Cross-border B2B branding agency works with leaders in financial services, tech and government
Chinese Canadian entrepreneur Kaitlin Zhang today announces the launch of Oval Branding, which succeeds Kaitlin Zhang Branding, the company she established in Canada in 2016. The consultancy serves corporate and personal clients in the UK, USA, Canada, China and around the world, specialising in brand management, digital marketing and online reputation management. With the launch, Oval Branding will be expanding its services to include PR, crisis PR, media training and related services. Oval Branding has 4 core team members in London and 3 in China, with over 20 consultants working around the world, operating bilingually in English and Chinese.
Oval Branding’s global launch is set against rising investment into China, but the cultural environment in China is very different to that in the UK and the US; combined with the language gap, this causes marketing agencies from the West to struggle to cater to global brands with business relations in the challenging Asian market. Meanwhile a lack of branding, design and international PR capabilities in domestic Chinese branding agencies means that Chinese firms seeking to secure investment and to trade internationally struggle to achieve credibility with their audiences, hampered by limited and culturally ill-fitting online profiles.
Recently, Kaitlin and her team have carried out assignments for the UK Cabinet Office and Chinese venture capital firms China Growth Capital and N5Capital and London’s Albert Wharf riverside development. Financial services work includes venture capital, private equity, alternative asset management and cross-border investment. Oval Branding’s personal branding clients include CEOs, politicians, actors, authors and athletes.
The name of Oval Branding pays tribute to the Oval neighbourhood in South London where founder Kaitlin Zhang first created the brand. The company’s mission is to create brands that are Open, Valuable, Adaptable and Loved. Oval Branding’s Chinese name is 欧问, which literally translates ‘European’ or ‘Western’ and ‘asking questions’ or ‘being curious’, which reflects the firm’s ethos to help Chinese businesses and individuals to build their brands and reputations globally.
Kaitlin Zhang, CEO at Oval Branding, commented: “Cross-border trade and investment into and out of China brings with it a unique set of branding challenges, which presents an opportunity for an agile firm like ours. Oval Branding’s strong and culturally aware team of experienced professionals is well placed to advise organisations negotiating these challenges.”