Sorrell plans to use Communists to target Chinese youth

by Maja Pawinska,, Brand Republic 27-Oct-03, 09:40

LONDON - WPP Group chief executive Sir Martin Sorrell's latest idea for spreading his clients' messages around the world is to form a partnership with the Communist Youth League of China.

According to a report in the Financial Times, Sir Martin wants to use the league's membership of around 65m teenagers to reach consumers in the outer reaches of China.

"It's about building a network in a big geographical area to try and distribute products, ideas and marketing approaches," he told the FT.

WPP will have a fight on its hands, however. It is unlikely that the youth league, whose aim is to build Chinese socialism, would be allowed by China's leaders to link up with a such as symbol of capitalism as a western marketing multinational, whose clients include Coca-Cola.

However, a similar approach has been tried in rural India by WPP-owned Ogilvy & Mather. Women's clinics were organised in thousands of Indian villages, teaching them how to care for their hair, with the aim of stimulating sales of shampoo.

If you have an opinion on this or any other issue raised on Brand Republic, join the debate in the Forum here.