Marketing magazine Hong Kong, April 2024

Editorial

Rezwana Manjur, Editor-in-Chief

Karen Wong, Deputy Editor, North Asia

Vanessa Yuen, Journalist

Design Production

Julia Li, Senior Graphic Designer

Advertising Sales

Karen Yung, Head of Commercial

Mandy Ma, Business Development Manager

Sally Hui, Senior Business Development Manager

Marketing and Circulation

Cyrus Ching, Regional Marketing Manager

Event Production

Selina Kwok, Regional Events Producer Manager

Lemuel Cheung, Events Producer

Suhas Bhat, Regional Senior Conference Producer

Event Services

Chiyan Lam, Assistant Event Services Manager

Hedy Chao, Events Services Executive

Event Delegate Sales

Gloria Yam, Senior Project Manager

Mandy Chan, Senior Project Executive

Kristy Cheng, Senior Project Executive

Management

Evelyn Wong, Managing Director

THRIVING IN 2024: INNOVATION AND MARKETING TRENDS IN HK

Dear reader,

Hong Kong seems to be back on track again with the return of international sports events and mega music festivals such as the Hong Kong Sevens and ComplexCon Hong Kong. As someone who loves to meet people from all walks of life, it is heartening to see the city embracing challenges and thriving again in 2024.

On the advertising front, Hong Kong’s ad spending in general for January and February has dropped slightly from last year to reach HK$4.4 billion, representing a 5% YOY decrease, according to admanGo’s latest ad spending report.

Entering 2024, with the government’s efforts to promote mega events and the Mainland’s further expansion of cities eligible for individual travel, it is anticipated these measures will present more opportunities across various industries, thereby favouring advertisers in conducting more promotional activities.

With the change in consumer behaviour and the growing opportunities within the tourism industry, the role of chief marketing officers has evolved to solve the marketing leadership gap in hyper-growth companies. And the term “fractional CMO” has emerged – an outsourced role where an organisation hires an external expert to helm the role of the CMO without having to commit to the cost of a full-time one.

That is why, in this edition, we explore how this emerging trend is reshaping the marketing landscape in Hong Kong. The editorial team has reached out to a number of brand-side CMOs to weigh in on the pros and cons of the role. Check out the article on page 6.

Upon the latest introduction of regular fireworks and drone shows in Hong Kong, we have also looked at how the government can do more – apart from hosting these types of events in the city – to lure back tourists, in response to the tourism tactics by neighbouring countries such as Taylor Swift’s exclusive Southeast Asia stop in Singapore. (Page 16)

Furthermore, we delve into the realm of connected TV, a technology that has revolutionised our viewing habits. Check out the article on page 12 to explore how this rapidly expanding medium is reshaping the entertainment industry, allowing viewers to access a wealth of content at their fingertips.

To get in touch with our editorial team editorialhk@marketing-interactive.com

For advertising enquiries

Karen Yung, kareny@lighthouse-media.com

Mandy Ma, mandym@marketing-interactive.com

Sally Hui, sallyh@lighthouse-media.com

Lighthouse Independent Media Ltd. Printed in Hong Kong by Apex Print Limited. For subscriptions, contact circulations at +852 2861 1882 or email subscriptions@marketing-interactive. com. COPYRIGHT & REPRINTS: All material printed in Marketing is protected under the copyright act. All rights reserved. No material may be reproduced in part or in whole without the prior written consent of the publisher and copyright holder. Permission may be requested through the Hong Kong office. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in Marketing are not necessarily the views of the publisher. Hong Kong: Lighthouse Independent Media Ltd, publisher of Marketing magazine 15/F, Golden Star Building, 20-24 Lockhart Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong Tel: +852 2861 1882 Fax: +852 2861 1336 Singapore: Lighthouse Independent Media Pte Ltd 100C Pasir Panjang Road, #05-01 See Hoy Chan Hub, Singapore 118519 Tel: +65 6423 0329 Fax: +65 6423 0117 To subscribe to MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, go to: www.marketing-interactive.com SCAN TO SUBSCRIBE

Last, but not least, we have also celebrated some of the remarkable loyalty campaigns carried out by our fellow marketers and their agency partners. We will highlight some of the key wins from Loyalty & Engagement Awards 2024, and some of the amazing strategies they have leveraged to grow and retain brands’ consumers.

As always, we strive to bring you thought-provoking content and compelling stories that resonate with our diverse readership. We hope this edition leaves you inspired, enlightened, and entertained.

Have a good read and take care!

Karen Wong Deputy Editor, North Asia

What’s on?

MARKies Awards

What: An annual celebration of creativity, effectiveness, and media execution, it gives agencies in Hong Kong the opportunity to showcase unique and deserving works of brilliance.

Where: JW Marriott

When: 9 May

Content360 Hong Kong

What: A conference that aims to foster discussions on diverse aspects of content marketing, including the latest content trends, content creation processes, AI-led disruption, and greater integration with Mainland China.

Where: Hong Kong Ocean Park Marriott Hotel

When: 26 June

“Given the renewed vigour in consumer spending, and the imminent prospect of interest rate reductions, Hong Kong’s consumer credit market is well-positioned for steady expansion.”

RENEWED CONSUMER SPENDING IN HK DRIVES GROWTH IN CREDIT CARD BALANCES

Over the fourth quarter of 2023 that included the festive season, credit card balances surged as consumers leveraged their cards for spending activities over the holiday period. Discretionary and retail spending was likely responsible for the majority of consumer credit card use during the period, but the impact of large spending activity relating to travel also contributed.

As residents took advantage of the first festive season since pandemic restrictions were lifted and borders were fully reopened to the world, more than one million people travelled from Hong Kong over the Christmas break. With lenders offering refreshed travel-related reward programmes during this period, many consumers likely responded positively to those campaigns.

Weihan Sun, principal of research and consulting for Asia Pacific at TransUnion, said: “Once the market fully reopened after COVID-19 travel restrictions were lifted, new card volumes grew exponentially from pent-up demand and balances started to build as spend and consumption increased.

“We watch with interest to see whether this renewed consumer credit confidence extends into Q1 2024, especially with the Chinese New Year period acting as a stimulant for potential further growth activity.

