New Datatrade hub has eye on innovation

High-end strategy, data mining and social analytics are not something you might associate with a 30-year old direct marketing firm, arguably better known for its traditional DM work.But for Datatrade, it's an image quickly being shed by a new strategy to develop a different, almost startup-like culture within the group.I meet with Datatrade CEO King Leung a few days after swooping on the Agency of the Year Awards where Datatrade won both the Gold and Local Hero awards.Leung, a passionate advocate for the Hong Kong DM industry, says in its 30th year of operation it was a good time to review its position in the market.The result was a new agency spin off called Clix, launched to offer strategy, data analytics and loyalty marketing consulting.Earlier this year Leung officially took on the role of CEO of Clix and has already built a staff of 30-plus programmers and data analysts."Datatrade is in expansion mode," he says.But unlike some of its bigger global competitors who prefer to acquire, Datatrade is opting instead to refocus its resources into smaller strategic hubs.Execution and strategy was not in our DNA before, but over the past few years we have found the right people."We are coming into this field with 30-year legacy," Leung said. "But we want to spin-off our mobile, CRM and social offering and build a culture so we can grow faster," he says.As Datatrade moves into a more parent company type role, Clix will operate along side a number of companies due to roll out in the coming months.And Leung says what while Clix (Customer Loyalty Intelligence Expert) will remain close to the Datatrade group, it will also maintain a level of independence."Clix is looking more like an agency these days. It operates on a separate floor of the building and is quickly developing a unique culture of its own," he adds.It's a strategy that has worked for the likes of Gravitas group, which this year hired Napoleon Biggs to run Inspire Digital Asia, an agency within Gravitas Group with a strong focus on digital engagement, social media marketing and analytics.As more brands look to run and operate their own loyalty programs, few know how to analyse data, let alone take personal action on the insights. But Datatrade is looking to redress this."Execution and strategy was not in our DNA before, but over the past few years we have found the right people."We are looking at not only growth, but survival."