SAN FRANSICO, USA – Media OutReach Newswire – 3 April 2025 – At the OFC Conference, from March 30 to April 3, 2025, at San Francisco’s Moscone Center, Yangtze Optical Fibre and Cable Joint Stock Limited Company (YOFC) (stock tickers: 601869. SH, 06869.HK) highlighted several new developments in hollow-core fibre technology. During a workshop entitled “How will future submarine systems look like”, Dr. LUO Jie, YOFC’s Chief Technology Officer, presented groundbreaking advances in the field of hollow-core fibre technology.

YOFC’s presentation focused on its latest strides in reducing attenuation to a record-low of 0.05dB/km and extending the manufacturing length of single fibres to over 20 kilometers—achievements that not only set new global benchmarks but also starkly outperform traditional solid-core fibres. These technological advancements were demonstrated through a 21.7 km long hollow-core fibre with a proprietary supporting tube structure (ST-HCF). This drew considerable attention at the exhibition for its potential implications in optical communications.

Hollow-core fibre technology represents a paradigm shift in optical communications, enabling light to be transmitted through an air core. The design facilitates a 47% increase in transmission speed and a 31% reduction in latency compared to conventional fibres, showcasing the significant potential for applications requiring rapid and efficient data transmission such as in data centers, AI models, and financial trading. Additionally, the technology’s exceptionally low attenuation and nonlinearity could potentially address the capacity bottlenecks faced by submarine communication networks and long-distance terrestrial communication lines.

In his presentation, Dr. LUO Jie explored both the practical and theoretical enhancements that hollow-core fibres could bring to submarine cable systems, emphasizing their ability to increase data throughput and reduce transmission times in future deployments.

YOFC has been at the forefront of hollow-core fibre technology development, leveraging its comprehensive research capabilities and autonomous raw material research system to overcome significant industrial challenges. As the digital economy grows, YOFC’s continued innovation in hollow-core fibre technology is set to play a crucial role in supporting the evolution of global digital infrastructure, ensuring it is robust, efficient, and equipped to meet future demands.

● Landmark study proving that brand building works in delivering growth in dynamic Asian markets

● Campaigns that have a 50% brand investment proven to boost performance now – not just in the future

● Brands that invest time into cultural connection are twice as effective

WARC releases new research in The Pace Principle

4 April 2025 – WARC, the global authority of marketing effectiveness, has today released The Pace Principle, a landmark Asian evidence-led and mythbusting guide for marketers providing evidence of what works in Asia.

Until now, most evidence underpinning core advertising effectiveness principles has come from Western markets. This ground-breaking research is built on consistent data from across Southeast Asia, Greater China, and India, to address common misconceptions that hinder businesses from maximising returns – specifically the perceived barrier that “Asia moves too fast for long-term brand building to work” due to the speed of changing market dynamics and innovation.

A key insight from the research is that “speed” is a defining feature of Asian marketing, thereby the study uses the language of “pace” to make marketing science principles more applicable to the region. The race for growth operates at “twin paces”. The “Sprint” pace uses performance tactics to secure short-term wins at speed; and the “Long-distance” pace, sees investment in brand-building to sustain long-term growth.

To cut through in a competitive marketplace and amplify positive customer associations, brands need to operate at both levels of pace equally.

Rica Facundo, Managing Editor, WARC APAC, says: “In a highly pressurised, fast-changing and competitive atmosphere, a “sprint” mindset that focuses on short-term wins is understandable, but growth is hard after maxing “easy” wins. To win, brands need to be able to operate at both levels of pace by layering in brand-led advertising to supercharge performance and unlock more value. This enables brands to not only run faster, but further.”

“Helping prove what works in Asia, The Pace Principle is packed with robust evidence and actionable insights, which we hope will be used as a model for the future of advertising in Asia and help marketers build stronger brands in our thriving region.”

Addressing legacy assumptions and challenges

To boost sustainable performance and unlock enduring value, marketers should address the following legacy assumptions and challenges:

· Speed vs effectiveness: brands are conflating the need for operational agility with a short-term approach to marketing, assuming that long-term brand investment will be undermined by market changes.

· Short-termism: In dynamic markets where change feels constant, trying to sell in the prospect of long-term results is a challenge in organisations prioritising short-term wins due to the focus on quarterly and annual performance.

· Brand payback: marketers need to get away from the perception that the payback of investing in brand-building takes years to show.

Andreas Krasser, CEO, DDB Group Hong Kong, said: “Brand building has an image problem in Asia. It’s seen as slow, outdated, and out of sync with the region’s relentless pace. Many still associate it with big-budget TV spots, high spend with low tangible returns, and a distraction from performance goals. Even when the brief says “brand,” the KPIs scream performance.”

