Marketing magazine Hong Kong, June 2023

Deputy Editor, North Asia

Vanessa Yuen, Journalist

Design Production

Julia Li, Senior Graphic Designer

Advertising Sales

Karen Yung, Head of Commercial

Matthew Chung, Business Development Manager

Sally Hui, Business Development Manager

Sharifa Carreon, Senior Business Development Manager

Marketing and Circulation

Cyrus Ching, Regional Marketing Manager

Event Production

Zoe Auclair-Boissonnat, Regional Assistant Content & Production Manager, Conferences & Custom

Selina Kwok, Regional Events Producer Manager

Lemuel Cheung, Events Producer

Event Services

Melissa Tam, Event Manager

Chiyan Lam, Assistant Event Services Manager

Hedy Chao, Events Services Executive

Event Delegate Sales

Gloria Yam, Project Manager

Mandy Chan, Senior Project Executive

Management

Evelyn Wong, Managing Director

12

How can agency leads promote gender diversity among ad land creatives?

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

For advertising enquiries

Karen Yung, kareny@lighthouse-media.com

Sharifa Carreon, sharifac@marketing-interactive.com

Matthew Chung, matthewc@marketing-interactive.com

Quiet hiring in agencies: A significant problem or a chance to reinvest in existing employees?

34 38

MARKies

A CLOSER LOOK AT HK ADLAND’S CURRENT CHALLENGES

Dear reader,

As we welcome the arrival of June, we are also celebrating the resumption of our regular physical events. It feels so unreal to finally be able to attend events and network with our fellow marketers in person. As someone who loves to socialise and meet new people across the industry, it has been a rewarding experience for me personally.

One of our biggest events in June was the Agency of the Year Awards 2023, where we packed over 350 agency leads and marketers into the Nina Hotel Tsuen Wan Ballroom. It was a great opportunity for agencies to showcase their brilliant accomplishments and share their work with some of the greatest marketing minds around the globe.

Despite seeing some brilliant work by female marketers at Agency of the Year Awards 2023, we still felt it was an opportune time to shed light on the ongoing challenges of achieving gender diversity in the ad land creative industry.

Despite some progress in recent years, there is still a significant disparity in the representation of women in executive creative roles. We explore the reasons behind this and highlight some of the initiatives being taken to address it (page 6).

At the same time, we also take a closer look at the trend of quiet hiring in agencies, where companies attempt to increase their productivity by getting current employees to take on roles outside their job description in order to avoid hiring more people. We examine the advantages and drawbacks of this approach and provide tips for agencies looking to implement it – check out the article on page 12.

Another area that has been exciting to watch is the emergence of unmanned stores adopted by retail brands across the globe. From Amazon Fresh in the US to HKTV’s subsidiary brand Shoalter Automation’s first fully automated store, these stores are using cutting-edge technology to create a frictionless shopping experience for customers.

With so many ongoing discussions within the marketing industry about this new trend, we had to explore why retail brands love unmanned stores so much. (Page 34)

Last, but not least, we have also highlighted some of the key wins from MARKies Awards 2023, and celebrated the achievements of the marketing community and agency minds behind some of the great campaigns over the past 12 months.

As always, our team has worked hard to bring you a magazine that is informative, engaging, and thought-provoking. We hope you enjoy the edition as much as we have enjoyed putting it together.

Happy reading!

Karen Wong Deputy Editor, North Asia

What’s on?

Marketing Events Awards Hong Kong

What: An annual celebration designed to recognise excellence in event marketing across the North Asia region.

Where: Hotel ICON

When: 20 July

Digital Marketing Asia Hong Kong

What: A conference that aims to reflect upon the profound evolution of the digital landscape, and how it has influenced –and will continue to influence – business decisions, marketing strategies and consumer behaviour.

When: October

A MAJORITY OF HONG KONG COMPANIES ASSERT THAT AI CANNOT REPLACE HUMANS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF APPS

Most Hong Kong enterprises (94%) believe artificial intelligence (AI) is less likely to replace humans in the development of apps, but they foresee a supportive role played by AI in the industry, according to a survey independently executed by the Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC).

Alex Chan, general manager, digital transformation at the HKPC, said in addition to considering more flexible forms of employment or improving benefits to attract talent, companies can also provide appropriate skills training such as AI for existing employees to enhance their work efficiency in order to remain competitive.

• 73% of surveyed Hong Kong enterprises plan to adopt AI in business, with 94% of them believing that AI can play a supportive role in app development and will increase productivity by 1% to 24%. However, only 6% of respondents expected AI to replace programmers.

• While 69% of surveyed enterprises anticipate that AI can enhance quality and efficiency, and reduce human errors and costs, due to various reasons such as extra human support needed, existing teams cannot adapt promptly to the change and immature technology. Only 33% of respondents have increased their team size in response to AI, while 11% have increased their team size by 25% or above.

