Etymon Communications tipped to have won Watsons Water’s PR retainer account

The agency is discussing the contract with the client, part of the A.S. Watson Group, and will be handling the brand’s crisis management and marcom support in Hong Kong. The new account was won after a competitive pitch in Q1 ahead of the Chinese New Year holiday.

Cyclist Sarah Lee Wai-sze, (李慧詩) became the face of Watsons Water last year after winning a bronze medal at the London Olympics.

A souce close to the news said that Etymon's win was on the strength of its extensive past crisis management experience. Etymon handled Korean skin care brand Laneige’s PR crisis last January promptly, after a Hong Kong customer reported being told by a frontline staffer that certain products were reserved for customers from the mainland.

The agency also handled PR crisis project for a large pharmaceutical company and Ho Tung Gardens last year, which was the agency's first business.

Earlier this year, Etymon also bagged two new accounts: Venetian Macau for its seasonal PR campaign for its resorts business, which will be a long-term project basis contract, after a successful Christmas PR campaign that the agency did for this client last November; and a PR retainer account for Citibank Hong Kong’s CSR account, working with NGOs to apply Citibank’s corporate funding.

Founded in December 2011, Etymon Communications has a team of experienced executives specialising in crisis management, media strategies and branded communications. It was founded by 4A PR and media industry veteran Georgeana Fung and Betty Ng.