Western Union hires Publicis for global role

Hong Kong - The Western Union company has selected Publicis Hong Kong as its first ever global advertising agency of record, tasked to align global in each of the 200 countries the newly independent company operates in.

The announcement to broaden the 150 year old Western Union brand follows nearly eight months of research in which the company tested brand concepts in numerous countries with multiple ethnic groups targeting both current and potential customers.

Publicis Hong Kong is no stranger to Western Union having handled its advertising and marketing communications since 2003 in 10 markets across the Asia Pacific region but this is the first time the agency has been selected by the company as its global AOR.

Gail Galuppo, executive VP and chief marketing officer for Western Union said Publicis Hong Kong had proven that it understands the global nature of our business and the needs of our consumers.

"As a recently independent company, Western Union is uniquely positioned to fully maximise our trusted brand in more than 200 countries and territories and throughout our global agent entwork that includes 355, 000 locations around the world," she said.

Laurie Kwong, CEO for Publicis Hong Kong said the agency was proud to have won this search.

"And we're pleased to work with Western Union, which has an iconic brand and a truly global business."

Western Union is a provider of global money-transfer services that provides people with fast, reliable and convenient ways to send money around the world, pay bills and purchase moeny orders.