What do you get when you mix dense fog with heavy pollution?  Winter in Hong Kong. 

Arrived here on Sunday evening to spend the week with Danny Collins from our London office, calling on law firms, recruiters and others who have an interest in advertising with us.  Good thing I didn't come to see the view of Hong Kong harbor--it is barely visible through the haze. (The picture above isn't mine...comes from a tourist brochure, so you can see what the harbor looks like when the night is relatively clear).

A few quick observations after one day of meetings.

1.  Apparently there was a recession that had a big impact on some parts of the world.  But you'd never know it listening to people in Hong Kong talk about the economy in China and the surrounding region.  Yes, there was a little belt-tightening last spring and summer, but not much.  And the signs in early 2010 have been pointing toward double-digit growth in the economy and lots of work for lawyers.

2.  To get a job in this part of the world, fluency in Mandarin is now required.  Used to be that you could be a great english-speaking lawyer and still come out here and get a job with a great firm.  No more.  Recruiters told us that if Mandarin fluency isn't on your resume, they won't even show it to potential employers.

3.  Marketing folks listen politely while we talk about our magazines and newspapers.  But what gets them excited is our digital offerings, particularly webinars.  One major UK-based firm told us that 80% of their advertising spend will be in digital formats this year, with only 20% in print.  Personally, I think that's a mistake, particularly for branding campaigns.  But the client is always right, right?

4.  There's nothing better than Chinese food in this part of the world.  The trick is to let the people who live here do the ordering for you.  And then try not to ask too many questions about whatever it is you are eating.  Makes for a much more enjoyable meal.

Day #2 coming up -- 7 appointments, capped off by dinner with a couple of legal recruiters.  Just need to power through the jet lag (the 13 hour time change is very dis-orienting).  And I'll keep listening for other nuggets of information from this part of the world.