Sun added: “Given the renewed vigour in consumer spending, and the imminent prospect of interest rate reductions, Hong Kong’s consumer credit market is well-positioned for steady expansion. Multi-line lenders can focus on leveraging their existing client base for growth opportunities, while lenders seeking to expand their portfolios of offerings have the opportunity to explore untapped market potential.”

Weihan

Sun, principal of research and consulting for Asia Pacific at TransUnion

• Credit card balances in Hong Kong surged by 12.5% YoY as consumers leveraged their cards for spending activities over the holiday period in Q4 2023.

• Hong Kong residents’ willingness to spend was highlighted over Singles’ Day (11 November 2023), the annual shopping extravaganza, with sales on the day increasing by 266% YoY.

• Personal loan origination volumes fell by 5.5% YoY in Q3 2023 despite new credit enquiries growing over the same period.

• When assessing personal loan origination volumes, super prime was the only consumer risk tier where the volume of originations increased by 11.6%, with volumes across all other tiers declining by between 2.1 and 10.1%.

• Despite declines in the volume of personal loan originations across most risk tiers, the average value of new personal loans from lower risk (super prime) borrowers increased by 6.5% YoY, indicating that lenders were still able to grow their asset value as outstanding balances for the period increased by 3.4% YoY.

• Heightened demand for revolving lines was driven primarily by Millennials (born 1980-1994) and Gen Z (born 1995-2004) consumers, with virtual banks responding positively, being responsible for 51% of revolving line originations during Q3 2023, up from 46% in Q3 2022. Total origination volumes increased by 49.4% YoY.

• However, the average balance of new credit lines for this product decreased by 41.1% YoY, with overall average balances (new and existing) decreasing by 10.7%.

Source: TransUnion Q4 2023 Industry Insights

AD WATCH 廣告點評

Kenneth Tung Executive creative director Havas Hong Kong

HOT: DELIVEROO – REAL DEAL

My approach to watching commercials, especially YouTube ads, is relatively simple. If I don’t like them, I just skip them. I might pay more attention if there are celebrities involved; and if their acting is good and entertaining, I’ll definitely watch until the end.

Recently, I came across a Hong Kong action-style ad – Deliveroo’s REAL DEAL – featuring Jan Lamb and Anthony Wong. I can’t remember when it became a golden rule that online ads have to reveal the branding and core message within the first four seconds. Most people don’t enjoy watching ads and hard selling. Given the choice, people will skip the ads.

However, in the first half of this Deliveroo ad, the captivating performances by Lamb and Wong brought me much joy. Contrary to most online ads, Deliveroo’s brand and advertising message only appeared at around 23 seconds.

Although I don’t understand how the storyline gels with the brand’s master tag line – “Warmth, Attitude, Taste” – I can still remember Deliveroo’s real deal after watching the ad for a few days. As I’m almost finished with this article and happen to be a little hungry, let me check if the promotional period has ended!

In recent years, various brands have entered the anti-ageing market, introducing products such as NAD and NMN. This has led to intense competition as brands seek to expand their customer base by targeting younger age groups, which is a sound strategy.

Recently, I encountered a commercial for TRU NIAGEN, featuring Louisa Mak, the renowned “10A+ Miss Hong Kong”, as its spokesperson. Despite being in the entertainment industry for years, Mak exudes youthfulness. Her active presence on social media combines beauty with intelligence, projecting a healthy image that is appealing to the masses.

Choosing Mak as an endorser is undoubtedly a smart decision. However, TRU NIAGEN, as the first brand in Hong Kong to introduce anti-ageing products, is already a leader in the NMN/NAD field. Although the product has been available in Hong Kong for years, the commercial still primarily focuses on functionality and lacks brand value.

It almost positions this advanced scientific product at the level of traditional herbal supplements. I wonder, is it truly appealing to younger consumers? Perhaps it underestimates the perceptiveness and receptivity of the younger audience.

Will the fractional CMO wave hit the HK marketing industry? Marketing leads weigh in

The emergence of a new marketing role – the “fractional CMO” – has gained popularity in the marketing world recently. However, some CMOs in Hong Kong believe the trend has yet to hit the local industry. But the idea has industry players talking as to whether the temporary nature of the role can help enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of businesses in Hong Kong in the long run. Karen Wong turned to industry players and CMOs in Hong Kong for their thoughts.

Recently, the term “fractional CMO” –FCMO – has been gaining traction in the marketing industry. Simply put, a fractional CMO is an outsourced role where an organisation hires an external expert to helm the role of the CMO without having to commit to the cost of a full-time one.

This has seen the recent launch of Fractional by a collective of Southeast Asia-based chief marketing officers. Fractional is a new operator model with the goal of solving the marketing leadership gap in hyper-growth companies.

However, in Hong Kong, this new role doesn’t seem to be as popular as it is in the rest

of APAC, and the term seems to have divided opinion on the benefits and pitfalls.

In a conversation with MARKETINGINTERACTIVE, Jordan Cheung, chief marketing officer at Hang Seng Bank, said the concept of hiring a fractional CMO is an intriguing idea that can enhance business agility. Although this trend is gaining popularity overseas and in specific industries, it has yet to become common in Hong Kong.

On the other hand, Agnes Lung, executive director and chief marketing and digital Officer at Uni-China Group, said given the ongoing talent crunch issue in Hong Kong – and with

some seasoned marketers having retired or left Hong Kong earlier than expected – it may be a good time for companies to consider hiring a fractional CMO.

“This is similar to ‘slashers’, which typically describes the younger generation who take on multiple careers instead of sticking to one single position. This can help retired marketers or marketers who wish to pursue other goals or develop their sense of fulfilment to society (without being full-time marketers),” she said.

In fact, the fractional model isn’t isolated to the marketing function alone, with finance and legal teams also being introduced to

such structures, according to Keith Wong, country director of Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Singapore at HR and recruitment company Links International.

“From a candidate perspective, it offers them wider exposure to work on different projects without committing to a full-time job, and greater work-life balance. It also allows them to gain an understanding of different business models in various industries,” Wong said.

Opportunities brought by the fractional CMO role

While it is still too early to tell whether this latest model in town can really work in the long run, Ronald Wong, chief marketing officer at TamJai International, said the new role has reflected the speed of the marketing evolution, and the need for companies to stay competitive by getting hold of valuable and relevant marketing experience.

“The beauty of it is the opportunity to cross-pollinate trending marketing knowledge from subject matter experts who come in as a fractional CMO. This is typically harder to do with an in-house, long-term CMO, who already has his/her own preferred ways of working and area of expertise,” he said.

