Illuminant’s main service disciplines are:

Public relations

Illuminant defines public relations as the art and science of proactively and reactively managing the communications between the client organisation and its audience, stakeholders, regulators, the media and the public. Public relations is, as a discipline, an extremely effective communications tool for companies, government enterprises, institutions and individuals to more broadly “tell their story”.

PR is especially valuable in daily commercial marketing for goods, services and ideas, empowering the client to amplify its news. In cases of inaccuracies or misunderstandings, PR is a powerful method of correcting those unhelpful opinions. In cases where companies or enterprises have erred, PR provides an effective method of apologizing and rectifying matters.

Public relations is a powerful and sometimes misunderstood communications discipline. PR can equally be used for good or nefarious purposes. You should choose your PR practitioner only after ascertaining their integrity, honesty and professionalism.

Media relations and media training

A key element of public relations in all parts of the world is media relations. In China, media relations occupies more than half of the effort we exert across all of our aggregated PR work.

The Chinese media represents both great risk and great opportunity. With deft strategic planning — made possible by deep understanding of the Chinese state-run media sector’s daily imperatives, long and strong relationships with hundreds of key media editors and senior journalists, and 360° grasp of the client’s objectives — Illuminant clients enjoy exceptionally positive and targeted media coverage through the China region.

Illuminant also provides short-form and longer-f0rm media training services, delivered with our proprietary curriculum, to help client spokespeople become effective communicators in the tricky China media landscape.

Marketing and communications collateral

Beautiful and functional printed and digital marketing materials — media kits, brochures, white papers, books and booklets, exhibition materials, corporate stationery, gifts — are a highly effective tool to enhance clients’ credibility and presence in the China market. We often counsel our clients to think of China as a “more is more” market (“less is more” is counter-productive and communicates unhelpful and unflattering values for foreign brands in China).

Illuminant is a rare public relations agency to have a full creative design studio, operating around the clock from our Beijing and New York City offices. The quality of our multi-lingual copywriting and design has been proven for almost a decade.

Corporate identity — conceptualisation, localization, execution, extension

A company’s corporate identity is their face in the marketplace. Corporate identities are the most powerful single element to set positive first impressions.

Corporate identities — brandmarks, visual elements and boilerplate copy — which work well in Western countries can have diametrically opposite effects in China, if not properly analysed and localized where necessary.

Illuminant’s corporate identity work exemplifies a conceptually sound approach to visual communications. The dozens of CIs we have designed and localized for China have helped our clients to more accurately position their products and services in the marketplace, reducing their communications effort and cost and giving a sense of pride to their employees, partners and stakeholders.

Event design and management

Staging and hosting events is a key element of a sound PR or strategic communications campaign. Illuminant is skilled at the conceptual design and execution of events that enhance our clients’ messages.

Events range from intimate luncheons and dinners through to multi-thousand attendee seminars and symposia. The key element is that the experience of your audience is on brand and leaves a lasting, positive impression.  We often remind our clients that the event is not the last step in the communications program: its more like the first!

Market intelligence

Regardless of two decades of “reform and opening-up”, China remains a “black box” in all but a few industry sectors. As the government controls practically all statistics on the economy and consumer behaviour, useful data is difficult to find, let alone rely upon.

Before acting in China, Illuminant clients benefit from comprehensive market evaluations, which help to clarify exactly what parts of a commercial offering are attractive to what market segments, and why. Additionally, market intelligence guides the localization of our clients’ brands, ensuring that they’re as effective as possible in what is a very different marketplace mindset.

Never underestimate the importance and power of accurate and independent market intelligence.  Contact us to discuss your needs.

Digital marketing and communications

It goes without saying that online and digital communications are a key element in any strategic communications plan.

The Chinese internet is unlike any other. Consumers view the Chinese web as a place that they can feel freer and more empowered than in most other social situations. Sophisticated marketing and communications can be delivered to targeted audiences via online communities.

Illuminant is skilled at conceptualising and producing websites and microsites, electronic direct marketing (which we call EDM), social media campaigns in diverse Chinese online communities, and the production of mobile software apps.

This page is also available in: Chinese (Simplified)