• 53% of respondents indicated they lacked the skills and resources required for the adoption of AI in their companies.

• 59% believed that the main reason for the shortage of technical personnel was a lack of skilled talent with related technical expertise. Among the respondents, 59% of them indicated that they faced the talent loss and shortage issues by recruiting part-timers and freelancers, and 45% by improving remuneration packages for staff retention.

• In terms of operational challenges, 60% of the interviewed companies indicated that lack of staff posed the biggest operational challenge, an increase of 3% from 57% in the 2021 survey; other challenges included seeking new clients (36%), rental costs (35%), and long product development cycles and over budget (24%).

• In terms of technology, the adoption of Near Field Communication (NFC) increased from 19% to 51% in the survey, indicating that NFC has become the most commonly used technology in applications, followed by AI/machine learning and Bluetooth Low Energy which ranked second and third respectively.

Source:

Hong Kong Productivity Council

“Enterprises should not view AI as exclusive to the IT or software development departments, but rather consider how to adopt it across various departments.”

Alex Chan

General manager digital transformation, Hong Kong Productivity Council

AD WATCH 廣告點評

Winge Cheung Associate Creative Director Hardchi Creative

An effective out-of-home advertisement should include these four elements: be able to arouse consumers’ attention; give a strong impression to the audience; echo with local insights and product features; along with a suitable media placement. Ma Pak Leung’s “Ultimate Ginger Candy” was a successful example of doing all of this.

In April, Causeway Bay became “Keung To Bay” – where fans of Keung To, “Ginger Candy”, celebrated the birthday of their idol by implementing decorations and outdoor billboards everywhere in Causeway Bay.

Due to the similar pronunciation between Ginger Candy and the nickname To has for his fans, “Ginger Candy”, Ma Pak Leung deliberately placed its Ginger Candy advertisements on billboards in Causeway Bay during To’s birthday month, resulting in viral sharing on the internet, successfully making the brand image younger, and increasing exposure.

NOT: ZERO FINANCE HK

A 30-second TVC requires a single-minded focus and a clear and concise explanation of the product or service’s selling point. In this case, the Zero Finance “X Wallet” advertisement promoted the first AIpowered instant approval personal loan app in Hong Kong, which can provide results in as quickly as five seconds.

The advertisement began by highlighting that opening an online store, obtaining a yoga certification, or learning a new skill could all be accomplished in just five seconds. This served to explain that Zero Finance had introduced the first instant approval personal loan service in Hong Kong. Unfortunately, this approach may have been confusing since all three examples mentioned in the advertisement require time and effort to build, and cannot be achieved solely through obtaining a loan.

How can agency leads promote gender diversity among ad land creatives?

The conversation on gender diversity in the workplace has come to the forefront in recent years. But we are seeing fewer females taking on executive roles in the ad land creative industry because of various reasons. How can the community come together to tackle the current disproportion between female and male ad land executive creatives? Vanessa Yuen reached out to several agency leads to weigh in on the situation.

Gender diversity among workplaces has become an increasingly popular corporate buzzword across the APAC region in recent years. However, workplaces are still lacking diversity in senior roles.

According to a 2022 report by The Sasakawa Peace Foundation – “Gender Equality in Asia-Pacific” – the APAC region did not perform well on workplace gender equality overall, with an average gender equality score of 33%. In particular, Japan and Hong Kong lagged behind New Zealand, Singapore and Australia, the report revealed.

At the top, women made up just 4% of CEOs, 10% of CFOs, and 5% of board chairs in the APAC region. Women’s representation across the workforces of listed companies is also low, standing at 35%, according to the report. While in Hong Kong, the proportion of females working as managers and administrators, professionals and associate

professionals stood at 35.5% in 2020, lower than the 47.5% for males, according to a 2021 survey titled “Gender Equality in Hong Kong” by the Equal Opportunities Commission.

Is there a similar trend in the HK creative industry?

Zooming into the local advertising creative industry, some of the agency leads that MARKETING-INTERACTIVE spoke to have also noticed a similar trend among local ad land creatives, and it is not a recent trend.

Joe Ng, creative partner at Frengers Communications, said this has been a phenomenon since he started working in the industry, particularly at the middle and senior levels where there are more male creatives than female generally.

“I don’t think it’s because advertising companies lack a diverse mindset, but rather because the industry generally requires long

working hours and is very stressful, causing many women to explore other opportunities or even switch careers in the early or middle stages due to natural physiological reasons,” he said.

Agreeing with him was Kit Yu, creative director of Narrow Door, who attributed the ongoing issue to the long working hours and demanding nature of the advertising industry, which can make it challenging for women to pursue careers in the industry.

“As a mother of two children, it’s not easy for me to get a balance between home and work ... especially with long working hours and tight deadlines,” she said.