The fractional CMO trend is gaining popularity for several reasons – it is particularly useful for traditional companies planning a revamp; or a transformation can also benefit from a FCMO when transitioning from a productcentric to a customer-centric approach, according to Irene Ho, chief marketing officer at Sun Life Hong Kong.

As for small-and-medium enterprises looking to expand their operations or are in the process of transitioning to a more datadriven, customer-centric approach for longterm growth, a fractional CMO can help them build the necessary structures and operational models, she added.

Start-ups that may not have the resources or ability to hire an experienced marketer can also benefit from the trend, she added.

“Such companies often excel in developing new products or services, but they may lack the consumer insights necessary to successfully launch these offerings.”

Echoing Ho’s views, Hang Seng’s Cheung said fractional CMOs can gain a comprehensive understanding of a company’s operations more easily in such cases. “Start-ups also require fresh ideas to facilitate a rapid business

expansion, and fractional CMOs can bring in their past experiences to drive growth.”

Would a fractional CMO be able to get that deep with the data?

Given their temporary nature, industry players MARKETING-INTERACTIVE spoke to said it may be challenging for a fractional CMO to provide insights on a company’s long-term strategy and development.

In well-established companies, the CMO is responsible for setting the overall marketing strategy to align with business objectives, according to Cheung.

This entails understanding the business performance, complex business lines, identifying gaps, assessing the competitive landscape, and analysing consumer needs through extensive data analysis, he said.

“Building strong relationships with different internal departments is crucial to creating synergy and driving transformation.”

However, as a fractional CMO typically works on a part-time basis and is new to the company, they may face challenges in achieving these objectives and require more time to make a noticeable impact, he added.

As such, the engagement model a company has with the fractional CMO should also be different from that of a full-time CMO role, according to TamJai’s Wong.

Assuming the fractional CMO is coming in to address specific business challenges as a subject matter expert, and the scope of work is clearly defined, then they should still be able to conduct an in-depth analysis because experience does matter in helping to narrow down the areas of inquiry, he added.

However, CMOs will often need to factor in qualitative data in their analysis, especially from key stakeholders, he added. “So, this may take longer for a fractional CMO who will need time to get this right compared to a full-time CMO who already can navigate through the organisation relatively easily.”

In other words, if a CEO is serious about customer-centric growth beyond the current financial year, they will need someone who can identify and connect the dots between the gaps and opportunities, both internally and externally, according to Shufen Goh, co-founder and principal at R3.

“The role of a chief marketing officer cannot be a part-time position if a company is serious about marketing as a growth driver,” she said.

Things to bear in mind before hiring a fractional CMO

To build a long-term successful relationship with fractional CMOs, companies need to consider the pitfalls and limitations of a parttime hire.

Sun Life’s Ho said a data-driven, customercentric strategy is a long-term endeavour that requires continuous learning and refinement. “A short-term hire may not be ideal for companies looking for sustained strategic guidance.”

Factors to consider include whether there is a specific need for a one-time project, or if the fractional CMO will serve as an interim solution during a transition period before a permanent CMO is appointed, she added.

Another thing companies need to consider is that fractional CMOs often come in on a consulting basis so they may focus on short term wins to prove their worth, said Wong.

“If the company’s plan involves a longer term execution effort – especially one that permeates through various departments in an organisation such as digital transformation –companies will have to ensure there’s the right talent and resources internally to follow through, simply because, fractional CMOs aren’t here to stay,” he added.

Meanwhile, building a trustful relationship is crucial for the success of a fractional CMO. Hang Seng’s Cheung said trust should be established between the fractional CMO and the company, with the understanding that the role can be sustainable.

“Trust should also be fostered between the CEO and the fractional CMO, ensuring that the necessary authority and autonomy are provided. Additionally, trust from the team and other business units is essential, as they need to recognise the value that a fractional CMO can bring to support the company’s growth,” he added.

Irene Ho

Jordan Cheung

Shufen Goh

Agnes Lung

Ronald Wong

SNAPPED

Kiztopia’s second outlet in Hong Kong

DATE: Starting from May 2024

VENUE: Shop G35, Park Central

1. Singapore’s family edutainment centre Kiztopia will launch its second outlet in Hong Kong in May, spanning 13,000 square feet and featuring 19 play areas offering innovative challenges.

2. Children will be able to explore the “Tiger’s Mojo Zone”, manoeuvring through different obstacles, including a speedy slide area and a volcano-shaped slide, as they ascend the slopes.

3. At “Raby’s clinic”, children can role-play as doctors, caring for small animals to learn about healthcare, enhance their instruction-following abilities, and improve their communication and co-operation skills.

4. At “Honey’s Farm”, children will be able to perform as farm owners, observing hens laying eggs, collecting fresh eggs, and harvesting crops to develop motor control and co-ordination skills.

The World of Wuxia

DATE: : 15 March – 2 July

VENUE: Edinburgh Place, Central

1. To mark the centenary of the birth of Jin Yong, a literary giant in Chinese literature, the HKTB has unveiled an exhibition as part of its “Arts in Hong Kong” initiative.

2. Ten sculptures of Yong’s iconic characters, created by sculptor Ren Zhe, will be exhibited –including Xiaolongnü, Yang Guo, and Guo Jing.

3. A Mongolian yurt inspired by The Eagle Shooting Heroes will offer travellers an immersive experience, with multilingual audio guides and augmented reality technology.

4. The exhibition will also have regular interactive literary experiences, including reading sessions, concerts and painting workshops for visitors to enjoy.

In today’s fast-paced world, consumers are increasingly turning to streaming services and CTV for their entertainment needs. This shift in behaviour presents an incredible opportunity for marketers to connect with their target demographics in a more personalised and immersive way.

However, with the abundance of options and strategies available, it’s crucial for marketers to understand the intricacies of CTV advertising to make the most of their investment. As such, Vanessa Yuen spoke to several industry players to delve into the growth of the CTV ad market in Hong Kong and how local marketers can eventually maximise their CTV investment.

Connected TV advertising, which can reach target TV viewers that traditional advertising cannot, has gained immense popularity as an advertising platform among APAC brands in recent years.

