Marketing magazine Hong Kong, February 2020 by Marketing Magazine Group

Contents FEBRUARY 2020

Editorial Rick Boost, Editor Simon Yuen, Senior Journalist Tracy Chan, Bilingual Sub Editor James Foster, Sub Editor

Design Production Julia Li, Senior Graphic Designer

Editor’s letter

編者的話

Advertising Sales Karen Yung, Regional Business Development Director Sandra Lui, Senior Account Manager Alvis Ng, Senior Account Manager

Briefing

簡報 5

Job Shuffle

Living the dream: How Hong Kong’s embattled lifestyle media brands are still thriving.

實現夢想：四面楚歌的香港生活資訊媒體品牌如何繼續蓬勃發展

人事變動

Marketing and Circulation Cyrus Ching, Marketing Manager Kristen Zhang, Marketing Executive

12 Ad Watch

Event Production Selina Kwok, Senior Events Producer Venus Cheung, Events Producer

廣告點評 20 Snapped

營銷活動花絮 Event Services Melissa Tam, Event Manager Sharon Chu, Senior Event Executive Fiona Ng, Event Executive Event Delegate Sales Nicholas Lam, Senior Project Executive Gloria Yam, Senior Project Executive Gigi Ip, Senior Project Executive Management Vivien Peters, Publisher

32 Ask Jack

即問積答

Master Report: Serving better content for the refined social user’s palate.

提供更佳內容迎合高品味社交用戶需求

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

業如何反映本地餐飲業的轉變

For advertising enquiries Sandra Lui, sandral@marketing-interactive.com Alvis Ng, alvisn@marketing-interactive.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 Unit B-D, 16/F, Yardley Commercial Building, 3 Connaught Road West, Sheung Wan, 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 magazine, go to: www.marketing-interactive.com

On a roll! How Cinnabon’s Hong Kong opening shows a shift in local F&B. 勢如破竹: Cinnabon在港開

Four tech steps for getting the most value out of your next event.

四個技術步驟助您下個活動獲得最大價值

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FE B RU ARY 2 02 0 MARK E TING H ON G KON G 1

編者的話

EDS LETTER

IN THE SICK OF IT 受夠了 Well ... damn. In my letter attached to our previous print issue, I spoke about the resilience and dignity of Hong Kong’s marketing, advertising, PR, and events communities in the face of social issues greater in importance than any single brand. I’m not saying that when people look back at the protests of the past year, anyone is going to feel the urge to write a depressing ballad in dedication to all the cancelled media luncheons, but the industry has weathered a storm. A storm, that if not over, was entering a period of somewhat calm. Though caution would still be advised; it was assumed that many delayed activities would have a chance to resume as we entered the Year of the Rat. Another time to wheel out the old cliché, “to assume makes an ass of u and me”. The Wuhan coronavirus arrived and it has postponed any return to normalcy for the time being. Rather than writing this in the office, I am awkwardly camped out in my living room with a coffee I ordered online because I’m out of face masks. And I feel many of you are going to have had similar experiences. This is not fun and we have no idea how soon things will truly pass. But even when the illness does subside, brands operating in this territory will have new challenges in store for them. I remember how SARS inflicted massive scars on the psyche, behaviour, and outside perception of Hongkongers, and I am pretty sure the Wuhan coronavirus will leave its own fair share of marks, at least in the short term. The obvious sectors to see mutation will be anything directly health-related such as insurance and self-care, but consequences will reach out and touch food, travel, and anything involving public gatherings. What’s more, when dealing internationally it is unfortunate, but likely, that residual fear will drive some prejudices to overcome, even if undeserved. In this issue, we offer some positivity. We’ll show how Hong Kong lifestyle media continues to thrive; how F&B brands are still being launched; that social still has worth; and how events can be run better with tech. Stay safe. HK marketing, you’ve got this.

嗯...該死。在上期雜誌的編者的話中，我談到面對比任何一個品牌更重要的社會問題時，香港的市場推廣、廣告、公關及活動行業的應變能力及尊嚴。我並不是說當大家回顧去年的示威活動時，任何人會有一股衝動寫一首苦情民謠來獻給所有被取消的媒體午餐會，但整個行業都經歷了一場暴風雨。這場暴風雨即使沒有結束，也開始進入一段較平靜的時期。儘管仍建議保持謹慎，但普遍假設踏入鼠年，許多擱置的活動將有機會重啟。又是時候拋出一句俗語：假設只會自取其辱。武漢冠狀病毒來襲，暫時推遲任何活動恢復正常的時間。這篇文章我並非坐在辦公室裡撰寫，而是無奈地窩在家中客廳，一邊喝著網購咖啡一邊在寫，因為我已經沒有口罩。我相信您們當中許多人也有類似的經歷。這一點都不有趣，而且我們也不知道事情要多久才能真正過去。但即使疫情消退，在本港經營的品牌也將要面臨新的挑戰。我記得沙士為香港人的心理、行為、以及外界對香港人的觀感帶來巨大的創傷，我敢肯定武漢肺炎至少在短期內亦會留下一定的傷疤。任何與健康直接相關的行業明顯會發生巨變，例如保險及個人護理，但最終影響將蔓延至餐飲、旅遊及任何涉及公眾聚集的範疇。更重要的是，在進行國際交流時，恐怕殘留的恐懼很可能會促成一些不必要的偏見。今期雜誌，我們為大家送上一些正能量。我們將探討香港生活資訊媒體如何繼續蓬勃發展；為何餐飲品牌仍選擇這個時候在港開業；社交媒體仍有價值；以及科技如何幫助活動更好地進行。各位保重。香港的市場推廣行業，您做得到的。

Rick Boost Editor

2 M A RK ET I N G H O N G K O N G FEBR UARY 2020

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BRANDING’S NO LONGER JUST ABOUT THE BRAND 銷售人員焦點轉變 What’s on? Retail Marketing Asia What This conference will deliver revolutionary keynotes, case studies, and a number of panel sessions diving into several of the retail industry’s pressing issues. Where The Mira. When 1 April. Loyalty and Engagement Awards What Celebrating the best loyalty and engagement campaigns designed to attract, retain, and appreciate an organisation’s customers and people. Where TBC. When 23 April.

“In 2020 ... to secure their future, CX leaders must identify every area in which they make business impact – large or small – to deliver ROI as quickly as possible.” 「在2020年…為保障未來，顧客體驗領袖必須確定每一個能夠發揮業務影響力（不論大小）的範疇，以盡快實現投資回報。」

Cultures and mindsets within the marketing community have changed over the past decade to be almost unrecognisable. One major element is that in addition to their more mercenary goals, brands are spending a substantial amount of effort on programmes aimed at making the world a better place, or at least being perceived as doing so. And interest in the technologies to advance those initiatives has grown. 過去十年，市場推廣行業的文化及思維方式已發生變化，變得幾乎面目全非。一個主要改變是，除賺取更多收入的目標外，品牌正大費精力推動旨在使世界變得更美好（或至少被認為是這樣）的計劃之上，而且對推動這些計劃的科技愈來愈感興趣。

Do brands need to take a stand on social issues?

In the current climate, is it harder for brands to influence culture at scale?

品牌需要在社會問題上採取立場嗎？

在目前大環境下，品牌是否更難對文化發揮大影響？

40% 37% 16% 5% 2%

34% 28% 19% 13% 6%

agree 同意

strongly agree 非常同意

neutral 中立

disagree 不同意

strongly disagree 非常不同意

4 M A R K ET I N G H O N G K O N G FEBR UARY 2020

同意

disagree 不同意

neutral 中立

strongly agree 非常同意

strongly disagree 非常不同意

The adoption of in-housing has also been a major trend. When asked about how to manage creative services 將工作交由內部人員負責也是一個主要趨勢。問到如何管理創意服務時

34%

said they would increase in-house creative services.

25% 41%

said they would outsource.

However, 然而，有

的人表示會增加內部創意服務；

said there would be no changes. 則表示不會改變現行做法。

53%

said they still won’t make any changes with in-housing adtech and programmatic buying management. 的人表示不會對內部廣告技術及程序化購買管理作出任何變動，

表示會將工作外判；

Claire Sporton Senior vice-president, CX Innovation, Confirmit. Confirmit 顧客體驗創新高級副總裁

agree

34% 13%

would bring more in-house to do so, while 會將更多工作交由內部人員處理，

would outsource more. 則會將更多工作外判。

Source 資料來源: WARC Marketer’s Toolkit 2020. WWW. MARK E TING– IN TE RAC TI VE . C OM

職場

CAREERS

JOB SHUFFLE 人事變動 “Clients and brands are going through transformation, which requires agencies to upgrade their offerings from providing capabilities to business solutions.” - Cary Huang 「客戶及品牌的不斷轉型和升級，代理商的價值也相應的從提供服務升級為解決生意問題。」 — 黃浩挺

Publicis Groupe has appointed Cary Huang as its CEO of media and digital in China. He will oversee all the network’s media, digital, and commerce brands in China, including Starcom, Zenith, Spark, Performics, Digitas, Publicis Commerce, and social agency Publicis WangFan. In this position, he will report to Jane Lin-Baden, managing partner of APAC and Publicis Groupe’s CEO of North Asia. 陽獅集團任命黃浩挺為中國區媒體及數碼業務首席執行官。黃浩挺將全面負責陽獅集團旗下的中國媒體、數碼及電商品牌，包括星傳媒體、實力媒體、精銳媒體、Performics、Digitas、陽獅電商及社交營銷代理公司陽獅網帆。他將向陽獅集團亞太區管理合夥人兼北亞區首席執行官林真述職。

