Spotlight 6: The K&L Shanghai Team

With a population of more than 1.4 billion people, China has the second-largest advertising industry in the world. So how does K&L Shanghai stand out and make its mark in this vast, dynamic market? In this edition, we spoke with two of our Shanghai-office colleagues, Lina Wang and Yan Zheng (Yuuya) Liu, to gain insight on the strengths of K&L Shanghai.

Please tell us about yourselves.

Lina: I’m Lina, and I’ve been with K&L Shanghai since its establishment. In the Administrative and Corporate Department, I oversee the Shanghai office as a whole,? liasing with the administrative team in Tokyo and occasionally supporting the Sales Team.?

Yuuya: And I’m Yuuya, from the Sales Team. I used to work in Japan but moved back to my home country, China, during the pandemic. Although I’m still quite new to the company and the industry itself, everyone in the office has been very supportive, so I feel very assured here.?

How is K&L Shanghai different from other advertising agencies in China?

Lina: Most of the other advertising agencies in China are quite large in scale and each employee is only responsible for very specific tasks. While our team in Shanghai consists of a small team of around 20 members, we work closely with third-party suppliers and other partnering companies, allowing us more flexibility in our roles and to take on various tasks for a range of projects.??

Yuuya: The Sales Team is a good example of that. While other agencies’ sales may be responsible mainly for just one or two clients, we are responsible for? multiple existing and new clients. Despite being part of the Sales Team, I also provide input to creatives and? assist in managing events and exhibitions.?

Lina: Likewise, the Creative Planning Team also joins sales pitches and meetings with clients. Everyone in the company understands each other’s roles,? which help things run smoothly. We also encourage team members to take on new challenges and broaden their skill sets.

What advantages does this bring?

Yuuya: When I had the chance to speak with other Chinese agencies at exhibitions, I learned that it's typically only one person who overlooks one project. For example, they may just be responsible for an exhibition. However, I’m responsible for various projects involved with the client I handle. From producing promotional videos for new products to providing translation and interpretation at events, I take on various tasks for clients’ projects. This allows me to gain diverse experiences and deepen my understanding of the clients while helping them get to know me and the company better. And of course, it's also beneficial for my own career growth as I expand my skill set. capabilities.

Lina: This also builds a strong, trusting relationship between our clients and us. Even if clients have projects with short lead times, they know K&L Shanghai can make it work. Since each team member has a close relationship with various clients, we can introduce them to one another, supporting the collaborations and fostering new and interesting ideas.

Thank you for sharing your insights with us!?