According to Omnicom Media Group’s (OMG) latest 2024 APAC Trends Report, CTV and smart stick ownership are growing at a five-year compound annual growth rate of 6.5%. CTV’s popularity in APAC is driven by a 13% increase in viewer attention compared to traditional TV, and a six-fold increase in conversion rates for streaming ads, according to the report.

As the pandemic accelerated mass digital adoption, Asian consumers have subscribed to more media channels than ever before, using an average of 7.6 channels to engage with brands based on a 2022 report conducted by Kantar, and revealed by The Trade Desk.

This is pushing many CMOs to stretch their marketing budgets across multiple channels. The OMG report also showed that over half (57%) of APAC marketers are already shifting at least 40% of their ad budgets to CTV.

Growth of the CTV ad market in Hong Kong

While APAC marketers are shifting their ad budgets to CTV, it has been observed that more advertisers in Hong Kong are recognising the value of advertising on CTV as well, according to Chris Ngan, general manager, Hong Kong and Taiwan, The Trade Desk.

In fact, Hong Kong is a host to key players in the OTT market, most notably Viu and myTV SUPER, streaming services owned by national broadcasters PCCW and TVB, respectively.

For example, Now TV recently launched the first addressable TV advertising service in the city to enable more precise campaign targeting for enterprises. The advertising deployment

technology seamlessly integrates personalised commercials across more than 40 linear channels on Now TV spanning news, finance, sports, movies, drama, and entertainment.

“This is attributed to the dual benefits that CTV brings – delivering an immersive content experience for consumers and enabling precise audience targeting for brands,” Ngan said.

Adding to his views was Jason Barnes, chief revenue officer, APAC, PubMatic, who said that Hong Kong’s mature streaming media landscape, willingness to adapt, and strong industry influence that extends beyond its borders, speaks to the growth in its CTV ad market.

Despite the growing demand for CTV advertising in Hong Kong, Singapore has a higher allocation of CTV spending compared to Hong Kong, despite their similar population sizes, observes Wei Hsueh, country manager, APAC, Equativ.

“This discrepancy could be partially explained by a limited ad supply in Hong Kong due to the dominance of a few players,

as well as a wait-and-see approach from advertisers hesitant to embrace a new marketing channel,” Hsueh said.

How can marketers maximise their CTV investment?

For marketers facing multifaceted challenges, especially with Google phasing out third-party cookies, CTV has become an undeniable marketing channel, according to The Trade Desk’s Ngan.

“CTV stands out as an unmissable and effective solution for addressing identity challenges as it does not rely on cookies while offering many other benefits,” he said.

As CTV continues to demonstrate even greater potential in the future, Hong Kong marketers can adopt a CTV-centred, open

internet-based omni-channel marketing strategy, to maximise the return on investment in CTV, Ngan suggested.

Furthermore, Hong Kong marketers can unlock the benefits of CTV as both a branding and performance channel by understanding the content they’re buying, leveraging the efficiencies of programmatic trading, and investing in a “total video” approach to target audiences at scale, said PubMatic’s Barnes.

On the other hand, Hsueh said publishers should also create diversified content to acquire more users, and as a result, increase the ad supply on CTV placements.

“We should embrace the unknown. Both advertisers and publishers could try to do more to escalate the growth of the new channel with testing spirits,” Hsueh said.

HONG KONG

After a very successful launch in 2023, we are thrilled to be bringing back our #Content360 conference to Hong Kong for the second year running on 26 June.

Key Takeaways for 2024

• New mediums, new events to bring content to life

• The use of ai and automation in content creation

• Integration of content with commerce

• Using content for cross-border targeting

180+ Attendees 35+ Speakers 12+ Case studies

Beyond

fireworks and

drone shows:

How can HK get more bang for its buck with tourism?

Hong Kong’s introduction of regular fireworks and drone shows has triggered heated discussion as to whether this could appeal to tourists and lure them back to the city. With neighbouring cities such as Singapore using its “secret weapon” – securing an exclusive Southeast Asia stop by megastar Taylor Swift – can Hong Kong’s latest initiative boost its tourism? Vanessa Yuen spoke to several industry players to explore what more Hong Kong can do to lure back tourists apart from inviting big stars to perform in the city.

While superstar Taylor Swift’s recent exclusive Southeast Asia stop in Singapore upset neighbouring regions, Hong Kong has decided to fight back and revive its own tourism by introducing regular pyrotechnic and drone shows during festivals and largescale events.

This comes as part of the Hong Kong government’s HK$1.1 billion investment to enhance the Hong Kong brand. According to The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), the inaugural show will make its debut on 1 May, welcoming the Labour Day Golden Week holiday. Meanwhile, the first drone show will add appeal to the city’s traditional festive celebrations on 11 May at the Wan Chai Temporary Promenade.

While each show will potentially cost more than HK$1 million, Hong Kong’s finance chief Paul Chan said on his weekly blog that several groups have expressed interest in sponsoring the shows.

The HKTB has also encouraged trade partners to leverage various events and activities and roll out more tourism products such as harbour tours, pyrotechnic-view dinners, and other experiences to encourage visitors to stay longer in town, and create

opportunities for other tourism-related sectors such as the F&B and retail sectors, hence, stimulating consumption and generating economic benefits.

The initiative has drawn mixed reactions from netizens across Hong Kong, where media intelligence firm CARMA saw over 5,000 mentions, with 30.4% negative and 8% positive sentiments from late February until early March.

“Many netizens have expressed scepticism and raised questions about such decisions, as they find it difficult to believe that monthly pyrotechnic shows will effectively boost tourism and enhance Hong Kong’s image as a worldclass city, especially given the current financial and tourism challenges the city is facing,” said CARMA’s HK general manager Charles Cheung.

Some individuals have voiced their disappointment, highlighting that pyrotechnic and drone shows are far from innovative, he added. There have also been discussions among certain netizens who pointed out there seems to be confusion among most people regarding the distinction between fireworks and pyrotechnics, according to Cheung.

Meanwhile, social monitoring firm Meltwater saw over 325 mentions across social platforms regarding the same topic, with 35.7% positive

and 0.3% negative sentiments. Keywords associated with the fireworks and drone shows included “daily visitor arrivals”, “countdown festivity” and “surprising locals”.

Industry reactions

Commenting on the move, industry players MARKETING-INTERACTIVE spoke to believed while drone shows and fireworks can capture the attention of tourists, their impact on the overall tourism of the city may be limited and short-lived.