WPP’s creative commerce agency Geometry has appointed Jesse Lin as its APAC CEO with immediate effect. Replacing Diana Cawley, he will lead more than 1,100 employees across 17 cities tasked with delivering creative solutions and experiences to drive commercial growth. Based out of Shanghai, he will report directly to global CEO Beth Ann Kaminkow. Before taking this appointment, he served as APAC CEO at Edelman, CEO of McCann Greater China, and also held senior positions at DDB Shanghai, Wieden+Kennedy China, and Leo Burnett Hong Kong. WPP集團旗下的創意商務代理公司Geometry 任命林增瑞為亞太區行政總裁，即時生效。林增瑞將接替Diana Cawley，帶領超過1,100名員工在17個市場提供創意解決方案及體驗，以推動商業增長。他將常駐上海，直接向全球行政總裁Beth Ann Kaminkow述職。加入Geometry前，林增瑞曾任愛德曼公關亞太區行政總裁、麥肯大中華區行政總裁、以及曾在DDB 上海、Wieden + Kennedy中國及李奧貝納香港擔任高級職位。

IPG Mediabrands has appointed Ben Kwan as its CEO for Hong Kong and Taiwan, effective from 6 April. He will be based in Taipei and report to Leigh Terry, CEO of IPG Mediabrands APAC. With a career spanning the US, China, and Europe, Kwan has extensive marketing and technology industry experience across the automotive, technology, luxury, FMCG, healthcare, consumer packaged goods, entertainment, and banking sectors. He will move from his current role of managing director and board member at GroupM in Zurich, Switzerland. IPG Mediabrands任命Ben Kwan為香港及台灣地區行政總裁，4月6日起生效。他將常駐台北，並向 IPG Mediabrands亞太區行政總裁Leigh Terry 述職。 Kwan曾在美國、中國及歐洲工作，在汽車、科技、奢侈品、快速消費品、醫療保健、消費者包裝產品、娛樂及銀行等領域擁有豐富的市場推廣及科技行業經驗。履新前，他擔任GroupM瑞士蘇黎世董事總經理兼董事會成員。

Bart Buiring has been appointed chief sales and marketing officer for Marriott International Asia Pacific. Based in Hong Kong, he will oversee the company’s consumer strategies across APAC, its core hotel business, and its brands. He will also continue to build up the company’s APAC customer base, adapt Marriott Bonvoy to the local market, lead the sales organisation, and drive Marriott International’s APAC distribution and pricing strategy. 白沛霖獲任命為萬豪國際亞太區首席市場營銷官。白沛霖常駐香港，將負責規劃亞太地區的消費者策略，並掌管萬豪國際核心酒店業務及其品牌。白沛霖將繼續構建亞太客戶群，幫助萬豪國際旗下品牌及旅行計劃「萬豪旅享家」更好地融入當地市場，同時領導銷售團隊並推動萬豪國際在亞太地區的分銷及定價策略。

DDB China has promoted Matthew Cheng to the position of CEO, replacing Danny Mok who will be returning to Hong Kong. The promotion is part of the agency’s succession plan, with Cheng fulfilling a greater role as part of the China management team. Since joining DDB China three years ago, he has been instrumental in growing the agency’s local and multinational accounts for Amway, Mars Wrigley, H3C, and Unicloud, across Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou. Before DDB China, he worked for BBDO, Leo Burnett, and Grey. DDB中國任命鄭文達為首席執行官，接替將返回香港的莫熙慈。此次晉升是該公司的繼任計劃一部分，鄭文達將作為中國管理團隊一員承擔更大職務。自三年前加入DDB中國以來，鄭文達一直致力拓展該公司的本地及國際客戶，贏得安利、瑪氏箭牌、新華三及紫光雲等客戶，並在上海、北京及廣州三地幫助客戶拓展業務。加入DDB中國前，鄭文達曾任職於 BBDO、李奧貝納及葛瑞。

ON THE MOVE? LET US KNOW!

jobshuffle@marketing-interactive.com

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FE B RU ARY 2 02 0 MARK E TING HO N G KON G 5

專題報告

FEATURE

LIVING THE DREAM

How

Hong Kong s embat t led lifestyle media brands ARE STILL THRIVING

實現夢想四面楚歌的香港生活資訊媒體品牌如何繼續蓬勃發展

6 M A R K ET I N G H O N G K O N G FEBRUA R Y 2020

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專題報告

FEATURE

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FE B RU ARY 2 02 0 MARK E TING HON G KON G 7

專題報告

FEATURE

Most people enjoy a dose of enlightenment with their entertainment. And, it is fair to say, we are currently spoilt for choice when it comes to consuming informative lifestyle content, with traditional media outlets seeing competition from independent creators and providers. However, Hong Kong’s established media outfits are well-prepared to maintain their position – going from strength to strength, even amid political and economic turbulence. Simon Yuen reports. 大多數人都享受從娛樂當中獲得一點啟發。坦白說，我們目前擁有豐富的生活資訊內容選擇，而傳統媒體機構要面臨獨立創作者及供應商的競爭。儘管在政治及經濟動蕩的環境下，香港知名媒體機構已做好充分準備，以不斷鞏固自身的地位。Simon Yuen報導。

Real appeal Though we often think of media in traditional terms of hard news or pure entertainment, the platforms that offer lifestyle content have been dominating the digital era, providing a tantalising balance of fun and fact that absorbs readers. There has always been a wealth of lifestyle media outlets in Hong Kong. Yet, even compared with 10 years ago, the number of magazines, publications and platforms providing lifestyle content has surged dramatically. What’s more, the current playing field is a healthy mix of established publications that have built a reputation over decades, and a host of fresh magazines and multimedia providers founded recently. Launched in 1886, US-based magazine Cosmopolitan has been one of the longest-running international titles available in Hong Kong and has enjoyed great success. In 1984, Cosmopolitan started running a Hong Kong edition that eventually outperformed its existing Hong Kong-based counterparts such as Sisters magazine. “In the 1980s, international magazines started publishing Hong Kong editions,” says Josephine Chan, managing director of (Cosmopolitan HK publisher) SCMP Hearst. “At the time, Hong Kong people preferred Western things and when they had a chance to have a look into international titles, these publications easily became trendy and viral in a short period of time.” International titles are major players in the lifestyle media industry, but one of the 8 M A R K ET I N G H O N G K O N G FEBRUA R Y 2020

reasons they dominate the market is they have consistently localised their content. Chan cites Cosmopolitan HK as an example. Since the magazine’s inception, about half of its content has had a Hong Kong focus. Yet, aiming to stay even more relevant to readers, that proportion has shifted so that the majority of feature and article content is now local. It is a combination of two factors – that local flavour and relevance – that audiences take into account when choosing lifestyle products. That rule applies to TV programming as well. “Over the years, the core of lifestyle programmes has seen little change,” says Lofai Lo, director and general manager of viuTV. “Cooking programmes and travelogues are typical examples of lifestyle TV content, this won’t change. Lifestyle programmes are about information and entertainment. But what we have to work on is how to meet audiences’ expectations and how to execute that even better.” Hong Kong’s TV landscape has evolved significantly since 2013 when the Hong Kong government granted two licences. One to i-Cable’s Fantastic TV (now Hong Kong Open TV) and the other to PCCW’s Hong Kong Television Entertainment. Both companies started broadcasting in 2016, and since then, audiences have had far more choice than the limited terrestrial options available, such as TVB. “We knew that audiences wanted more in-depth content with substance and creativity. They now hope to see moments of drama and

真正吸引力說到媒體，通常會想到重要新聞及純娛樂等傳統定義，但提供生活資訊內容的平台一直是數碼時代的主流，這些平台在趣味與事實之間取得巧妙平衡，因而能夠吸引讀者。香港一直有很多生活資訊媒體機構，即使與10 年前相比，提供生活資訊內容的雜誌、刊物及平台數量也急劇增加。更重要的是，目前的競爭環境健康，經過數十年建立聲譽的知名刊物，與眾多近年創立的新興雜誌及多媒體平台並存。來自美國的《Cosmopolitan》創於1886 年，是香港最長壽的國際雜誌之一，並且大獲成功。《Cosmopolitan》於1984年起發行香港版雜誌，最終超越《姊妹》雜誌等香港本地對手。 SCMP Hearst（《Cosmopolitan HK》出版商）董事總經理陳慧敏說：「國際雜誌於1980年代開始出版港版雜誌，當時追捧西方事物的港人有機會閱讀國際刊物，這些刊物便輕易在短時間內大行其道。」生活資訊媒體行業以國際雜誌為主，不斷提供本地化內容是其佔市場主導地位的原因之一。陳慧敏以《Cosmopolitan HK》為例。該雜誌自創刊以來，約一半篇幅以香港內容為主。為保持與讀者更息息相關，比例已發生變化，現時大多數專題及文章屬本地內容。受眾選擇生活資訊產品時主要有兩個考慮因素：本地口味與相關性。這一點也適用於電視節目。 viuTV董事兼總經理魯庭暉說：「多年來，生活資訊節目的核心內容變化不大。」「烹飪節目及旅遊節目是典型的電視生活資訊節目內容。這不會改變。生活資訊節目提供資訊及娛樂，但我們要做的是如何滿足觀眾的期望，以及如何更好地執行。」香港的電視格局自 2013 年發生了巨大變化。那一年，香港政府向有線寬頻的奇妙電視（現稱為

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專題報告

FEATURE

「香港開電視」）及電訊盈科旗下的香港電視娛樂有限公司發出免費電視牌照，兩家公司均於2016 年起開始廣播。自那時起，觀眾除無綫電視，擁有其他選擇。魯庭暉解釋：「我們知道觀眾希望有更多具實質性及創意的深入內容，他們現時希望在不同節目中看到戲劇及現實元素，我們已滿足他們的一些要求。」一個很好的例子是 viuTV製作的受歡迎大型生活資訊節目《Good Night Show全民造星》及其第二季《全民造星II》。在兩輯節目中，各有約100名參賽者須通過唱歌或跳舞之類的表演來爭取評審青睞，當中包括人性化的元素，能夠牽動情緒，令觀眾全神貫注地收看參賽者如何為比賽作準備，以及在過程中的成長。

擴大興趣

reality across different programmes and we have answered some of their demands,” Lo explains. A prime example has been the success of the Good Night Show – King Maker and its follow-up Good Night Show – King Maker II, the two signature lifestyle shows produced by viuTV. In both programmes, around 100 contenders had to impress judges through performances such as singing or dancing. It included human elements to engage emotions as rapt audiences watched to see how the contenders prepared for the competition and grew along their journeys. Expanding appetites Lifestyle media outlets have adopted a comprehensive approach to cater to the needs of readers and audiences, as well as regular demands from clients. Media today is about more than creating content, its management has to run a title as WWW.M A R K ET I N G – I N T ER A C T I V E .C O M

a brand that offers a menu of services such as events planning and video production. “A media brand could consist of a physical magazine, several social media platforms, a website, and a mobile app,” Chan says. And just as a single brand must embrace diverse aspects, multiple brands under the same roof can find success in collaboration. At the “SCMP Hearst Vision 2020 Luncheon”, five titles – Cosmopolitan HK, ELLE, Harper’s BAZAAR HK, Esquire, and ELLE MEN – joined under one banner to engage clients. Clients who are looking for much more than a kindly worded page in print. Tom Hilditch, owner and founder of platform and publisher, Hong Kong Living, voices an opinion shared by many: “Only selling ads in a magazine is destined to fail!” More and more media outlets have started hosting events and awards as a way to engage audiences and foster collaborations with clients.