In addition, the phenomenon of male creatives being more prevalent than female creatives within the local ad land community may also be due to an unconscious bias in hiring practices, according to Yu.

The perception of males performing better in creativity than women is perhaps one of the

“I don’t think it’s because advertising companies lack a diverse mindset, but rather because the industry generally requires long working hours and is very stressful, causing many women to explore other opportunities or even switch careers in the early or middle stages due to natural physiological reasons.”

reasons behind the unconscious bias when hiring creatives.

Yvonne Ma, founder and creative director of Eighty20, said the prevailing view of creativity is often gender related, with a tendency to associate it with masculinity.

“There is an old saying that engaging in creativity often requires taking risks and challenging established norms in order to generate innovative and original solutions. This type of work is often approached with independence and assertiveness,” she said.

Is there a gender bias during hiring practices?

In reality, there may be a higher number of males at the senior level in creative departments of ad agencies, but this is not 100% indicative of a bias in hiring practices.

Desmond So, CEO of Uth Creative, said rather it speaks to some unique challenges that arise within the advertising industry such as unpredictable work schedules and little room for personal time.

“As a manager in a creative agency for many years, I can attest that gender does not play a role in the hiring process. Instead, the primary focus is on the candidate’s willingness and ability to become a passionate and dedicated creative leader,” he added.

Agreeing with So was Frengers’ Ng who said the agency doesn’t have a preference on hiring male or female creatives, but it does have a preference on maintaining a 50-50 balance in both the creative and account servicing teams.

“The communications and advertising industry is about opinions and perspectives. That’s why we need different voices with different

perspectives in the house to come up with the best solutions for different clients,” he said.

In fact, quality matters more when it comes to onboarding a creative person. Jarvis Wong, director of Omelette Digital, said the agency only considers quality when bringing in someone, and that should be the only thing that matters.

“As a boutique agency, we need to share a strong bond, while being exceptionally agile to challenges. We therefore look for some fresh blood who are creative, as well as being able to think independently while working as a team. We do not take gender into consideration,” he said.

Echoing his views was Narrow Door’s Yu, who said the most important factors for her when hiring creatives are the candidates’ skills, ideas, and ability to work collaboratively.

“I believe that it’s essential to hire the best talent regardless of their gender. By prioritising these factors over gender, agencies can ensure that they are hiring the most talented and diverse team possible,” she said.

How can industry players step up to promote gender diversity?

The gender diversity situation among local ad land creatives may have improved over the years, but there is still a long way to go. Frengers’ Ng said the best way for agency leads to encourage more diversity is simple – action.

“Maintaining a diverse team in your agency and then offering them the stage to dance. I don’t have a very scientific measurement, but I just can’t express how grateful I am for all the positive impact brought by all the amazing

ladies in my team, for both business results and team moral,” he said.

In order to foster a more balanced and diverse creative workforce, Uth Creative’s So said it is essential for agencies to acknowledge the unique challenges faced by female professionals in this industry and seek to create a supportive and flexible work environment.

Agreeing with him was Yu, who said providing flexible work options for a better worklife balance can help in dealing with the situation. She added that agency leads could offer mentorship and training for underrepresented groups and use fair hiring practices that focus on skills, not gender or background.

On the other hand, Omelette’s Wong said while boutique agencies may not

provide a complete HR planning solution for diversity, they have higher flexibility, including flexible working hours and work-from-home for employees.

Speaking from a wider perspective, Eighty20’s Ma said apart from promoting diversity, it is equally important to ensure that all employees feel a sense of belonging and are treated with respect and dignity, so as to foster a culture of creativity and innovation where everyone can thrive.

“One quote that has stayed with me from my MBA course is, ‘Diversity is everywhere, inclusion is the act, belonging is the result’. This quote emphasises the need to actively work towards creating an environment where everyone feels valued and included,” she said.

“Maintaining a diverse team in your agency and then offering them the stage to dance. I don’t have a very scientific measurement, but I just can’t express how grateful I am for all the positive impact brought by all the amazing ladies in my team, for both business results and team moral.”

SNAPPED 快拍

The Forest of Heartstrings @Ian’s Asteroid I609

DATE: 22 May – 30 June

VENUE: 2/F Atrium and Shop 517519, 5/F, Hong Kong Times Square

1. To celebrate local boy band MIRROR’s Ian Chan’s 30th birthday on 9 June, his fan club is holding an exhibition at Times Square to showcase his songwriting journey.

2. The exhibition will display Chan’s creative manuscripts and song demos, which are surrounded by natural elements such as the ocean and forest.

3. Furthermore, the backdrop of the exhibition features a huge portrait of Chan. When visitors walk closer to it, they will find it is composed of lyrics from his songs.

4. A 1.5 metre-tall 3D “Little Ian” with a koala look has been placed in the atrium, which will be an Instagrammable hotspot for fans.