Key strategies for effective brand building in Asia outlined in The Pace Principle are:

Long-term brand building supercharges performance. The optimum split between brand and performance investment in Asia is 50:50

Advertising in Asia needs to operate at the two levels of pace – sprint (performance) and long-distance (brand-building) – to drive the biggest instant and long-term impact.

By allocating investment towards both brand-building and performance, brands can take advantage of a multiplier effect. It’s not “brand + performance”, but “brand x performance”

Brand investment is a growth multiplier in the Asian century that drives performance now and in the future. It provides a strategic platform that cuts through in a competitive marketplace, amplifying positive customer associations and scaling-up future demand.

The evidence from this study shows that campaigns with a 50:50 split between brand and performance investment deliver the strongest effect on both short- and long-term business metrics; and even delivers stronger instant impact than a split that over indexes on just performance.

Measure campaigns for the long game: the effects of shorter campaigns are four times stronger when measured for a month after the campaign finished

Campaign measurement should prioritize measuring for growth. Using short-term ROI as the primary measurement mindset overlooks the future effects of brand-building activities, such as strengthening brand memory and increasing demand for the brand.

For shorter campaigns (1-4 weeks of duration), the effects observed were, on average, four times stronger across all key business metrics, when measurement continued for a month or more after the campaign finished.

Win with cultural advantage: demonstrating a shared perspective and value with audiences is nearly twice as effective

Cultural connection is an under looked key driver of emotional engagement that drives positive business effects. Research shows that brands with high cultural resonance grow 25% more than their competitors, and 92% of respondents in McCann Worldgroup’s Truth about Global Brands study believe that Asia’s culture is its greatest source of wealth.

However, the pressure for speed and budget constraints can leave little time for brands to undertake the critical work of understanding the cultural context of its consumers.

The Pace Principle research shows that campaigns that demonstrate a shared perspective and values with audiences are nearly twice as effective compared to those that make minimal attempts at localisation.

Brands should dedicate time and resources to thoroughly understand the cultural nuances of their target audience to maximise effectiveness by going beyond outdated stereotypes and always investigating how audiences are redefining their identities in new and dynamic ways.

Shilpa Sinha, Chief Strategy Officer, McCann Worldgroup, APAC, says: “When culture is an unequivocal cornerstone of Asia’s consumer landscape, a ‘culture-first’ marketing approach cannot afford to remain a catchphrase. It needs to become a creed for any brand aiming to win in this thriving region.”

Accelerate with multichannel momentum. Effective campaigns in Asia use on average 6.5 channels to deliver large business effects

In a fragmented media ecosystem, highly effective campaigns leverage the momentum of using multiple channels to maximise the payback of all advertising.

Evidence from the study shows that effective campaigns use on average 6.5 channels to deliver large business effects, by utilising a smart combination of media to build multiple smaller exposures and positive brand associations across various touchpoints. Key to driving cross-media effects is understanding the most optimal media combinations to leverage the multiplier effect.

Questioning long-held channel assumptions and the “mobile first” depiction of Asian consumers will help marketers make more strategic decisions with the media mix.

And despite the popularity of using influencers in Asia, the study indicates that the most effective campaigns do not lead with influencers (8%) or celebrities (5%). However, when pairing influencers with other channels such as free-to-air Commercial TV, the content reaches far beyond the fan base and the digital environment, thereby becomes 1.5x more effective in driving results.

A sample of The Pace Principle is available here. WARC members can read the full report which includes practical insights, exemplary case studies and charts to help CMOs and marketers of every level apply these ideas to their own work. Accompanying podcasts will be available from 10th and 17th of April.

Methodology of the research

The research for the report is based on in-depth analysis of 150 advertising case studies in the WARC database sourced from across Southeast Asia, Greater China, and India, as well as an accompanying questionnaire submitted by participating agencies: BBDO India, BBH Singapore, BLK J Havas, DDB Group Hong Kong, DDB Mudra Group, Forsman & Bodenfors Singapore, Initiative, MBCS, McCann Worldgroup APAC, GroupM, Ogilvy, TBWA\Asia, TBWA\India, The Womb, UM, VML.

The Pace Principle is a companion report to the recent US report The Multiplier Effect, and builds on some of its key arguments and frameworks which have been tested to also apply to Asia.

Strategic realignment enhances performance of HGC’s international business and fosters closer cooperation to achieve business globalisation
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 3 April 2025 – HGC Global Communications (“HGC” or the “Group”), a fully-fledged ICT service provider and network operator with extensive global coverage, today announced the evolution of its international business (“IB”) leadership structure, with Cliff Tam and Ravindran Mahalingam taking on more focused roles to drive the Group’s international business growth. This strategic move underscores HGC’s commitment to strengthening its IB operations, ensuring agility and leadership in an evolving industry landscape.
Under the new structure, Cliff Tam, Senior Vice President, International Business & Global Data Strategy, will broaden his responsibilities from data strategy development and operations to also oversee the Global Carrier Management and Wholesale, OTT Business and International Corporate Business, managing overall IB operations; while Ravindran Mahalingam, Senior Vice President, International Business & Digital Infrastructure, will focus on in-country business expansion and digital infrastructure, overseeing voice, carrier and cloud communications, mobile identity and authentication.