生活資訊媒體機構已採取一套綜合方式來滿足讀者、觀眾及客戶的需求。今時今日的媒體不僅要創造內容，其管理層必須將雜誌當作品牌一樣經營，提供活動策劃及影片製作等不同類型服務。陳慧敏說：「媒體品牌可包括一本印刷雜誌、多個社交媒體平台、一個網站及一個手機應用程式。」正如單一品牌必須涵蓋多方面一樣，同一集團旗下的不同品牌也可以互相合作以獲取成功。在「SCMP Hearst Vision 2020 Luncheon」活動上，該集團旗下五本雜誌《Cosmopolitan HK》、《ELLE》、《Harper’s BAZAAR HK》、《Esquire 君子雜誌》及《ELLE MEN》攜手合作，吸引尋求印刷雜誌版面報導以外服務的客戶。 Hong Kong Living平台擁有人及創辦人兼出版人Tom Hilditch提出很多人認同的觀點：「單靠銷售雜誌廣告注定會失敗！」愈來愈多媒體機構開始舉辦活動及頒獎，以聯繫受眾並促進與客戶的合作。 Hildtich說：「因為得獎者會獲得有信譽的活動主辦方認證，他們可通過獎項來獲得認可及曝光。」至於 viuTV，魯庭暉表示除廣告外，其主要收入來源包括電視節目版權費、節目聯合製作費、藝人管理費及活動製作費。

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“Because winners are verified by an organiser with credibility. They can gain recognition and exposure through the award,” Hilditch says. In viuTV’s case, Lo says its main sources of income on top of ads include licence fees for TV programmes, fees for co-producing programmes, artist management payments, and events. In January, viuTV collaborated with Pok Oi Hospital and Galaxy Microsystems to produce a TV programme to help promote eSports and celebrate the 100th anniversary of Pok Oi Hospital. It featured a range of artists as well as Hong Kong-based idol groups MIRROR and ERROR, and former contestants from the Good Night Show – King Maker. Lo says that after creating these idols, the TV station still needed to offer TV programmes and events for them to star in to gain exposure and popularity. 1 0 M AR K ET I N G H O N G K O N G FEBRUA R Y 2020

To adapt to increasing public demand for insightful, yet enjoyable content, the labourintensive media industry requires practitioners with creativity, presentation abilities, and interpersonal skills. But more importantly, the entire industry shares a great responsibility. “Be open-minded and willing to explore new opportunities,” Chan says. “Writers need to handle print, digital content, mobile text, and social media platforms, all of them have different audiences. For us, we have competitors on every platform as well, and that’s why we have to embrace challenges to stay afloat.” Lo says programme producers cannot rest on their laurels, and to surpass what they have achieved, must move on. However, this comes with a caveat. “Don’t forget the mistakes you have made. You can learn a lot from failure. While being adaptable to change is necessary, programme producers have to be passionate about creating and not to indulge in their glory of the past.” But Hilditch, whose publications have a different audience – catering mainly to expats – has another goal for his readers. “I have been living in Hong Kong for years and I want to give them something that is

viuTV於1月夥拍博愛醫院及影馳科技有限公司製作特備電視節目，以推廣電競運動，並慶祝博愛醫院成立100週年。一眾藝人及《全民造星》出身的本港偶像團體 MIRROR及ERROR共同參與該節目。魯庭暉指造星之後，電視台仍要為他們提供參演電視節目及活動的機會，以爭取曝光及人氣。為迎合大眾對深入有趣內容的不斷增長需求，勞動密集式的媒體行業要求從業人員具備創意、表達能力及人際交往技巧，但更重要的是，整個行業共同肩負起一個重大責任。陳慧敏說：「需要具備開放思維，願意探索新機會。」「撰稿人需要處理印刷刊物、數碼內容、手機文本及社交媒體平台，這些平台各有不同的受眾。我們在每個平台都有競爭對手，因此要勇於接受挑戰才能繼續生存。」魯庭暉表示，節目製作人不能固步自封，要超越以往的成就，就必須繼續邁步向前。但他警告：「不要忘記曾犯的錯誤，從失敗之中可以學到很多東西。適應轉變的同時，節目製作人必須對創作充滿熱誠，並且不要沉迷於其過去的輝煌成就。」 Hilditch的刊物以不同讀者群為目標，主要以外籍人士為主，他對其讀者還有另一個目標。他說：「我在香港生活多年，我想讓他們認識一些圍繞在身邊的事物，以及告訴他們如何探索這個城市。閱讀我們的內容後，我希望他們的生活質素能有『10%的提升』。」艱難時期經營一家現代媒體公司絕非易事。行業間的激烈競爭是一個一直存在的問題，但自2019年中美貿易緊張局勢升溫，以及香港持續的社會動蕩，業界面臨措手不及的困難，令廣告商不願花錢。

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reachable and tell them how to navigate in the city. After reading our content, I hope they can have a ‘10% better’ life,” he says. Troubled times Running a modern media company is never an easy task; fierce competition in the industry is an ever-present problem. But since 2019’s elevation of Sino-US trade tensions and the start of Hong Kong’s ongoing social unrest, unfamiliar difficulties have been presented, as shaken advertisers have been reluctant to spend. As an industry veteran with more than 30 years of experience, Chan agrees the city’s unprecedented issues – now exacerbated by the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak – has hit the industry hard. “Some advertisers do not want any exposure and awareness during social unrest. We can only prepare for a comeback after the storm,” she says. “But it is the time for a restructure in the industry. Only the fittest will survive.” Despite the challenging environment, some media outlets have still managed to maintain a healthy cash flow, even if reduced. For example, in its interim report, the Hong Kong Economic Times Group reported a net profit of HK$11.0 million for the first half of the 2019 financial year, but it was still a significant decline when compared with its 2018 figure of HK$42.2 million. Looking closer reveals the group’s ad revenue – mainly contributed to by its printed publications and digital platforms – have decreased by 8%. Yet, digital advertising income generated from platforms such as lifestyle, recruitment, and finance was growing. This compensated part of the losses taken by the printed publications. WWW.M A R K ET I N G – I N T ER A C T I V E .C O M

In light of information such as this, all our interviewees voice that lifestyle media still has a future. “Some English lifestyle brands are quite successful and Hong Kong still has the freest [lifestyle] media in Asia. It’s our strength,” Hilditch says. Chan thinks video content will eventually dominate the lifestyle media landscape. “You can easily get this conclusion after checking how the younger generation consume media content. As a media business, we offer comprehensive training to employees, hire more talented media practitioners, and create more dedicated teams to produce different types of content,” she says. And there are plenty of opportunities ahead in broadcast, Lo says. “When a person has gone through different life stages, he or she may have a broader appetite. This is one of the reasons for the rising demand for quality content. It’s about how you can create something that is up to the quality to satisfy the audience.”

作為一位擁有超過30年經驗的業界資深人士，陳慧敏同意香港正面臨前所未有的問題，現時加上武漢冠狀病毒疫情使情況雪上加霜，對業界造成沉重打擊。她說：「一些廣告客戶在社會動盪時期不希望有任何曝光及宣傳，我們只能為暴風雨過後捲土重來作準備。」「但現時是業界重組的時候，只有適者才能生存。」儘管環境充滿挑戰，即使收入減少，但一些媒體機構仍能維持穩健的現金流。例如香港經濟日報集團的中期報告顯示，該集團2019年上半年財政年度的中期盈利達1,100萬港元，但仍較2018年同期的 4,220萬港元顯著大跌。仔細觀察發現，該集團主要來自印刷刊物及數碼平台的廣告收入下跌 8%，但來自生活資訊、招聘及財經等平台的數碼廣告收入正在增長，彌補了印刷刊物的部分虧損。根據這樣的情況，所有受訪者均表示生活資訊媒體仍有未來。 Hilditch說：「一些英語生活資訊品牌非常成功，而香港仍然擁有亞洲最自由的（生活資訊）媒體市場，這是我們的優勢。」陳慧敏認為影片內容最終將主導生活資訊媒體領域。她說：「看看年輕一代消費媒體內容的習慣，便能輕易得出這一結論。作為一家媒體企業，我們為員工提供全面的培訓、聘請更多有才華的媒體從業人員、並建立更多專業團隊來製作不同類型的內容。」魯庭暉解釋指廣播行業的未來蘊藏著大量機遇。「當一個人經歷不同的人生階段，或者會有較廣泛的興趣，這是對高質素內容需求上升的原因之一，關鍵在於如何創作高質素的內容來滿足受眾的要求。」

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觀點

OPINION

Scotty Ho Strategy director Wavemaker Hong Kong

AD WATCH 廣告點評

HOT: K FC THE HOTTEST COLONEL EVER – ‘VIRTUAL INFLUENCER’

NOT: DOVE CASH COUPON SEQUENTIAL VOICE AD IN JOOX

KFC created a social stunt launching its own virtual influencer, Colonel Sanders, the first-ever computer-generated brand ambassador among global fast-food giants. The hot Colonel had a two-week Instagram Takeover, showcasing an Insta-famous daily life KFC intended as a parody of the social influencer culture. Bringing a popular fast-food mascot to life was novel and entertaining. Eye candy with a hipster outlook, a recipe tattoo on chiselled abs, the virtual Colonel takes his followers on an envy-inducing journey via his Instagram posts and stories with brags about a virtual model girlfriend and shots of his high-flying lifestyle on his private jet. KFC did well by taking on the virtual influencer trend, backed by good storytelling and real paid partnerships with Dr. Pepper, Old Spice, TurboTax, and Casper, to lightly mock brand sponsorships. The campaign drove new brand images, new fans, and created positive consumer relationships, ticking all the big social media checkboxes. I actually started to follow KFC’s Instagram page after the Colonel’s landing, and am secretly hoping we get to see more of him again!

