Leagas Delaney and F5 deepen global creative partnership

Global creative agency Leagas Delaney and creative agency F5 Shanghai are deepening a creative partnership built over several years, combining international brand-building expertise with an intimate understanding of one of the world’s fastest-moving consumer markets.

Rather than creating another traditional agency network or licensing agreement, the two independent shops will collaborate where their capabilities complement each other most: helping ambitious Chinese brands build global resonance, while enabling international and luxury brands to grow with greater cultural relevance across China and Asia.

The collaboration will cover global brand strategy and positioning, creative platforms, premium communication, cross-cultural campaigns, AI-enabled creative tools, and local execution across China and key international markets.

For Adams Fan, founder and chief creative officer of F5 Shanghai, the partnership reflects a broader transformation in Chinese business.

“China has probably never had a stronger generation of companies with global ambitions,” says Fan. “But going global is no longer just about getting products onto shelves in another country. The next challenge is getting people in another culture to understand you, desire you and eventually believe in you.”

For many Chinese companies, standard agency options present a dilemma. Global network agencies bring international reach, but often come with rigid hierarchies, slower decision-making, and distance from senior creative talent. Local agencies offer speed and proximity, but frequently lack decades of experience in crafting brand ideas designed to travel across cultures.

“The F5–Leagas Delaney model is designed to sit between the two: senior global strategic and creative thinking, direct access to decision-makers, deep understanding of China, and a working structure built for speed rather than hierarchy.” comments Jimyi Xu, marketing director of F5 Shanghai.

“The partnership will span areas including global brand strategy and positioning, creative platforms, premium and luxury communication, cross-cultural campaigns, AI-enabled creativity and content, and local execution across China and selected international markets.” added Xu.

Founded in 1980, Leagas Delaney built its reputation around a core philosophy: “Everything matters.” Today, its work spans over 70 markets and 20 languages across luxury, finance, travel, and premium consumer categories—including long-standing relationships with brands like Patek Philippe, Pictet, MSC Cruises, Investec, Explora Journeys, and Bombardier.

Among the agency's most iconic work is the Patek Philippe "Generations" campaign, created by Leagas Delaney founder Tim Delaney (pictured) in 1996. Featuring the famous line, “You never actually own a Patek Philippe. You merely look after it for the next generation,” the campaign remains one of the most enduring platforms in modern luxury marketing.

Speaking to MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, Delaney noted that the best luxury ideas don’t always need to focus directly on the product.

“The ‘Generations’ campaign for Patek Philippe never talked about movements or complications,” Delaney said. “It talked about fathers and sons, legacy, and what we pass on. The key is to find the human truth and emotional insight underneath your category, then have the discipline to stay with it. Consistency is itself a key luxury signal and is often undervalued.”

This emphasis on timeless, human-centric storytelling is central to the joint vision for Chinese brands stepping onto the global stage.

“Tim’s work has always demonstrated that great brand building is not about decoration. It is about finding a human truth strong enough to survive changes in media, technology and fashion,” said Fan. “For Chinese brands going global, that is exactly the transition we now need to make — from communicating what a product does to defining what a brand means.”

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