Philips Consumer Communications, the mobile phones and pagers
division of the Dutch electronics giant, is inviting pitches to find an
agency to handle its brand across Asia.
Philips’ Asia/Pacific PR manager Isobel Cheng issued briefs within the
past few weeks to a handful of agencies with international networks.
The move symbolises Philips’ intention to operate more effectively in
the highly competitive mobile phone market, in which it has only been
active since 1995.
Ogilvy and Mather was appointed by Nokia Mobile Phones in September,
while Motorola is rumoured to be conducting a global review.
Philips has carried out PR activities in the past in Asia for its
communication products, but only on a project basis.
The company launched a voice activated mobile phone earlier this year -
the Genie - in an attempt to leapfrog the technology of phones already
available. The phone is one of the smallest on the market and weighs
just 99 grams.
Philips’ public relations in the UK is handled by Lowe Bell Good
Relations and Herald Communications, neither of which have Asian
offices. Systems Publicity have handled UK consumer PR for Philips on a
project basis.
Philips signalled its desire to make a mark in the mobile phones market
in June this year, by merging its consumer communications business with
that of Lucent Technologies, the top seller of phones in the US.