There are many streaming sites used for music discovery and promotion that brands tap on to amplify their services. JOOX is one such popular platform with intriguing and engaging content. However, my experience with a sequential voice ad for promotion offers in JOOX has turned me off completely as I’ll recreate now. Listening to my favourite playlist – *“Dove gives you $5 cash coupon while you shop in ...”* – my music returns – “A reminder to you that Dove gives you $5 cash coupon …” – my playlist is back – “Last chance for you to take this $5 cash coupon ...” – I hit stop. Bombarding users with repetitive content might be a quick and easy trick for brands, but if done incorrectly in the wrong context, it will leave users with a bad user experience, impression, and literally turned off. I was considering taking up a paid subscription just to avoid these annoying ads. Brands must be smart in positioning their ad content and messaging, and where possible, take creative spins so they can captivate their intended audience in the right time and place.

讚:肯德基歷來最炙手可熱的「虛擬網紅上校」

彈: Joox的Dove現金券連續語音廣告

肯德基推出虛擬網紅上校Colonel Sanders，是全球快餐業巨頭當中首位電腦合成的品牌代言人，在社交媒體掀起熱話。這位網紅上校模仿其他網紅的做法，接管肯德基的Instagram帳號兩個星期，展示吸引Instagram粉絲的日常生活。將著名快餐吉祥物變成栩栩如生的主意新穎有趣。虛擬上校外表新潮，健碩的腹肌上刻有配方紋身，令人眼前一亮。他通過吹噓其虛擬模特兒女友的Instagram帖文及故事，以及乘坐私人飛機的豪華生活相片，向粉絲展示令人羨慕的生活。肯德基善用虛擬網紅趨勢，配合出色的講故事技巧，並真金白銀與Dr. Pepper、Old Spice、Turbotax及Casper等品牌合作，稍稍嘲諷一下品牌贊助。該社交媒體推廣為品牌建立新形象、吸引新粉絲、並與消費者建立正面關係，在各方面都做得很出色。網紅上校登陸後，我的確開始追蹤肯德基的帳號，並暗自希望可以再次看到更多有關他的消息！

品牌運用許多用作發掘及推廣音樂的串流網站來宣傳其服務，Joox是其中一個擁有具吸引力內容的受歡迎平台，但Joox宣傳品牌優惠的連續語音廣告卻帶給我相當不愉快的體驗，我現在重述一下過程：我在聆聽喜歡的播放清單：*「在...購物時，Dove送你$5現金券」* — 重新播放我的音樂 — 「溫馨提示，Dove送你$5現金券...」 — 重回我的播放清單 — 「最後機會領取$5現金券」，我按下停止。對品牌而言，用重複內容來疲勞轟炸用戶或者是一種快捷方便的宣傳方式，但如果在錯誤的情境下不當使用，則會給用戶帶來不良體驗、印象、甚至被關掉。我當時在考慮登記收費訂閱，只為避開這些煩人的廣告。品牌必須以明智的方式宣傳其廣告內容及訊息，可以的話多些運用創意，才能在合適的時間及地點吸引目標受眾。

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SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING ................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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Serving better content for the refined social user’s palate 提供更佳內容迎合高品味社交用戶需求 Every sun eventually sets, and it seems decidedly clear the easy golden age of social media has drawn to a close. For most of the past decade, even having a profile on each of the big platforms, and posting the occasional news update, meme, or cat picture, would be enough to maintain a decent interest from audiences. And even by the end of 2019, some brands had barely caught up to that level. But attempting to treat social media marketing like it’s a set of keys jangling in front of an infant is no longer going to cut it. The initial novelty wow factor of social media has worn off and audiences are becoming far more selective about how they spend their time online. However, this does not at all spell the end for social media’s worth to brands, it still continues to be a precious resource. It only means that a new day of better, relatable, curated content for the discerning social user is dawning. And unlike the last time, marketers are starting the era with a base understanding of working within the online world. Yet, in order to truly hit the ground running, practitioners will need to understand why audiences have become much pickier and what it is that’s now driving their interest and holding their attention. In this Master Report, Jeffrey Hau, director of PRIZM, offers his expertise and advice on making the most of what your brand posts in the silver years to come.

每一處的太陽都會落山，社交媒體的輕鬆黃金時代顯然已接近尾聲。在過去十年的大部分時間，只需在每個大型平台上建立個人檔案，並偶爾發布新聞更新、網絡紅物或貓圖片，也足以維持受眾的莫大興趣。甚至到了2019年底，一些品牌都只是僅僅達到那個水平。但嘗試將社交媒體營銷當作一串放在嬰兒面前晃動的鑰匙已不再奏效，社交媒體最初的新鮮感已逐漸消失，受眾對於如何消磨其上網時間愈來愈揀擇。但這並不表示社交媒體對品牌已完全沒有價值，它依然是一種寶貴的資源，只是新時代的黎明已經來臨，現時要為精明的社交媒體用戶提供更好、相關且精心打造的內容。與上一次不同，市場推廣人員這次是在基本了解網絡世界內部運作模式的情況下開闢這個新時代。但要真正一舉成功，從業人員將需要了解受眾為何變得愈來愈挑剔，以及現時有甚麼東西可引起他們的興趣並吸引他們注意。在今期「Master Report」，Prizm 總監侯晉熙分享他的專業知識及建議，助品牌在接下來的銀色歲月裡發揮品牌帖文的最佳成效。

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If we had to vote for one invention that took up the largest portion of our daily lives over the past decade, social media would probably win the crown. Marketers have invested immense effort and resources into building communities, nurturing engagements, and adapting to the rapid changes in gameplay and house rules. Many of us have been left wondering what is “next” for social media. In my own case, I have more often as of late seen the buzzword “digital detox” appear, especially in the west. The term has arisen as netizens are starting to feel overloaded by the sheer amount of content they receive on various social media channels. Some advocate that we should shut off our phones and social media once in a while to embrace reality and face-to-face communication.

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The resulting drop cannot be merely attributed to users changing their preferred platform (for example, youngsters choosing Instagram over Facebook), rather it is a decline in average time spent across all networks. In 2019, eMarketer noted that – for the very first time – the US recorded one minute less of social activity. That’s in comparison to the cumulative 13 minutes gained between 2015 to 2017. Meanwhile, across the pond, an Exposure Ninja report from May 2019 claimed 33% of UK adults are reducing their social media use. Example actions included the removal of social media apps and suspension of accounts. Some of the top reasons for the reduction included information overload, a perception it was a waste of time, and a lack of trust in content such as with fake news.

如果要投選過去十年一項佔據我們日常生活最大部分的發明，社交媒體應該會當選冠軍。市場推廣人員投放了大量精力及資源來建立社區、培養聯繫、並適應遊戲規則及內部規則的迅速變化。許多人都想知道社交媒體的「下一步發展」會是怎樣。就我自己而言，最近我經常看到「數碼排毒」這個流行語出現，尤其是在西方。這個詞語源於網民開始覺得從各種社交媒體渠道上接收過量內容，有人主張我們應不時關閉電話及社交媒體，回歸現實及面對面的交流。使用量下跌不能僅歸咎於用戶對平台的喜好轉變（例如年輕人喜歡 Instagram多於 Facebook），事實上所有網絡平台的平均使用時間均有所減少。《eMarketer》於2019年首次指出，美國用戶在社交媒體上的活動時間減少了1分鐘，相比之下，2015至 2017年間累計增加13分鐘。同時在地球的另一邊，《Exposure Ninja》的2019年5月份報告稱，33%的

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Expectations and preparations for the tidal wave I am not, of course, suggesting to marketers and brands that we all steer away from social Rather, we have to understand both the potential impact of this constantly changing digital world and how current strategies should adapt to it. In brief, the time that netizens allocate to social networks will be at a premium, and thus, content must yield meaningful and valuable interactions to earn every moment. Building a community, brick by brick, group by group Thanks to fierce competition and the emphasis platforms have placed on paid advertisements, brands that possess large social media

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followings continue to grumble about almost non-existent engagement. One of the trends we’ve seen is the rise of community groups or even closed groups such as on various messaging apps. For instance, Facebook recently started to roll out enhanced suites of tools and features for its Group function. Watch Party was launched in 2018 to let users comment on videos simultaneously, further strengthening a sense of close community and shared contribution among members. Another crucial addition was the added capability for marketers to manage a group and – by installing specific pixel codes – potentially track user actions on their websites after engaging with content within the group setting. This revamped focus on community