Hannah Duley, managing director of Design Bridge and Partners Hong Kong, said certain cities align their drone shows and fireworks with their distinctive identities. For example, Shenzhen showcases its innovative and futuristic image through drone shows, while cities in Japan embrace the tradition of “Natsu Matsuri” 夏日祭 where fireworks represent the lively spirit of summer.

“But fireworks and drone shows in Hong Kong? We don’t see lots of meaningful correlation with the city identity at the moment,” she said. “Therefore, we should not only look at what other cities are doing, but also look from the inside.”

Moreover, with Mainland China being at the forefront of drone technology and already

having impressive fireworks displays, those who live there may not find the concept attractive in Hong Kong, according to Yvonne Ma, founder and managing director of Eighty20.

“Considering Hong Kong’s distinctive features, drones are not inherently associated with the city, and fireworks, while visually stunning, are not novel[...] The success of the event will largely depend on how the organiser presents it and its ability to authentically represent ‘Hong Kong’ to visitors,” Ma said.

Despite being likely to attract visitors, grand fireworks shows during National Day, the New Year countdown, and the Chinese New Year may not serve the government’s objectives of attracting “overnight” tourists, said Jane Leung, brand and category marketing lead at Klook.

“Having too many monthly fireworks and drone shows might also risk cannibalisation with our grand firework shows, making it less attractive for tourists,” she said.

On the other hand, regular drone and fireworks displays could also have an adverse environmental impact, potentially dissuading environmentally conscious tourists and locals, according to Jacopo Pesavento, CEO of Branding Records. This concern

is particularly relevant given Hong Kong’s already heavily urbanised and densely populated environment.

“Over time, the novelty of the shows may wear off, leading to diminishing returns in terms of attracting tourists,” Pesavento said.

Authenticity is the key

Indeed, a distinctive Hong Kong narrative sets the city apart from others, while an authentic story contributes to the establishment of an enduring city image. Klook’s Leung said Hong Kong’s vibrancy, diversity, and compactness serve as the backbone of itself.

Leung believes that exploring the blend of Oriental and Western cultures found in Hong Kong’s architecture, rituals, and cuisine, as well as promoting the enjoyment of nature through short hikes and showcasing unique surprises such as coffee farms and breweries within the city, are areas the city can focus on to boost tourism.

“Together with the allure of global celebrities and mega-events, we are showcasing the charisma of both a local town and a world-class city,” she said.

Focusing on more personalised and relatable initiatives such as niche city walk routes, trending topics, and viral memes, may

be more effective in promoting Hong Kong, said Eighty 20’s Ma.

Apart from in-depth experiences, Branding Records’ Pesavento said the government could invest in hosting various cultural and entertainment events such as film festivals, art exhibitions, and theatre performances.

“Collaborating with international organisers and offering incentives could help attract more global talent,” he added.

Adding to his point, Design Bridge and Partner’s Duley noted that Hong Kong has showcased a diverse range of art performances, including operas, ballet, stage shows, and art festivals over the years.

“Not only does Hong Kong attract singers and sports stars, but it also remains highly appealing to artists, dancers, and musicians. This is a distinct advantage that can differentiate Hong Kong from other destinations such as Singapore, Korea, or Thailand.”

However, while the outdated perception of Hong Kong as a place of kung fu movies and cliché sights may deter interest, it is crucial to communicate the new face of Hong Kong.

“We should evolve Hong Kong’s offering globally to capture local life and new-age experiences across arts, culture, and sport,” Duley added.

Creating a new retail experience

On the retail front, Hong Kong’s competitiveness in attracting bargain chasers and luxury shoppers has dropped significantly due to the rise of daigou (代購 ) in Europe and Japan, and more Hongkongers heading north to snap up cheap deals. Moreover, Hainan is poised to become a strong competitor in this regard.

As such, Hong Kong needs to focus on creating more innovative store designs and unique experiences to make shopping fun and memorable for everyone, said Eighty20’s Ma.

“It’s important to recognise that more adaptive thinking is needed for the Mainland

China market. Additionally, a substantial budget is often required to make a significant impact in the Mainland China market due to the size of the market,” she said.

Hong Kong also has the potential to collaborate with global attractions that have yet to establish a presence in Asia, such as The Museum of Ice Cream in Singapore, according to Ma.

“The next set of attractions doesn’t necessarily have to be large-scale; it’s the concept that matters, not the size. The Museum of Ice Cream in Singapore serves as a good case study,” she said.

When it comes to collaboration, Design Bridge and Partner’s Duley emphasised the importance of infrastructure and the capacity to host big festivals. Hong Kong, with its geographic advantage, could also partner with Macau to maintain its appeal to big stars.

“By utilising the infrastructures of both cities, it creates a more enticing and comprehensive experience for tourists.”

To establish a lasting and relevant city reputation that attracts tourists, Hong Kong could also introduce a “new retail” experience by integrating arts, culture, and community in an immersive and engaging way, according to Duley.

Given that Hong Kong’s position as a shopping paradise has been weakened by booming eCommerce across the world, she said it was also essential for Hong Kong to shift from retail to being an experiential city.

For example, places such as the West Kowloon district, the Tsim Sha Tsui area, and the Sham Shui Po community are built upon the character of each local community, combined with a hip culture, museums and galleries, shopping malls, hipster cafes, and local food to deliver unique and one-of-a-kind experiences.

“This ‘community ecosystem’ strategy of turning retail into an attractive destination with a rich and authentic experience can help Hong Kong win back its tourists,” she added.

In today’s marketing landscape, customer loyalty is frequently discussed as a crucial aspect for brands. The ongoing relationship and trust between a brand and its customers are highly valued, often demonstrated by the customers’ willingness to engage and make repeat purchases despite intense competition.

In fact, boosting customer retention is the ultimate strategy for enhancing profits. Hence, MARKETING-INTERACTIVE takes pride in presenting the Loyalty & Engagement Awards in Hong Kong, an event that celebrates the most impactful and innovative campaigns targeting a brand’s most loyal supporters – its customers.

We would like to thank the esteemed panel of 21 judges for dedicating their time and effort to reviewing over 270 submissions. We would also like to congratulate all the welldeserving finalists and winners for their outstanding achievements.

