Dave renames as Calling Brands and moves into Asia

Engine branding group Dave is changing its name to Calling Brands, with the new consultancy extending into Asia with new offices in Shanghai and Hong Kong.

The name change follows a trademark dispute with TV channel Dave – which had prevented the consultancy from registering its name, although Engine withdrew its application earlier this year.

Calling Brands managing director Sam Jordan says the trademark dispute ‘wasn’t really’ a consideration for the new name. He says, ‘When it came to setting up a global consultancy we wanted a name that would be relevant at a global level.’

The expansion into Asia comes following Engine’s acquisition last week of Identica Shanghai, which was formerly operated by Cossette, as well as the opening of a five-strong Calling Brands office in Hong Kong.

Calling Brands’ London office, which has 35 staff, will continue to be run by chief executive Dan Bobby, while the Asia operation, which features a 30-strong Shanghai office and five-strong Hong Kong office, will be run by Ken Koo, founder of Identica Shanghai.

Bobby says, ‘With the balance of power shifting from West to East, China will be the drive of the world economy in the next decade and brands – both Western and Asian – need to think differently to prosper.’

Calling Brands’ new logo features two Chinese characters, one meaning ‘calling’ and one meaning ‘leading’. The consultancy says this is to ‘celebrate the first step on the journey to globalisation’.