英國成年人正減少使用社交媒體，相關行動包括刪除社交媒體應用程式及暫停帳戶。減少使用社交媒體的一些主要原因包括資訊過量、認為浪費時間、以及對假新聞等內容缺乏信任。浪潮的期望及準備當然，我並非建議市場推廣人員及品牌遠離社交網絡，而是必須了解這個不斷變化的數碼世界的潛在影響，以及當前策略應如何予以適應。簡言之，網民分配給社交網絡的時間非常寶貴，因此內容必須推動有意義且有價值的互動，以善用每一個時刻。一點一滴，建立社區由於競爭激烈，以及各平台已將焦點放在收費廣告之上，擁有大量社交媒體追隨者的品牌繼續對幾乎不存在的聯繫作出抱怨。已看到的趨勢之一，是各種通訊應用程式上的社區群組、甚至是封閉群組的興

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起，例如Facebook最近開始為其群組功能推出升級工具及功能套件，於 2018年推出「Watch Party」，讓用戶一邊觀看影片一邊發表評論，進一步加強社區親密感，並促進社區成員之間的分享互動。另一個新增重要功能是提升市場推廣人員的群組管理能力，通過安裝特定像素代碼，用戶與群組設置內的內容進行互動之後，市場推廣人員可追蹤用戶在其頁面的行為。這項以社區為重點的更新鼓勵用戶發掘更多相關內容，而隨著使用量增加，內容將變得更個人化。

encourages users to discover more relevant content that will become more personalised the more they consume. Ask not what social media can do for you. Ask what you can do on your social media channel! Sophisticated users demand content on social media pages which resonates with the lifestyle they want to live, and they are not particularly interested in solely sales-driven information. They are looking for authenticity in their chosen content and want to know this ephemera won’t be found in other channels either offline or digital. TikTok best illustrates this trend, having attracted a billion users over such a short time by presenting timeless personalised content. Revisiting the long and short-term KPIs for each of your channels is a must. You should find there is “inspirational content” (stimulating people to know about your products and/ or offers) and there is “aspirational content

(establishing a sustained compulsion for and influence on the users). And just as we should be rewarded by the quality of work we deliver and not the hours we work, frequency is not the winning formula of social media. Valueless content – as decided by the audience, not the boss – will no longer be able to beat the algorithm and flood user timelines. One last point that’s worth noting is that we should expect micro-influencers – ones with a range of say, a few hundred to a few thousand followers – to play a greater role in future engagement campaigns, as users begin to doubt the authenticity and credibility of influencers with massive followings. Additionally, micro-influencers often build a better rapport with their followers. In short, it’s time to dispose of the “bigger is better” mindset and provide users with content that reflects their lifestyles and to make sure the brand is tied up with that relevancy in their daily life.

不要問社交媒體可以為您做甚麼，問自己可在社交媒體渠道上做甚麼！精明的用戶期望社交媒體頁面上的內容能與其理想的生活方式產生共鳴，他們對單純推銷的資訊並不特別感興趣。他們希望其選擇的內容真實，並希望不會在線下或網上其他渠道找到相同的短暫內容。抖音最能代表這一趨勢，該應用程式通過展示無時限的個人化內容，在如此短時間內吸引十億用戶。重新審視每個渠道的長期及短期關鍵績效指標（KPI）是必須的。當中有「鼓勵內容」（吸引大眾了解您的產品及／或優惠），並且有「期望內容」（建立對用戶的持續推動及影響）。正如我們應按工作成品質量而非工作時間來獲得嘉獎一樣，頻率並非社交媒體的致勝法寶。內容是否有價值取決於受眾而非老闆，無價值的內容將不能再瞞騙算法並淹沒用戶的時間軸。最後值得一提的一點是，隨著用戶開始對擁有大量粉絲的網紅的真實性及可信度產生懷疑，擁有數百至數千名追隨者的微網紅將在未來的聯繫活動中發揮更大作用，此外微網紅通常與其追隨者建立起較好的關係。簡言之，是時候摒棄「愈多愈好」的心態，為用戶提供反映其生活方式的內容，並確保品牌與日常生活保持息息相關。

ABOUT PRIZM Group Based in Hong Kong, PRIZM Group is Asia’s specialist in digital marketing, eCommerce, and payment processing technology. As the winner of numerous local and international awards and recognitions, PRIZM Group strives to break conventional boundaries and deliver ground-breaking insights in the digital era by providing onestop solutions to integrated digital marketing, eCommerce management and operation, and online and mobile payment technology. 關於PRIZM GROUP PRIZM Group以香港為總部，是亞洲一間集合數碼市場推廣、電子商貿及支付科技的綜合公司。PRIZM Group多年來獲得本地及海外多個殊榮，致力在數碼年代打破常規，結合數碼市場推廣、電子商貿管理及營運，以及網上和流動支付科技系統，為商戶帶來一站式的方案，應付業務所需。

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SPOTLIGHT

SNAPPED 快拍 “Mick” the Holidays Bright campaign DATE: 10 January to 16 February. VENUE: Fashion Walk, Grand Plaza, Hollywood Plaza, Gala Place, Amoy Plaza, Kornhill Plaza, and Peak Galleria 1. Fashion Walk’s entrance housed

a Mickey Mouse installation based on the latest “Neon Mickey Theme Town” style guide.

2. A pop-up store was set up at Fashion Walk, offering a wide range of Mickey Mouse products.

3. Hang Lung Properties invited

Keung’s Dragon & Lion Dance team to craft two Mickey Mouse-inspired lion heads, which were used in the performance. 4. Housewares manufacturer Red-A worked with fashion boutique INCREDIBLE and Disney to offer an exhibition showcasing Mickey Mouse products and collections.

A Voyage into Prosperous Splendour Preview DATE: 14 January. VENUE: Pacific Place. 1. Aiming to recreate the Chinoiserie spirit of romance and nostalgia, the installation added a festive atmosphere with a bounty of flowers. 2. Auspicious elements on the

exterior of a towering lantern installation included wish lanterns hanging off branches, a grouping of birds arranged in a tree, and a flurry of cherry blossoms.

3. The towering lantern installation

housed 88 hanging lanterns, offering a kaleidoscope of colours.

4. Crafted by Hong Kong-based home décor brand LALA CURIO, the installation included 12 contemporary lanterns that hung from the ceiling.

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SPOTLIGHT

TUMI’s Spring 2020 Collection Media Preview DATE: 17 January. VENUE: The Great Room. 1. The event took place in The

Great Room, a co-working space at Taikoo Place, with a VIP party to celebrate the launch of the latest collection.

2. TUMI redesigned its Harrison

collection to include refinements such as lightly embossed leather, a sophisticated new logo treatment, and an enhanced zipper puller.

3. The new collection offers a

wide range of products such as luggage, backpacks, and bags with technical innovations.

“FWD Insurance: Hong Kong Story Walk – Miniature Hong Kong” Exhibition DATE: 16 January to 8 March. VENUE: House 1881. 1. The exhibition features the works of Hong Kong-based micro-modelling studio TOMA Miniatures. Five different zones display mini replicas of classic Hong Kong scenes.

2. The setting and decoration of

the exhibition aims to recreate the daily lives of old Hong Kong.

3. Nine new models are showcased in the exhibition, including a scene of the Cheung Chau Bun Festival; the Piu Sik Parade in Cheung Chau; and the Petty Person Beating ritual in Causeway Bay. 4. The Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance

was another of the new creations showcased at the exhibition.

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ON A ROLL! 勢如破竹 2 2 M A R K ET I N G H O N G K O N G FEBRUA R Y 2020

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How Cinnabon’s Hong Kong opening shows a shift in local F&B Cinnabon在港開業如何反映本地餐飲業的轉變 A staple of airports stateside, a major plot point in Better Call Saul, and the only brand that comes instantly to mind when one thinks of cinnamon rolls. Cinnabon is a brand that surely should have tried to make its mark in Hong Kong at some point. Yet, it is only now the brand is finally launching in the territory. Rick Boost asks what makes now the right time for the brand to finally make its debut. 美國機場的主要美食，《絕命律師》的主要場景，而且一想到肉桂捲定必立即想到這個品牌。Cinnabon早應嘗試進軍香港，但直至最近才終於正式登陸香港。Rick Boost探討是甚麼原因令該品牌最終決定在這個時候來港開業。

The why Few would rate the spring of 2020 as the optimal time to be launching a new F&B brand in Hong Kong. For several months, intense civil unrest has hit visitor rates and revenues of eateries across the city hard. And if that wasn’t enough of a challenge, the sudden appearance and spread of the Wuhan coronavirus from the Chinese Mainland has cast a pall of fear over consumers, and left many popular entertainment areas devoid of activity. But when Marketing describes the city’s current troubles as an obstacle, Reach Out Philosophy’s director Steven Yang looks on the bright side, saying: “It’s also the best time to negotiate rent; Hong Kong is always about rent, rent, rent, along with location, location, location. But I think over the last six months WWW.M A R K ET I N G – I N T ER A C T I V E .C O M

I’ve seen far friendlier landlords!” Indeed, while anyone in the F&B industry couldn’t be blamed for fearing these dark clouds overhead, Yang is only seeing cinnamon silver linings. He founded his holding company with a single goal, and nary a doubt in mind, to bring US baked goods chain Cinnabon to Hong Kong. Founded in Seattle in 1985, Cinnabon (which is best known for serving its signature cinnamon rolls) has expanded over three decades to 1,200 locations in more than 50 countries. But while immensely popular branches already dot APAC in countries such as Japan, Korea, and most recently Australia, no attempt had been made on anywhere in Greater China. It was a single meal that left Yang baffled by the lack of a Cinnabon presence in his hometown. Two and a half years ago when

