Bates China forms Bates MeThinks Group, denies rumour of Shanghai office closure

The merged entities will operate as Bates MeThinks Group. 

Conrad Chiu, CEO of Bates Greater China, reached by phone from Europe, told Campaign Asia-Pacific that Bates Shanghai and MeThinks both have operations working on Shanghai General Motors (SGM). The integration will combine off-the-line and above-the-line business in one shop.

Maggie Hu and Wang Wei Xing are the president and COO, respectively, for the Bates MeThink Group China.

The new group, with more than 250 staff, moved to a new office in Grand Gateway Shanghai in December.

Buick informed Bates last November that it would not keep an agency on retainer but would offer only project tenders in 2013, Chiu said. Bates has been asked to participate in all of Buick's pitches in 2013.

In view of this change, Bates informed staff in early January that SGM Bates Shanghai staff would be migrated to Bates MeThink Group, which would allow the agency to avoid layoffs.

In December, Lowe Shanghai reportedly won the account for the Excelle, a compact car, after a pitch earlier that month. The same agency already took home the account for the Buick Encore, a luxury crossover SUV, after an August pitch. A pitch for the brand's flagship model, the 2013 LaCrosse mid-sized sedan, also took place on 22 December.