Grey boss on Cannes and KL expectations

• Grey's Heekin calls Cannes a little self indulgent
• But explains the role of big creative award shows
• Expects KL office to maintain good performance
  

Malaysia - Since his appointment as Grey Group chairman and CEO over two years ago, James R. Heekin III has largely been focused on improving creativity but that didn't stop him from calling Cannes "a little self indulgent" in an interview with A+M.

"Personally, I find it a little," he said.

Heekin, who is in Malaysia visiting the network's Kuala Lumpur office, said Grey has invested significantly in creativity over the last few years, hiring new creative leaders in each of the markets the agency considers a top ten market.

He also said the agency "historically has an unusual intense focus on clients."

"Our average client duration is about 14 years," he said.

However he did stop short of criticizing the role big creative award shows play and said that "there's a correlation between work that wins awards and work that gets results in the marketplace."

"Creative awards are only important if u don't win," Heekin said.

"Clients don't care that much but believe me if you're an agency that doesn't win creative awards in the big shows then you're not as attractive."

Last year, Procter & Gamble (P&G) won the Cannes Advertiser of the Year award. It recognises advertisers which inspire innovative marketing while embracing and encouraging the creative work produced by its agencies.

"That's our largest client, so we better be playing and we better be winning [at award shows]," Heekin said.

In Asia, Grey Group Kuala Lumpur is one of the network's largest and best performing companies as well as being a regional hub. Globally, Grey new business revenues were up 60% in 2008, and expectations remain high on Grey KL and CEO, Nicky Lim.

"We expect to see double digit growth on top line revenue [from our KL office]," he said.

"It's probably the best example of anywhere in Grey of a truly integrated agency. An agency where specialists from direct marketing, digital, general advertising, strategic planning, and public relations all sit completely together."

No need for a Singapore office then?

"There are a lot of global multinational companies headquartered in Singapore and they [clients] want that proximity. They want to have the agency down the road and across the street," Heekin said.