原因很少人會認為2020年春季是在香港推出新餐飲品牌的最佳時機。多月以來，激烈的社會動盪令訪港旅客人數大跌，嚴重打擊本地餐飲業收入。這樣還算不上挑戰的話，中國內地傳入的武漢冠狀病毒突然來襲，引起消費者恐慌，並導致許多受歡迎娛樂場所的活動煞停。正當《Marketing》將本港目前的困境形容為障礙時，Reach Out Philosophy總監Steven Yang卻看到好的一面，並說：「這也是就租金議價的最佳時機。香港永遠離不開租金、租金、租金，還有位置、位置、位置的話題，但過去六個月，我認為遇到的業主比以往友善得多。」的確，餐飲業難免對目前籠罩著香港的陰霾感到憂慮，但Yang只看到曙光。他成立自己的控股公司只有一個目標，就是一心一意將美國烘焙食品連鎖店Cinnabon帶到香港。 1985年，以招牌肉桂捲聞名的Cinnabon成立於西雅圖，其業務遍佈愈50國，共1,200個地點。 FE B RU ARY 2 02 0 MARK E TING HONG KON G 2 3

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on a foreign business trip, he had bought a Cinnabon roll at a mall to stave off his hunger from endless meetings. But rather than being a forgettable belly filler, at close to midnight that night he was still lying in his hotel room racking his brain about why the lingering taste was so familiar. On returning to Hong Kong, he discussed it with his friend – and now fellow Reach Out Philosophy director, Alle Siu – who recalled how much she loved eating Cinnabon during her time studying at university in Boston. Yang recalls: “I asked, why is this not in Hong Kong? Because something that’s good, something that’s unique, something that’s an authentic American dessert bakery …. how come that’s not in Hong Kong? What’s the problem?” So, with Siu as his partner, Yang dived into extensive research on the brand before eventually reaching out to Cinnabon’s owners, Focus Brands. But despite their evident passion, the pair’s lack of experience in an F&B background made for a shaky first impression. 2 4 M A R K ET I N G H O N G K O NG FEBR UARY 2020

Siu had primarily worked in trading and manufacturing, while Yang’s jobs had also been in manufacturing, as well as HR. Focus Brands had coincidentally begun looking at taking the Cinnabon brand to Hong Kong, but was nervous about Siu and Yang’s capability. It took some convincing, as Yang describes: “A bit of passion and seriousness and steadfastness.” When an international rep visited Hong Kong, he was allotted just 45 minutes to speak with him. But over three hours later, the meeting was still going and by hour four he knew he’d get the green light. “I gave him my analysis and research on Hong Kong: what’s the market and what the penetration should be. What was similar and didn’t work and what worked really well.” And there was certainly a lot to say on that front. The who For quite some time, western fast-food outlets – apart from the well-established titans that

雖然分店遍佈日本、韓國、以至最近的澳洲等亞太區國家，並且廣受歡迎，但該品牌仍未嘗試踏足大中華地區的任何地方。一頓飯令Yang對於 Cinnabon未有在其成長地開業感到不解。兩年半前他到國外出差，經過一連串的會議之後，他在一家商場買了一件Cinnabon肉桂捲來充飢。那件肉桂捲令他念念不忘，直至那天晚上接近午夜，他仍躺在酒店房間裡絞盡腦汁，思索為何那種揮之不去的味道如此熟悉。回港之後，他與朋友討論這個問題，這位朋友正是現時同為Reach Out Philosophy總監的Alle Siu，後者回想起她在波士頓讀大學時有多喜歡光顧 Cinnabon。 Y a n g 回憶說：「我問，香港為何沒有 Cinnabon？那是高質素、獨一無二、正宗的美國烘焙甜品，香港為何沒有分店？當中有甚麼問題？」因此與 Siu合作下，Yang對該品牌進行深入的研究，然後終於與 Cinnabon的品牌擁有者 Focus Brands取得聯繫。儘管充滿熱誠，但兩位合夥人缺乏餐飲業的經驗，第一印象難免令人有點缺乏信心。 Siu之前主要從事貿易及製造業，而Yang的工作亦涉及製造業及人力資源管理。Focus Brands當時正巧合地開始考慮將Cinnabon品牌引入香港，但卻擔心Siu與Yang的能力。 WWW. MARK E TING– IN TE RAC TI VE . C OM

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“We still have

seven million people in Hong Kong, snacking won’t go away.”

「香港仍有700萬人，零食將不會消失。」正如Yang所形容，要令人信服，靠的是「一點熱情、認真及堅定。」當品牌派出一位國際代表到訪香港時，他僅獲分配45分鐘的會面時間。但三個多小時後，會面仍然繼續。到了第四個小時，他知道自己成功了。「我向他展示自己對香港的分析及研究：市場如何、滲透率應有多少、有甚麼類似的品牌、有甚麼不可行、以及有甚麼真正有效。」這方面肯定有很多話要說。

對象

are KFC and McDonald’s – haven’t found it particularly easy to secure a foothold in Hong Kong. Notably in 2008, donut chain Krispy Kreme, a worldwide favourite for consumers, was forced to close all seven of its local branches within two years of launching. Yang comments that the city’s food scene is mainly owned by a few key players saying: “For individual players, it could be quite challenging because Hong Kong is quite expensive and it’s quite tough. You need to think about what is really right to make it work. Unless you have loads of money to burn from a corporate perspective, it could be quite difficult to last.” Furthermore, despite the city’s glowing reputation for international dining, other less developed Asian markets have actually shown much faster growth in the range of international affordable eateries. But something has shifted, as in recent years the city has seen younger trendy fastfood brands such as Five Guys and Shake Shack test the local waters again. WWW.M A R K ET I N G – I N T ER A C T I V E .C O M

“This is exactly why I thought it would work in Hong Kong for Cinnabon because people have been getting bored,” he comments. “People travel quite frequently these days. When people go to the US, Singapore, or Vietnam, they see something different they want to try. If you look at consumer research they will say that world consumers want something different.” One of the methods Yang hopes will get Hong Kong customers hooked on this unknown entity isn’t just the cinnamon, it’s the java. From his research, he found that unlike its US branches, Cinnabon outlets in Korea and Japan had solidified their reputations through quality coffee. Likewise, Cinnabon in Hong Kong will similarly be serving a unique Japanese roasters coffee blend. What’s more, he believes Hong Kong consumers are ready to accept the badge of quality despite it not being from a traditional coffee shop. “The coffee culture in Hong Kong is growing, it’s changing, and it’s evolving. In the

一直以來，除了肯德基及麥當勞等知名大企業外，西方快餐店都難以在港立足。最明顯的例子是在2008 年，受全球消費者喜愛的冬甩連鎖店Krispy Kreme 在港開業未夠兩年，便無奈結束全線七家本地分店。 Yang指本港餐飲業主要由少數大型經營者主導，並說：「對獨立經營者來說可能非常具挑戰性，因為香港物價相當昂貴，而且經營環境十分困難，必須思考真正行之有效的正確方式。除非企業有大量資金可消耗，否則難以維持下去。」此外，儘管香港在國際餐飲方面享有盛譽，但實際上在可負擔價格的國際餐廳方面，其他發展較後的亞洲市場出現明顯較快的增長。但情況已發生變化，本港近年看到Five Guys及 Shake Shack等較年輕的潮流快餐品牌再次測試本地水溫。他說：「大眾開始覺得目前的環境沉悶，這正是我認為Cinnabon在香港會成功的原因。」「大眾現時經常出外旅遊，當他們前往美國、新加坡或越南，看到一些不同的事物都會想嘗試。消費者研究指出，世界各地的消費者希望嘗試一些與別不同的事物。」 Yang希望令本港顧客迷上這個未知品牌的方法之一不僅是靠肉桂，而是咖啡。根據他的研究，Yang 發現有別於其美國分店，Cinnabon 在韓國及日本的分店是靠優質咖啡來鞏固自己的聲譽，而香港的 Cinnabon 分店將同樣提供獨特的日本烘焙混合咖啡。

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The team bringing Cinnabon to HK: (Left to right) Chance Communications chief consultant Jeff Chan and Reach Out Philosophy Limited directors Alle Siu, and Steven Yang. 負責將Cinnabon品牌引入香港的團隊（從左至右）：Chance Communications首席顧問Jeff Chan，以及 Reach Out Philosophy Limited總監Alle Siu 與Steven Yang。

old days in Hong Kong it used to be the cha chaan teng milk coffee. Now expectations are higher and people are looking for better coffee. Nobody thought that McCafé coffee would do well, but it’s not bad!” He suspects the city’s rapid growth of its coffee culture as having sprouted out of the previous duopoly of Starbucks and Pacific Coffee; close to the only game in town for a decade. Yang posits: “Over the last five years there have been so many individual coffee shops popping up, neighbourhood shops. I did my rough figures, that there would be about two or three hundred of these small shops, so where are these people from? These people must have worked in Starbucks or Pacific Coffee before!” The where Yang wants to make Cinnabon a household name in a city where the majority of people have likely never heard of it, never mind tasted it. But he believes in the power of the brand. “If you look at Cinnabon in the US, there’s only been imitation, not replication. So they’re still the hero product, unique and on their own. When you talk about cinnamon rolls, Cinnabon is the king. That is really the marketing effect I want to hit in Hong Kong.” But surprisingly, rather than set up shop in an eye-catching island-side location such as Shake Shack’s IFC balcony perch, or Five 2 6 M A R K ET I N G H O N G K O NG FEBR UARY 2020

Guys’ premium Wan Chai spot, Hong Kong’s first Cinnabon is situated in the humble setting of the Olympian City mall in West Kowloon. And though the more forgiving level of rent was definitely a factor in choosing the place as the testing grounds for this international brand, Yang says it was by design. That not only was this neighbourhood safely far enough from the regular clashes between protesters and police in districts such as Central and Tsim Sha Tsui, the site also presented a perfect cocktail of customers. “If you look at Olympian it’s actually a good community,” Yang says. “It’s high-end middle class, right next to the ICC. A lot of people who work in the ICC would be living around that location. So that Western culture perspective is not missing. People coming from an international background are not missing. People who can spend a decent price are not missing. And we’re surrounded by six international kindergartens. Families.” Yang also believes there are several sites on both sides of the harbour that also maintain pools of educated professionals similar to Olympian City. Groupings of affluent people who likely took higher education in North America, or are well-travelled enough to have previously tried the product. He says that a matter of days ago when visiting the Olympian site, a passerby stopped

