Twentysix to spearhead UK digital design

Twentysix is the UK's second design agency to have been chosen to work with government-backed businesses matchmaker Creative Connexions to spearhead UK digital design in Hong Kong, China and India.

In a series of meetings, workshops and seminars held in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Guangzhou and attended by local businesses and governmental agencies, twentysix used case studies to highlight how the internet and web development has matured in the UK.

Guangzhou is the centre for design for the southern region of mainland China; Shanghai acts as the design centre for the mid and northern regions.

"We wanted to showcase how twentysix has delivered solutions for a number of well-known brands, allowing them to take full advantage of the business opportunities presented by digital," said Ian Anderson, business development and corporate director twentysix.

"At the same time, we wanted to explain in detail our methodology and how we set about achieving the commercial goals we had set for these clients".

Twentysix is now poised to explore the opportunities that exist within Hong Kong and mainland China as demand for digital grows exponentially.

Overall, digital advertising and marketing spend in China exceeded GBP700 million pounds by the end of 2007.

According to the Data Centre of the China Internet, this figure will increase fivefold by 2011 with digital becoming China's second largest advertising medium after television.

Twentysix creative director Ian Kerrigan also recently participated in a roundtable hosted by Creative Connexions in London.

The roundtable was aimed at understanding the value of design from both the Eastern and Western perspectives and examined the opportunities and challenges brought about by collaboration between UK and Chinese design agencies.

Kerrigan said: "The roundtable was a unique and incredible opportunity to sit with some of the key players in China's design industry and talk about the unique value that UK design agencies can bring to Chinese businesses.

"At the same time, it was interesting to see their perspective on how UK agencies could benefit from working with the Chinese design industry and local companies".

Headquartered in London, with five offices in China and India, Creative Connexions is perfectly positioned to identify and facilitate new business opportunities for UK agencies in these markets.

It is sponsored by UK Trade and Investment, the London Development Agency, the China Britain Business Council and Think London.

Additional partners include the University of Arts London, Kings College, London Business School and the School of Oriental and African Studies and the Hong Kong Design Centre.

Back to top