GLORIA SHIU

Head of Marketing 7-Eleven Hong Kong and Macau

MARIA SIT

Director - Customer Engagement, Group Marketing AIA

ALICE FRANKLIN

Head of Brand & Content Carlyle & Co.

WINKIE WONG VP, Global Brand & Creative DFS Group

MILDRED WONG

Director of Brand Development and Field Marketing Artyzen Hospitality Group

LINDA WANG

Head of Lifestyle Marketing Cathay Pacific Airways

GRACE LAM Head of Customer Propositions Marketing Hang Seng Bank

JULIANA WONG

Assistant General ManagerMarketing Link Asset Management

ANTHONY TSANG

Head of Marketing & Digital (Greater China Region) Oriental Watch Company

JENNIFER LIN

VICTORIA HUNG

Head of Customer Marketing, Hong Kong & Macau Moët Hennessy Diageo Hong Kong & Macau

ANISE CHOW

Marketing Director, Nutraceutical Department Otsuka Pharmaceutical (H.K)

ATHENA CHEUNG

Associate Director - Marketing, Brand SHISEIDO SHISEIDO Hong Kong

JEFFREY KEUNG

SIMON LAM

Director - Marketing & Communications CLP Power Hong Kong

Associate Marketing Director Kimberly-Clark

ERIC LAM

Head of Marketing Asia Pret A Manger

MARCO LEE

Deputy Head of Marketing, Wealth & Retail Banking Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong)

General Manager - Marketing BMW Concessionaires (HK)

WINNIE CHAN

Marketing Director, Hong Kong & Macau Klook HK & Macau

CORNELIA KWOK

General Manager-Customer Relationship Management New World Development Company

IVY WONG

Head of Marketing Shell Hong Kong

ADA LAU

Brand Director, WeChat Pay HK Tencent Financial Technology

USE OF REWARDS & INCENTIVES

ExxonMobil Hong Kong

Brand: Esso

Campaign: Supreme Experiences at Esso

SILVER

Circle K Convenience Store (HK)

Brand: Circle K

BRONZE

Agency: DDB Group Hong Kong

Campaign: AIA Points x OpenRice Agency: The Bread Digital BEST

Campaign: 16°C Chilled Beverage Fridge Online Game Campaign Agency: ESDlife

SHORT-TERM LOYALTY INITIATIVE

GOLD Shell

AI-POWERED ENGAGEMENT CAMPAIGN

GOLD

AIA International, OpenRice

Brands: AIA Hong Kong, OpenRice

SILVER

Circle K Convenience Store (HK)

Brand: Circle K

Campaign: Shell GO+ Campaign Agency: Dentsu Creative SILVER DFI Retail Group

Campaign: 16°C Chilled Beverage Fridge Online Game Campaign Agency: ESDlife

Bupa (Asia)

Brand: Blua Health

Campaign: Blua Health: A One-stop

AI-powered App for Health

Agency: DigiSalad

Brand: Mannings

Campaign: Mannings Double 11 campaign

Agency: Appier

Campaign: Ready, Set, Grab JETSO Deals! Agencies: de goose, Kids & Dogs, Kitchen, PHD

BRONZE Inchcape

Brand: Toyota

Campaign: AI Smart Quote-to-Deal

Assistant Agency: OMO BRONZE yuu Rewards

ECO-LOYALTY INITIATIVE

AS Watson

Brand: MoneyBack Campaign: Let’s Go Green Agency: SOCIETY

Hong Kong Youth Arts Foundation

Campaign: Standard Chartered Arts in the Park 2023 Agency: The Chance Communications

Hong Kong Housing Society Campaign: Community ESG Programme

BRONZE

Chinachem Group

Brand: CCG Hearts

Campaign: CCG Hearts Agency: Ogilvy

LOYALTY CAMPAIGN – LAUNCH/REBRANDING BEST ENGAGEMENT CAMPAIGN – SPECIFIC AUDIENCE

SILVER

Cityplaza Hong Kong Campaign: Cityplaza x Hot Toys: The Flash Speed Force Quest Agency: Boxing Promotions

BRONZE

Danone Nutricia Early Life

Nutrition (Hong Kong)

Brand: Aptamil

Campaign: Transformative Edu-tainment C-Section Pregnancy

CRM Ecosystem Agency: PRIZM Group

AIA International, OpenRice

Brands: AIA Hong Kong, OpenRice

Campaign: AIA points x OpenRice Agency: The Bread Digital

SILVER

Pacific Coffee Hong Kong Campaign: True Frictionless O2O2O App Experience and Loyalty Ecosystem Agency: PRIZM Group

BRONZE

Link Asset Management

Brand: Link Up

Campaign: Link Up Grand Launch

BEST USE OF CUSTOMER DATA ANALYTICS

Shiseido Hong Kong

Brands: Shiseido, Clé de Peau Beauté, IPSA, NARS

Campaign: CRM Analytics driven Campaigns Agency: Accenture Services Private

BEST LOYALTY PROGRAMME – FOOD & BEVERAGE GOLD

Pacific Coffee Hong Kong

Campaign: True Frictionless O2O2O App Experience and Loyalty Ecosystem Agency: PRIZM Group

SILVER

Danone Nutricia Early Life Nutrition (Hong Kong)

Brand: Aptamil Campaign: Transformative Edutainment C-Section Pregnancy CRM Ecosystem Agency: PRIZM Group

SILVER

McDonald’s Hong Kong

BRONZE

HK Express Airways

Brand: HK Express

Campaign: Leveraging GenAI Powered Insights to Drive Flight Ancillary Product Uptake and Customer Delight

BEST LOYALTY PROGRAMME – LIFESTYLE & ENTERTAINMENT GOLD

SmarTone Mobile Communications

Brand: SmarTone CARE

Campaign: SmarTone Care CRM App –Live Smart, Spend Smart! Agency: DigiSalad

Campaign: McCafe at All Stores Agency: OMD Hong Kong

BRONZE AS Watson Group (HK)

Brand: Watsons Water Campaign: Watsons Water x Edan, Ian, Jer@MIRROR 120th Anniversary Campaign Agency: ESDlife

SILVER

AIA International, OpenRice

Brand:s AIA Hong Kong, OpenRice

Campaign: AIA Points x OpenRice Agency: The Bread Digital

BRONZE Café de Coral Brand: Club 100 Campaign: Walk For Rewards Agency: Omakase Advertising, GBA

BRONZE

Olympian City

Brand: Sino Malls

Campaign: NBA SUMMER BASE Agencies: Neonet, MGV

BEST USE OF EXPERIENTIAL MARKETING

GOLD

Urban Renewal Authority, Sino Land

Brand: Sino Malls Campaign: “KIDS DREAM BIG!

