• April 7, 2006

What do you do if you're one of the world's largest advertising holding companies and you have a name that does not literally translate in an important emerging market? If you're Omnicom, you tap the expertise of people in the market to help you come up with a local translation. At least that's what Omnicom did when it wanted to re-brand itself in the world's fastest growing market, China. Working with China's Tsinghua University, Omnicom ran a competition among the university's students, one of whom created a new Chinese brand identity for the parent of DDB, BBDO, TBWA/Chiat/Day, OMD and PHD: "Hong Meng," which translates in English to "Magnificent Alliance." And what prize did the winning student, Hao Yuqian, get for picking the name? An internship in one of the overseas offices Interbrand, Omnicom's brand consultancy, which presumably will be creating a Chinese translation very soon.