此外，Yang認為香港消費者已準備好接受來自非傳統咖啡店的優質咖啡標籤。「香港的咖啡文化正在成長、變化及發展，香港人以往習慣喝茶餐廳的牛奶咖啡，但現時期望升高，大眾正追求更優質的咖啡。沒有人想到McCafé會成功，但做得還不錯！」他懷疑香港的咖啡文化迅速發展，是源於以往壟斷市場近十年的星巴克及太平洋咖啡。 Yang 假設：「過去五年，有很多獨立咖啡小店湧現，我粗略估計這類小店有大約二三百間，那些人從何而來？他們一定曾在星巴克或太平洋咖啡工作！」

地點大多數香港人都可能未曾聽過Cinnabon的名字，更遑論品嚐其產品，但Yang相信品牌的力量，更希望將其變成香港家傳戶曉的名字。「看看美國的Cinnabon，只有模仿，不是複製，因此其仍然是皇牌產品，獨特且獨當一面。談到肉桂捲，Cinnabon是首選，這正是我希望在香港做到的宣傳效果。」但令人意想不到的是，Cinnabon在香港的第一家分店，並非像Shake Shack及Five Guys一樣分別選擇國際金融中心商場中庭及灣仔黃金地段這類引人注目的港島區地點，而是選擇較低調的西九龍奧海城商場。較相宜的租金絕對是該國際品牌選擇該地點作為試點的一個因素，但Yang表示這是故意的選擇。該地點不僅遠離中環及尖沙咀等經常出現示威者與警察衝突的地區，而且還有理想的客源。 Yang說：「奧海城其實是一個很好的社區。」 WWW. MARK E TING– IN TE RAC TI VE . C OM

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「這裡是高級中產社區，毗鄰環球貿易廣場，很多在環球貿易廣場上班的人住在附近，因此區內充滿西方文化氣息，有很多來自不同背景的國際人士，消費力也不弱。而且我們周圍有六間國際幼稚園，有很多家庭。」 Yang亦認為，維港兩岸亦有多個類似奧海城的地點，聚集很多受過教育的專業人士，有很多在北美接受過高等教育、或者周遊列國品嚐過該產品的富裕人士。 Yang表示幾天前到奧海城門店時，一位途人停在店門外，明顯地聞了一下。問到該名男途人是否認識品牌，他回答指自己曾在加拿大讀書，這股香味令他回想起那個遙遠的家。 Yang認為，那種觸發記憶的「香味營銷」將會是關鍵。氣味令人難忘，無論是今天還是明天，它都會吸引人回來，走入店舖再次光顧，我認為這很特別。」

outside and noticeably sniffed the air. Asked if he knew the brand, the man answered he had studied in Canada and the smell reminded him of that faraway home. Yang thinks that kind of memory-triggering “aroma marketing” is going to be key. “You can’t avoid it if you smell it. It will hook you back, whether it’s today or tomorrow, you’ll come in and buy another one. I think that’s quite unique.” The how Scents and nostalgia aren’t enough to build a customer base on however, which is why another field of interest to Yang and Siu is localisation. Cinnabons across Asia have already played with regional limited time offers, such as Filipino branches using mangoes as a pastry ingredient or Japan’s chains experimenting with Sakura. And fortunately, because Focus Brands shares all this R&D information, there’s a mountain of findings available for Yang to leverage on right out of the gate. One example will be to focus on smaller sizes for sharing. While in the US it is common for diners to eat an entire classic Cinnabon roll solo, Asian customers often share the large pastry. Likewise, to suit local palates and health concerns, Cinnabon Hong Kong is adjusting the amount of sweetness in its recipe, reducing it by about 30%. There’s even considerations of introducing Hong Kong flavours such as egg WWW.M A R K ET I N G – I N T ER A C T I V E .C O M

tart or milk tea once the business hits pace. But the real trend Yang is keen to see pay off in the long term is Asian Millennials embracing snacking as part of their lifestyle. “Young people are much more happy just to munch and chew and snack, and substitute that for a full meal, because they don’t have time for that.” When asked if he’s worried about wellness beliefs turning people away from more decadent treats, he considers thoughtfully before answering: “The concern is there, but we still have seven million people in Hong Kong, snacking won’t go away.” It’s honestly refreshing to meet someone who is as unambiguously in love with a brand as much as Yang. Someone, who after a single pastry decided to change his entire career path, fight for a brand, and get it launched, even as Hong Kong faces some of its most troubling times. And that spirit couldn’t be clearer when giving his final thoughts on what separates Cinnabon from other food chains. “The message is about sharing, it’s about love and wellbeing, it’s about gifting. A lot of people look at us and go ‘wow, you guys have got brand colours like a tiffany’. It’s sunshine and lollipops. If you have a Cinnabon, you know it’s gonna bring you happiness. And I think that’s something critical for Hong Kong at the moment, that we should be happy.”

方式氣味及懷舊感不足以建立顧客基礎，因此Yang及 Siu的另一焦點是本地化。亞洲各地的 Cinnabon已開始推出地區限定產品，例如菲律賓分店使用芒果作為材料，或者日本連鎖店嘗試採用櫻花。幸好Focus Brands分享所有這些研發資訊，為 Yang提供大量即時可用的發現。一個例子將會是專門提供較小尺寸的產品讓客人共享。美國食客通常會一個人獨享整個肉桂捲，而亞洲顧客一般會互相分享這件大糕點。另外，為迎合本地口味及健康方面的考慮，Cinnabon香港分店正調整其食譜的甜度，減少約 30%的糖分。隨著業務走上軌道，該分店甚至考慮引入蛋撻或奶茶等香港風味。但Yang渴望看到的真正長遠趨勢，是亞洲千禧一代將零食視作其生活方式的一部分。「年輕人更樂於單純咀嚼及吃零食，並將零食代替正餐，因為他們沒有時間吃飯。」問到會否擔心健康觀念令大眾對較頹廢的食物卻步時，Yang深思熟慮後答道：「儘管存在憂慮，但香港仍有700萬人，零食將不會消失。」遇到一位像Yang一樣堅定地鍾情於一個品牌的人，真是令人耳目一新。只因為吃過一次的糕點，就決定完全改變自己的職業道路，爭取一個品牌，然後將其推出市面，甚至在香港面臨最艱難的時刻。當他最後指出Cinnabon與其他餐飲連鎖店有何區別時，這種精神更加表露無遺。「一切在於分享，在於愛與幸福，在於贈予。很多人看到我們說：『嘩，你們的品牌顏色好像 Tiffany』。Cinnabon就像陽光及棒棒糖，會為你帶來快樂，我認為香港現時最需要的就是快樂。」

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2 8 M AR K ET I N G H O N G K O N G FEBR UARY 2020

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FOUR TECH STEPS FOR GETTING THE MOST VALUE OUT OF YOUR NEXT EVENT 四個技術步驟助您下個活動獲得最大價值 It’s 2020, and digital is taking the lead, meaning events need to step up their game to be worth their weight. Brecht Fourneau is here to provide some simple tech solutions to make a brand event a night to remember. 來到2020 年，數碼科技正引領潮流，各類型活動亦要致力發揮應有的作用。

Brecht Fourneau提供以下一些簡單技術解決方案，以助品牌打造一場令人難忘的活動。

Access to real-time, accurate and actionable data has transformed marketing and the way marketers allocate budgets. For some marketing channels such as digital or social media, this has meant they now get a bigger slice of the pie, because marketers can directly attribute spend to ROI through measurement metrics and audience insights. For example, in 2018 digital advertising represented more than half (53.2%) of Australia’s AUS$16.6 billion spend. As a result of the digital drive, there is an expectation that other forms of experiential marketing, such as events, will also prove to be of value. This will become even more important in years to come in order to safeguard the future of the events WWW.M A R K ET I N G – I N T ER A C T I V E .C O M

industry. So whether you’re looking to entice sponsors, attendees or key stakeholders, being able to pull reliable data and put a dollar value on your event has never been more important. And while there remains an assumption that determining event value is particularly challenging, there are so many impressive ways to measure interaction, awareness and engagement levels before, during and after each event to prove ROI. In fact, turning data into value has never been simpler. Marketers just need to be educated on the possibilities that event technology offers. Here we’re going to look at four key ways to use data to improve and enhance your next event.

獲取實時、準確及實用的數據已改變市場推廣的模式，亦改變市場推廣人員的預算分配方式。市場推廣人員現時可通過衡量指標及受眾洞悉直接得出開支的投資回報，因此數碼或社交媒體等市場推廣渠道現時佔較大的市場份額，例如2018年的數碼廣告支出佔澳洲166億澳元廣告開支的超過一半（53.2%）。在數碼化發展推動下，市場亦期望活動等其他形式的體驗式營銷可證明其自身價值，這一點對保障活動行業的未來將變得更為重要。因此，無論品牌是想吸引贊助商、與會者還是主要持份者，獲取可靠數據並為活動增值變得前所未有地重要。儘管仍然普遍認為釐定活動價值尤其具挑戰性，但現時有眾多令人讚嘆的方式，可以在每場活動舉行之前、期間及之後衡量互動、知名度及參與度，以證明投資回報。事實上，將數據轉化為價值從未如此簡單，市場推廣人員只需了解活動技術所提供的各種可能性。以下將介紹四個運用數據來提升及加強活動的重要方式。

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Step one: Monitoring a session attendance The key benefit of monitoring a session attendance is it enables organisers to accurately understand ROI and the value of sessions based on real-time attendee behaviour. Manual headcounts and paper sign-in sheets are time-consuming and easy to make mistakes with. A more reliable way of measuring how many people turn up to a session is through smart data. Beacons can be placed at the entrance of each session room to monitor how many people enter the room, and stay for longer than 10 minutes. Using this technology to monitor how many people attend each session, you’ll unlock insights about the most sought-after content, presentations and speakers. Organisers can analyse such data trends to sift out the sessions that spike interest as 30 M A R K ET I N G H O N G K O N G FEBR UARY 2020

opposed to those that turn heads away. By unlocking insights about the sessions attendees are looking for, you will then always ensure future events are worth stakeholders’ time and money. Step two: Track the success of networking and connections formed Networking and developing connections is one of the fundamental reasons people attend events. Attendees want the opportunity to connect securely and privately with others while the event takes place, without the administrative burden of organising lots of meetings. Smart tags allow attendees to swap contact information at the touch of a button, as well as giving you the ability to track the number of times they do. This creates invaluable engagement metrics that can be used to entice future exhibitors, sponsors and attendees.