My Dream Job Expo” by Citywalk Agency: Busyart.hk

BEST LOYALTY PROGRAMME – RETAIL

GOLD

yuu Rewards Campaign: expanding yuu-niverse Agencies: de goose, Kids & Dogs, Kitchen, PHD

SILVER

The Mills Campaign: SMILEYWORLD at The Mills – Unlocking the Happiness Agencies: EDITECTURE, Good Work Collective

BRONZE

ExxonMobil Hong Kong

Brand: Esso

Campaign: Supreme Experiences at Esso Agency: DDB Group Hong Kong

SILVER

MTR Corporation

Brand: MTR Campaign: An evolution from MTR Mobile Agency: Cheil Hong Kong

BRONZE

ExxonMobil Hong Kong

Brand: Esso Campaign: Supreme Experiences at Esso Agency: DDB Group Hong Kong

BEST MEMBERSHIP PROGRAMME

GOLD

Pacific Coffee Hong Kong Campaign: True Frictionless O2O2O App Experience and Loyalty Ecosystem Agency: PRIZM Group SILVER

American Express Campaign: Irreplaceable Memories Agencies: UM HK, Ogilvy PR

BRONZE

Swire Resources

Brand: Columbia Campaign: Mountains Rangers 100

BEST USE OF CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

GOLD

McDonald’s Hong Kong

Campaign: Little Big Acts Agency: OMD Hong Kong

BEST OMNI-CHANNEL STRATEGY

GOLD

Danone Nutricia Early Life Nutrition (Hong Kong)

Brand: Aptamil

Campaign: Transformative Edu-tainment

C-Section Pregnancy CRM Ecosystem Agency: PRIZM Group

BEST ACQUISITION STRATEGY

GOLD

SILVER

Easy Mobile Logistics Hong Kong (Lalamove)

Brand: Lalamove Rewards

Campaign: Make a Pawfect Move Agency: Eber Pte.

BRONZE

China Guangfa Bank Campaign: CGB Car-Owner Card benefit program Agency: Mastercard

SILVER Pacific Coffee Hong Kong Campaign: True

Frictionless O2O2O App Experience and Loyalty Ecosystem Agency: PRIZM Group

BRONZE DFI Retail Group

Brand: Mannings Campaign: Customerdriven Omni Channel Optimization Campaign Agency: Appier

BRONZE

LBuy Campaign: LBuy Flagship Online-Merge-Offline Launch Agency: OMO

Danone Nutricia Early Life Nutrition (Hong Kong)

Brand: Aptamil

Campaign: Transformative Edu-tainment

C-Section Pregnancy CRM Ecosystem Agency: PRIZM Group

SILVER Bupa (Asia)

Brand: Blua Health

Campaign: Blua Health: A One-stop AI-powered App for Health Agency: DigiSalad

BRONZE

SmarTone Mobile Communications

Brand: SmarTone CARE Campaign: SmarTone Care CRM App – Live Smart, Spend Smart! Agency: DigiSalad

BEST LOYALTY PROGRAMME – FINANCE & INSURANCE

GOLD

AIA International, OpenRice

Brands: AIA Hong Kong, OpenRice Campaign: AIA Points x OpenRice Agency: The Bread Digital

SILVER

Industrial and Commercial Bank of China

Campaign: ICBC woman card Agency: Mastercard

BRONZE

AXA Hong Kong & Macau Campaign: From Insight to Actions – Proactive communication for a better CX

GOLD

SILVER

Cathay Campaign: Go Miles Further Agency: Leo Burnett

Cheung Chau Culture Company

Mastercard Campaign: End to End Travel Recovery Service BEST LOYALTY PROGRAMME – TRAVEL & HOSPITALITY

Brand: Cheung Chau Cinema Campaign: Cheung Chau Cinema Multicultural Park Agencies: Metro Broadcast, Above The Line

BEST ENGAGEMENT CAMPAIGN – MASS AUDIENCE

GOLD

yuu Rewards

Campaign: Ready, Set, Grab JETSO Deals! Agencies: de goose, Kids & Dogs, Kitchen, PHD

SILVER HKT

Brand: The Club Campaign: One-Stop Destination for Everything Travel

BRONZE

SILVER

Sino Group

Brand: Sino Malls

Campaign: Christmas Car Boot Market @China Hong Kong City BRONZE

Cityplaza Hong Kong

Campaign: Cityplaza x Disney

Grow with LOVE Agencies: MakeItLoud, Boxing Promotions

AXA China Region

Insurance Company

Brand: AXA Hong Kong & Macau

Campaign: General Insurance Summer Campaign 2023

SILVER

Danone Nutricia Early Life Nutrition (Hong Kong)

BRONZE

Standard Chartered Bank Campaign: Frozen Campaign

Agency: Leo Burnett Hong Kong

Agencies: Hardchi Creative, Starcom GOLD

yuu Rewards

Campaign: Ready, Set, Grab JETSO Deals! Agencies: de goose, Kids & Dogs, Kitchen, PHD

Brand: Aptamil Campaign: Transformative Edu-tainment C-Section Pregnancy CRM Ecosystem Agency: PRIZM Group

SILVER

Olympian City Brand: Sino Malls Campaign: NBA SUMMER BASE Agencies: Neonet, MGV

BRONZE Lee Gardens | Hysan Development Company Campaign: Lee Gardens Skateboard Fest 2023

Agency: OM Events & Communications

SmarTone Mobile Communications

Brand: SmarTone CARE

Campaign: SmarTone Care CRM App –Live Smart, Spend Smart! Agency: DigiSalad

SILVER Circle K Convenience Store (HK)

Brand: Circle K Campaign: 16°C Chilled Beverage Fridge Online Game Campaign Agency: ESDlife

BRONZE Hopewell Holdings Brand: Hopewell Club

Campaign: Hopewell Club: All Your Malls in One App Agency: DigiSalad

Pacific Coffee Hong Kong

Campaign: True Frictionless O2O2O App Experience and Loyalty Ecosystem Agency: PRIZM Group

