Beanstalk launches local operation

Hong Kong - Branding and licensing agency Beanstalk will launch a local with Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover and Samsonite as founding clients.

The Beanstalk Group, owned by Omnicom, will base its Asian HQ from Omnicom Asia Pacific's offices in Taikoo Shing under the direction of Josephine Law, an expert in licensing throughout Asia.

Law joins The Beanstalk Group as director of brand development for Asia.

She has two decades of licensing, manufacturing, product development and marketing experience and extensive knowledge of the Asian market. 

Licensing has been a fast growing segment of the marketing sector in Asia during the past 15 yeas, as clients realise powerful of brand extensions. While entertainment brands are leading the push, more recently corporate brands have realised the potential of licensing their brands to fashion, cosmetics, sporting goods and even household goods.

The US and Canadian licensing industry is worth in excess of US$68.7 billion.

China's retail market in particular is growing at an extraordinary rate, with US and European luxury flagship stores being introduced to the market.

"There's no doubt that licensing and brand extensions in Asia are distinctly different from other regions of the world, from the audience and culture to the retailers and intellectual property rules and regulations," Law said.