第一步：監察活動環節出席率監察活動環節出席率的主要好處，是活動組織者可根據實時與會者行為來準確了解投資回報及環節的價值。人手點算人數及使用簽到紙相當費時，而且容易出錯，計算每個環節出席人數的較可靠方法是運用智能數據。可在每個環節場地的入口處設置藍牙定位裝置 Beacon，以監察多少人進入場地並逗留超過 10分鐘。運用這項技術監察每場環節的出席人數，有助了解最受歡迎的內容、演講及講者。活動組織者可分析這些數據趨勢，篩選出哪些環節能夠引起興趣、哪些環節使人離場。能夠了解環節與會者的喜好，便能確保將來舉辦的活動值得持份者花時間及金錢參與。第二步：追蹤活動期間建立的交流及聯繫進行交流並發展聯繫是與會者參加活動的基本原因之一。與會者希望在活動期間有機會私下與他人建立安全的聯繫，而無需花行政資源來組織大量會議。

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how long they spend in each area, and therefore, which parts of your event are most in demand. Knowing where your attendees are heading and what they’re interested in will reassure your exhibitors that they will benefit from your event and will put a premium on specific locations. Furthermore, it will give you a really thorough understanding of your event, what the main purpose is for attendees and exhibitors, as well as allow you to better sell your event to the right demographic.

Similarly, encouraging attendees to download a specific event app enables vendors and attendees with aligned interests to be matched at events. These tools even provide an overview of the type of networking that took place so that attendees can easily keep track of those they have met. For event organisers, this also means being able to monitor how much in-app messaging and one-to-one messaging is being used before, during and after your event. This provides essential insights into the interactions most valued by attendees. Step three: Understand what’s in demand By engaging with near-field communication (NFC) technology you can monitor how much traffic each area of your event receives, and therefore, what’s in demand with your audience. Combining beacons around your event space with a smart tag or badge will allow you to monitor where attendees are, WWW.M A R K ET I N G – I N T ER A C T I V E .C O M

Step four: Capturing exhibitor leads Exhibitors attending your event are expecting to generate new leads. So, being able to show exactly how many leads were gained by similar companies at your previous events is essential for enticing future exhibitors and growing the size of your event. NFC QR code badges can be used to gather this information. Exhibitors simply need to tap an attendee’s badge when they have a lead and you are able to collate information from there. Devices can be rented, or some companies offer “bring your own device” solutions, where exhibitors can use their own smartphone devices by buying licences and downloading the app. By following these four simple steps, you’ll be able to maximise value from your next event. The more events you hold, the more data you will have and the easier it will be to sell your event and grow it in size. Once you have your data, use it as a benchmark so that you can revisit it each year. Smart data and smart technology give you knowledge and power. Long term, this will enhance your ability to grow your event by attracting presenters, exhibitors and attendees, as well as ensuring value for time and money.

運用智能標籤，與會者只需簡單一按即可交換聯繫訊息，活動組織者亦可追蹤他們交換聯繫訊息的次數。這提供寶貴的參與度指標，可用於吸引未來的參展商、贊助商及與會者。同樣地，鼓勵與會者下載特定活動應用程式，能讓擁有共同目標的供應商及與會者在活動中進行配對。這些工具甚至提供聯繫類型概覽，以便與會者輕鬆追蹤在活動中遇見的人。這亦有助活動組織者監察在活動舉行之前、期間及之後有多少透過應用程式進行的通訊及一對一通訊，讓活動組織者了解與會者最重視的互動。第三步：了解需求通過近場通訊（NFC）技術互動，活動組織者可監察活動每個區域的人流，從而了解受眾的需求。將活動空間周圍的Beacon 與智能標籤或徽章結合，活動組織者可監察與會者的位置、他們在每個區域的逗留時間，從而了解活動哪個部分最受歡迎。了解與會者的去向及他們感興趣的內容，可向參展商保證他們能夠從品牌的活動受益，吸引他們在活動的特定位置進行額外投資。此外，亦可讓活動組織者對活動有非常透徹的了解，了解與會者及參展商參加活動的主要目的，同時能夠以更好的方式向合適的受眾推銷活動。第四步：吸引參展商客源參與活動的參展商期望吸引新的客源，因此，能夠確實展示以往舉辦的活動能為同類型企業贏取多少潛在客戶，對吸引未來的參展商及擴大活動規模至關重要。 NFC二維碼徽章可用作收集此類訊息，參展商發現潛在客戶時只需簡單點擊與會者的徽章，而活動組織者可從中整理訊息。設備可以租用，一些公司或會提供「自備設備」解決方案，參展商可通過購買許可證及下載應用程式，運用自己的智能手機設備使用此項功能。遵循上述四個簡單步驟，品牌便可從下一場活動中獲得最大價值。舉辦的活動愈多，擁有的數據便愈多，推銷活動及擴大活動規模就愈容易。擁有數據後，將其用作基準，以便每年進行參考。智能數據及智能科技為品牌提供知識及力量，長遠來說能夠通過吸引演講者、參展者及與會者擴大活動，並確保時間及金錢用得其所。

Brecht Fourneau Senior director for EMEA and APAC marketing at event management technology company Aventri 活動管理技術公司Aventri的歐洲、中東、非洲地區及亞太區高級市場推廣總監

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ASK JACK Hard-boiled advice for the modern marketer Jack So is co-founder and ECD of So Fuk Yu, the mythical Hong Kong agency in the pages of Richard Tong’s critically acclaimed neonnoir novels. Here, he quells concerns, solves problems and addresses the big issues with uncommon sense. Send your questions to AskJack@marketing-interactive.com. Dear Jack: If advertising is so critical, and good ad men are so confident, why won’t they take their fee as a percentage of incremental revenues? Pato, Sydney. Quite a bit to unpack there, Pato. First, that confidence you speak of is actually a swirling mass of insecurities cloaked in conviction and belief. You live in Sydney, you should know that. With regards to fees as a percentage of incremental revenue, it’s complicated. Like everyone, good ad men already answer to outrageous KPIs and their remuneration is pegged against performance. Thing is, there are so many factors that influence the success of a product, service, and campaign, determining their true value is hard to quantify. You can measure the performance of an “asset” through digital channels, but evaluating what, which, or who contributed most to the collective result is difficult because of all the other influencing factors. The best campaigns can’t save an average product or overcome a force majeure. But even an average campaign can be said to contribute to the success of a timely product. Brands, too, are often reluctant to offer percentages. Many prefer standardised costs and extracting “more with less” from their marketing investments than potentially overpaying for what they consider a necessary evil. The industry has been commoditised and, in the battle for the bottom line, procurement is winning the war. Agencies are seen as vendors, not partners, in many instances, evaluated by costs per unit. Many have and do operate on the principal you champion, but I’m sure you know there are many ways to – like accountants – re-categorise success to present it as a deductible failure to improve shareholder value.

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I’m not saying the industry is broken ... but I knew a guy that took the agency business model to the bank and asked for a loan. They laughed at him. Dear Jack: Does brand advertising work anymore? Everything seems so short term and tactical. Thematic, Singapore. All campaigns are brand campaigns, whether you intend them to be or not. Every message and interaction creates an impression of your brand in the minds of consumers, regardless of your intent.

Dear Jack: There are debates about whether it is PR or it is advertising that is more functional and impactful. Do you think it is public relations (corp. communication) supporting advertising (above-the-line and below-the-line) or vice versa nowadays? Grape, Hong Kong. A bunch of things to pick through, there, Grape. One of the best things about public relations is the ubiquitous acronym. PR sounds important, like a cross between PM and ER. And

sometimes it is the most important thing. But if your PR strategy consists of a poorly conceived event, and some banal social posts, it’s not going to amount to much more than column inches and media impressions with little positive effect on the brand or impact on its intended target. Likewise, there are advertising campaigns deployed in media channels simply because people feel they have to be there, rather than if they should be there or have anything meaningful to say. Here’s the thing: communication is not a zero-sum game. If there’s a debate going on about which is more functional or impactful, it’s probably more of a pissing contest between people who work in a vacuum, mistaken in their belief they are the centre of the universe and have all the answers. But no one does. Advertising, PR, marketing, and branding are all part of the grand persuasion. Which one you leverage, or who leads, is a question of relevance to task, audience, and market. What is the best lever to pull at the appropriate time? A good understanding of the problem and an insightful integrated strategy is critical. It’s not about who takes the lead, but what will be the most effective strategy to deploy, and at what time, and to who. At macro and micro levels, brands may only need PR, particularly when it comes to crisis management or influencing regulators. Advertising that reinforces the recovery strategy, or sways public opinion, can help. At company and consumer levels, advertising may be the best way to get product news out there. It depends on the product and what position it’s at in its life cycle, the BCG Matrix, Ansoff Grid and Shell’s Directional Policy. More than likely, it is a combination of efforts. Ultimately, objectives and strategy should lead, supported by PR, advertising and all marketing activities in the appropriate place at the appropriate time.

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