Special Report: Asia.(advertising agencies )

As the network giants of the West continue to grow in the East, it exposes one of the good things about this business: great ideas and creativity can come from anyone, anywhere.

While running a marketing communications behemoth might take a string of qualifications accessible to only a certain section of the world's population (as well as exceptional business and management qualities), it's good news for the creative world that these guys are steering their businesses into Asia - some of the work emerging from the region has been fantastic. In the case of Smooth E facial cream and its Love Story commercials that did so well at Cannes this year, some might even describe it as inspiring (see page 32).

Undoubtedly boosted in profile by the presence of Western agencies in countries such as Thailand, India, Malaysia and, more recently, China, quality work from Asia has been seeping into the global ad industry. Although, like anywhere, the region is not without its share of turkeys.

And, like any ...