London's tallest skyscraper, James Hebbert, UK managing director of Hylink Digital Solutions, has a bird's eye view of the UK capital. But his vision extends far beyond London and the UK itself, to cover the whole of continental Europe.

As the first independent Chinese digital advertising agency to go West, Hylink helps international and domestic brands navigate the "intricate spectrum" of digital advertising across tech, beauty, travel, and FMCG (or fast-moving consumer goods) sectors.

In doing so, Hylink has been imparting momentum to the larger Chinese digital advertising sector and winning the trust of global clients, particularly those in London, New York and Los Angeles.

Hylink started off first in Beijing in 1994. Now, it is a multibillion-yuan Shanghai Stock Exchange-listed company.

From 2014, the company began expanding by setting up overseas offices, which offer customized marketing plans for South Korean, European and US companies entering China, and Chinese enterprises foraying into those markets.

Hebbert thinks now is the right time for Chinese advertising firms to expand abroad and start to build their reputation globally.

"It has been a very interesting journey so far. In the previous years, the trend was that many Western (marketing) companies were moving to the East. Now times are changing and confident Chinese companies are going global and moving (to the) West," he said.

He cited the June-July soccer World Cup in Russia as an example. "It was the first time for the world to see more Chinese brands at a World Cup. In the future, we'll see even more Chinese brands. It's the beginning."

He predicted demand for overseas marketing strategies will soar in China as more Chinese companies are selling abroad.

"Some people in the West are still unaware of the China tech giants that are driving innovation. With Tencent, Baidu and Sina as Hylink shareholders, we have strong relationships with Chinese media platforms," Hebbert said.

"But our mission is very simple. We are a two-way culture bridge helping the UK and (continental) Europe to have more access to the China market.

"I believe the UK needs to look at the bigger picture, especially with the uncertainty around Brexit next March. We need to recognize and embrace new opportunities especially as China goes global with ambitious plans such as the Belt and Road Initiative."