Mindshare China puts Lily Huang in driver’s seat for Team Volvo

Huang came on board in mid-June and will oversee the Volvo account and its 15-strong team, and support clients’ business plans and media investments in the China market.

She is based in Shanghai and reports directly to Gordon Domlija, Mindshare Shanghai's managing director of key international accounts. Domlija has praised Huang for her in-depth understanding of not only the media communication business, but also of the China market and automobile industry. 

Huang has worked in the China market for eight years. Prior to joining Mindshare, she was senior planning director at Zenith Media Shanghai since 2004, serving on the Shanghai General Motors, Cadillac and Saab accounts, and was also responsible for cross-brand automobile projects.

A 17-year advertising industry veteran, she spent the first nine years establishing her career in her home country Taiwan, where she worked at agencies like OMD on international brands, including McDonald’s, Philips, FedEx, Neutrogena, Kao and Hasbro.

Mindshare has been working on the Volvo business for five years in China, and has the account at a global level through their head office in London, as well as in many individual markets around the world.

According to Mindshare China, Volvo S60 and SUV range XC90 and XC60, as well as luxury sedan flagship S80L are some of Volvo's popular models in China.

In March, Volvo announced the appointment of NBA star Jeremy Lin Shu-how as its global brand ambassador for a two-year contract, especially for its key markets in the US, Greater China (including Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan) and other Chinese-speaking countries across the Asia-Pacific region.

Lin will appear in Volvo’s upcoming marketing and branding activities, including a new TVC and print ad, as well as driving a Volvo car to all his NBA matches and personal and brand activities in China.

In December, Volvo awarded its marketing business in China and the UK to global communications agency Arnold Worldwide, subsequently expanding its relationship with holding company Havas.

Arnold Worldwide will lead the account across all agencies from Arnold Amsterdam, supported by Arnold Boston and Arnold Shanghai. The account will continue to be managed by global brand director Jorian Murray and global executive creative director Sean Thompson.

According to a new research study by R3 and Admaster, although sales growth in the auto industry in China has diminished this year, digital growth will still be as high as 32 per cent, with local car brands investing more heavily online than MNC brands.