SILVER

BEST CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY GOLD

GOLD

Danone Nutricia Early Life Nutrition (Hong Kong)

Brand: Aptamil

Campaign: Transformative Edu-tainment C-Section Pregnancy CRM Ecosystem Agency: PRIZM Group

BEST PARTNERSHIP LOYALTY CAMPAIGN

AIA International, OpenRice

Brands: AIA Hong Kong, OpenRice Campaign: AIA Points x OpenRice Agency: The Bread Digital

Danone Nutricia Early Life Nutrition (Hong Kong)

Brand: Aptamil Campaign: Transformative Edu-tainment C-Section Pregnancy CRM Ecosystem Agency: PRIZM Group

BRONZE DFS Group

Brand: DFS CIRCLE Campaign: DFS CIRCLE: Transforming a Loyalty Program in Travel Retail Agencies: BETC, Merkle

SILVER Chinachem Group

Brand: CCG Hearts Campaign: CCG Hearts Agency: Ogilvy

SILVER HKT

Brand: The Club Campaign: Earn Your Health Rewards

BRONZE SmarTone Mobile

Communications

Brand: SmarTone CARE Campaign: SmarTone Care

CRM App – Live Smart, Spend Smart! Agency: DigiSalad

BRONZE

Cityplaza Hong Kong

Campaign: Cityplaza x Disney Grow with LOVE

Agencies: MakeItLoud, Boxing Promotions

BRONZE

Standard Chartered Bank

Campaign: Earn by Banking Agency: Leo Burnett Hong Kong

BEST USE OF INFLUENCERS

American Express Campaign: Irreplaceable Memories

Agencies: UM HK, Ogilvy PR

SILVER

Moët Hennessy Diageo

Hong Kong

Brand: The Singleton Campaign: Discover True Richness

Wave 3

GOLD

Pacific Coffee Hong Kong

Campaign: True Frictionless O2O2O App Experience and Loyalty Ecosystem Agency: PRIZM Group

BRONZE

AXA General Insurance

Hong Kong

Brand: AXA Hong Kong & Macau

Campaign: General Insurance

Summer Campaign 2023

Agencies: Hardchi Creative, Starco

SILVER

American Express Campaign: Irreplaceable Memories Agencies: UM HK, Ogilvy PR

BRONZE

McDonald’s Hong Kong

Campaign: Chicken McNuggets 40th Anniversary Agency: OMD Hong Kong

GOLD

SmarTone Mobile Communications

Brand: SmarTone CARE

Campaign: SmarTone Care CRM App –Live Smart, Spend Smart!

Agency: DigiSalad

Agency: On Air Collective SILVER Bupa (Asia)

Brand: Blua Health

Campaign: Blua Health: A One-stop AI-powered App for Health Agency: DigiSalad

BRONZE MTR Corporation

Brand: MTR

Campaign: An evolution from MTR Mobile Agency: Cheil Hong Kong

yuu Rewards Campaign: Ready, Set, Grab JETSO Deals! Agency: de goose, Kids & Dogs, Kitchen, PHD SILVER

HSBC Life (International) Brand: HSBC Life Campaign: HSBC Life Well+

BRONZE

Circle K Convenience Store (HK)

Brand: Circle K

BEST USE OF USER-GENERATED CONTENT

McDonald’s Hong Kong Campaign: Raise Your Arches Agency: OMD Hong Kong

SILVER

DBS Hong Kong Campaign: Live more, Bank less Campaign 2023 Agency: Narrow Door

BRONZE

Chinachem Group

Campaign: 16°C Chilled Beverage Fridge Online Game Campaign Agency: ESDlife BEST USE OF GAMIFICATION Congratulations

Campaign: One Beat, One World: Connecting Through the Drum Agency: DataMetas

Best of Show – Brand Pacific Coffee Hong Kong

Pacific Coffee Hong Kong won big with four golds and two silvers at the fifth edition of MARKETING-INTERACTIVE’s Loyalty and Engagement Awards Hong Kong 2024 on 25 April at the Kowloon Shangri-La Hotel.

Its campaign – “True Frictionless O2O2O App Experience and Loyalty Ecosystem” – successfully won the hearts of the judging panel. Done in collaboration with ad agency PRIZM Group, the campaign ran from January until December last

year. It aimed to create a seamless O2O2O purchasing journey and utilise data insights to enhance personalisation.

To differentiate itself from its competitors, the campaign focused on convenience, personalisation, and shareability. In terms of convenience, the campaign enhanced the user experience by launching the market-first “topup” subscription plan, a smart order history, and in-app loyalty benefits.

In terms of personalisation, the campaign offered continuous and flexible customised options by integrating the automated AI tagging system of the app to segment users and leverage customer data. When it came to shareability, the campaign rolled out collective missions and games for members to team up and trigger more daily interactions. It also launched frequent memberget-member campaigns to increase new user sign-ups and exposure.

Best of Show – Agency PRIZM Group

Behind every successful campaign, agencies also play a huge part in creating and crafting the storytelling concept. This time, the Best of Show – Agency winner PRIZM Group won seven golds, five silvers, and one bronze.

It aims to dominate and take advantage of the emerging C-section trend and create an all-in-one content hub that can be accessed across the omni-channel.

The title was awarded to the agency after it presented a comprehensive strategy that has effectively engaged customers through the collaborative development of the “Transformative Edu-tainment C-Section Pregnancy CRM Ecosystem” with Danone Nutricia Early Life Nutrition (Hong Kong).

To raise awareness and target mums interested in C-sections, the campaign has employed various strategies. These have included utilising offline out-of-home exposure, participating in baby expos, distributing goodie bags, and collaborating with maternal and child health clinics to launch preference-gathering forms.

Additionally, the campaign is emphasising Aptamil’s credibility and focusing on educating and supporting mums interested in C-sections through engaging edutainment content. It has also encouraged participants to join AptaClub, enabling them to embark on a personalised pregnancy journey.

Launched on 1 January 2024, the ongoing campaign targets potential parents who are preparing for a C-section and parents with children aged zero to three.

In terms of conversion, the campaign has launched trial requests, C-section seminars, e-shop discounts, and automated notifications via eDMs, a WhatsApp chatbot, and a mobile app. The campaign has sustained awareness by providing mums with ongoing educational content and rewards based on their pregnancy stage.