TBWA\TEQUILA\Hong Kong joins TBWA\Digital Arts Network and launches Social Media Arts specialty lab

Following the worldwide unification of TBWA’s digital operations, TBWA\TEQUILA\Hong Kong announced today that TEQUILA joins TBWA\Digital Arts Network (DAN) and will launch Social Media Arts (SMARTS), a strategic social media lab designed to serve clients across Greater China.

Digital Arts Network is the unification of TBWA’s proven digital talent, encompassing over 700 digital specialists within the network and initially rolling out in eighteen markets, a global network footprint to rival any pure-play digital shop. The formation of DAN creates a formal global structure for how TBWA approaches digital and integration, rooted in TBWA’s Media Arts philosophy that everything between a brand and an audience is media and that, increasingly, those touch points are digital.

Digital Arts Network will provide TBWA extensive competencies from creative technology and UX through social media and mobile to content, IP, search and analytics. DAN also includes specialist labs that will serve as centers of excellence in each area of expertise. Clients will get access to the best of local and global talent, best-of-breed specialists, resources and IP through one local entry point.

Uniquely, DAN Hong Kong will launch Social Media Arts (“SMARTS”), a strategic social media lab designed to serve clients across Greater China. TBWA’s E-Graphics production house in Dalian, China will also form part of DAN as a lab, strengthening the agency’s production capabilities across the region.

“That we are part of DAN in the first phase is a powerful testament to TBWA\TEQUILA\Hong Kong’s iconic digital work in the region,” said Joanne Lao (pictured left), Managing Director of TBWA\Hong Kong and Head of Digital for TBWA\Greater China. “Digital has been embedded in our agency since 2007 under the TEQUILA brand. Unifying TBWA’s digital expertise under DAN allows us to continue to foster our innovative culture with the ability to complement our offering with the strength of the network.”

In Hong Kong, DAN will be led by Luke Eid (pictured above right), Head of Digital. “The new landscape is way too complicated for digital generalists,” explained Eid. “DAN enables us to provide laser focused solutions by utilizing our network of digital specialists from Greater China and around the world all through one local entry point in Hong Kong.”

SMARTS, a Digital Arts Network lab across Greater China, will be led by Jocelyn Liipfert (pictured left), Head of Social Media for TBWA\Hong Kong and will be dedicated to uniting and strengthening social media strategy already present in the network and the agency. The lab services a number of its own clients across Greater China as well as integrated TBWA clients through social media strategy development, implementation and community management, monitoring, measurement and optimisation.

Globally, DAN will be led by President Charles Clapshaw, and Worldwide Executive Creative Director David Lee, reporting to Tom Carroll President and CEO of TBWA Worldwide.

Global DAN operations are headquartered in New York. Network-wide, DAN will initially roll out in markets that include Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, greater China, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, UAE, the UK and the USA.

Visit the DAN website or on Facebook for more information and follow DAN Hong Kong on Twitter.