Andrew Kwok, Chief Executive Officer of HGC, said, “Our international business is entering an exciting new chapter of growth, driven by the evolution of market demands in AI, cloud, and global digital infrastructure. Our belief remains steadfast: 1) We are committed to delivering solutions for our customers far beyond just connectivity; 2) Building and maintaining our enduring infrastructure; 3) Embracing the philosophy of shared use and collaboration with our partners and customers. This leadership evolution strengthens our focus, resource utilization, and ability to deliver on our promises. Please join me and our executive team members, with whom you have shared a longstanding relationship, in celebrating the journey towards a promising future filled with success.”

Cliff has held key leadership positions in HGC’s IB for over 20 years and has extensive expertise in telecommunications, with a career spanning 30 years in the industry. In his expanded role, he will spearhead the international data business, driving accelerated growth the carrier wholesale and international enterprise businesses. Cliff will continue to shape HGC’s leadership as the partner of choice for OTT providers, cloud/SaaS companies, and digital media platforms, ensuring cutting-edge solutions for customers worldwide, while strengthening enterprise offerings to support businesses in their AI adoption and digital transformation journeys in line with market demands.

Cliff Tam, Senior Vice President, International Business & Global Data Strategy of HGC, said, “HGC’s international business has always been at the forefront of innovation, and I am excited to further contribute to its success. Leveraging my deep understanding, experience and expertise in international business, our team will continue to empower our customers with AI-led digital solutions. Together with HGC veteran Ravindran and our talented teams, we will further reinforce HGC’s position as a trusted global partner.”

With 33 years of experience in telecommunications, including 23 years at HGC, Ravindran Mahalingam has been instrumental in formulating the group’s strategic global business plans and driving its development. In his new capacity, Ravindran will focus on business expansion and exploring HGC’s investments in digital infrastructure, including subsea cables, Data Center Interconnect clusters, and more, to secure strategic partnerships that will bolster HGC’s international footprint and enhance its service capabilities.

Ravindran Mahalingam, Senior Vice President, International Business & Digital Infrastructure of HGC, said, “HGC’s shared network philosophy and commitment to global investment is enabling us to unlock new opportunities in digital infrastructure. As demand for high-speed, reliable connectivity grows, we will continue to explore and invest in innovative solutions that support the global digital economy, accelerating the Group’s international expansion and reinforcing HGC’s commitment to global connectivity and innovation.”

The leadership evolution will also reinforce carrier’s collaboration at HGC. Paul Lai, Senior Vice President, Global Carrier Management and Wholesale of International Business, brings 26 years of telecom experience including more than 20 years at HGC. His extensive expertise in global carrier business and strong relationships with over 400 global carriers have been pivotal in driving HGC’s growth. Additionally, his successful leadership in the in-country project of digital infrastructure development in the Philippines underscores his strong readiness to thrive in this expanded role.

Paul Lai, Senior Vice President, Global Carrier Management and Wholesale of International Business of HGC, said, “HGC’s global carrier business has been propelled by our dedication to delivering agility and flexibility solutions to meet partners’ needs. I look forward to working closely with both Cliff and Ravindran to accelerate global carrier business growth as well as deepen collaboration with partners worldwide.”

About HGC Global Communications Limited
HGC Global Communications Limited (HGC) is a leading Hong Kong and international telecom operator and ICT solution provider. The company owns an extensive network and infrastructure in Hong Kong and overseas and provides various kinds of services. HGC has 20 global offices and staff presence in 33 cities worldwide. It provides telecom infrastructure service to other operators and serves as a service provider to corporate and households. The company provides full-fledged telecom, data centre services, ICT solutions and broadband services for local, overseas, corporate, SME and mass markets. HGC owns and operates an extensive fibre-optic network, five cross-border telecom routes integrated into tier-one telecom operators in mainland China and connects with hundreds of world-class international telecom operators. The company is committed to further investing and enriching its current infrastructure and, in parallel, adding on top the latest technologies and developing its infrastructure services and solutions. In 2019, HGC Group completed the acquisition of Macroview Telecom Limited (Macroview), a leading digital technology solution and managed services provider. The addition of Macroview further accelerates HGC Group’s digital transformation path and positioning as a pioneering ICT and digital services leader. HGC is a portfolio company of I Squared Capital, an independent global infrastructure investment manager focusing on energy, utilities, transport, social infrastructure, digital infrastructure, and environmental infrastructure in North America, Europe, Latin America and Asia.

To learn more, please visit HGC’s website at: www.hgc.com.hk