Hot Toys x “Spider-Man: Across the SpiderVerse” Exhibition

DATE: 26 May – 18 June

VENUE: Ocean Terminal Forecourt, Harbour City

1. Sony Pictures and Hot Toys have co-organised the Hot Toys x “Spider-Man: Across the SpiderVerse” exhibition at Harbour City, creating a dream come true for fans.

2. For the first time in the world, over 80 never-before-seen movie design sketches and character illustrations will be displayed.

3. There will be various interactive charity workshops for families, and the free AI Spidersona experience on weekends for all fans.

4. Fans can pre-order the 1/6th Miles Morales collectible figures (special edition) exclusively at the Hot Toys Rebel Base store in Harbour City from 25 May.

DOUBLE DUCKS by Florentijn Hofman

DATE: 10 - 21 June

VENUE: Near Tamar Park and the Central and Western District Promenade

1. On the 10th anniversary of its first visit in 2023, the giant rubber duck is coming back to Hong Kong, accompanied by a new friend.

2. Created by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman, the 18 metre-tall giant rubber duck is one of the tallest rubber ducks in the world.

3. While the two giant ducks are currently in Tsing Yi, they will be moved to Victoria Harbour in June.

4. The giant duo swim freely in the nearby waters, against the backdrop of the Ting Kau Bridge and Tsing Ma Bridge.

YAU Beer X Yuet Tung China Works brand collaboration

DATE: from 24 May onwards

VENUE: 7-Eleven stores and selective on-trade outlets

1. Carlsberg’s craft beer brand YAU has collaborated with Yuet Tung China Works – a local porcelain factory that was established in 1928 – to launch porcelain beer glasses.

2. Yuet Tung China Works has used a traditional painting technique to bring to life the YAU characters in the classic porcelain colour palettes.

3. The product is a fusion of two fanciers from different creative industries, creating a collectible item that represents local culture and the craft they are passionate about.

4. Consumers who order three YAU craft beer tasting sets during the promotion period can join porcelain beer glass DIY workshops to add their personal design touches to the glass.

Quiet hiring in agencies: A significant problem or a chance to reinvest in existing employees?

Quiet hiring, a new term that has come to the workplace in recent times, is a situation where an organisation leverages current employees’ capabilities to acquire new skills without recruiting new full-time staff. It is also a phenomenon in the agency world. But is it beneficial or detrimental to existing employees? Camillia Dass reached out to some agency leads across the APAC region to weigh in on the latest trend.

Remember when quiet quitting was all anyone could talk about? In the midst of the post-pandemic burnout culture, many underappreciated and exhausted employees began doing the bare minimum to get by in their jobs in order to preserve their mental health.

Now though, perhaps in response to the quiet quitting movement, employers have flipped the switch with a new trend designed to cope with shrinking budgets and hiring freezes, and that is, quiet hiring.

Quiet hiring is the latest trend where companies attempt to increase their productivity by getting current employees to take on roles outside their job description in order to avoid hiring more people. Companies who practise quiet hiring also tend to hire contract or temporary employees to cover extra tasks without having to commit to paying someone a full-time salary.

While hiring contract or temporary employees is certainly not a new concept, it is one that has gained more prominence in the post-pandemic world. However, is quiet hiring an issue in resource-strapped industries such as the advertising and marketing space? It would seem the answer mostly lies in one’s mindset.

“I think exploring new frontiers for agencies can be costly and fruitless, and with fast-evolving frontiers, some irresponsibly laden existing talent with the burden of extra work,” explained Marianne Whitman, R/GA Singapore’s general manager.

“That shouldn’t, however, overlook the huge opportunity for growth that this provides for both agency and talent if nurtured correctly,” she continued before noting that change should be part of an agency’s DNA.

“However, to change at speed you need passionate and dedicated people eager to evolve their capabilities as well as systems to support them in the process.”

Whitman noted that at R/GA, it has seen visual designers switch to experience designers; web engineers grow into mobile engineers; and communication strategists switch to experience strategists.

“In many cases it’s a win-win: people grow based on their dream careers; and we benefit from people’s expanded skill sets.”

She continued by saying there is a fine line between the exploration of a new capability for talent, and exploitation.

“For it to be successful both parties need to establish clear expectations and boundaries around workload and time frames,” she said.

Agreeing with her, Jolene Huang, chief talent officer for Singapore and Southeast Asia at Publicis Groupe, argued that she does not see quiet hiring as an issue yet.

“On the contrary, I perceive it as a creative and innovative approach to addressing the talent crunch, particularly in agencies, while simultaneously catering to the needs and aspirations of our people,” she said.

“Reframing quiet hiring as an approach that prioritises offering internal talent the first opportunity for growth can reveal several benefits.”

She went on to say that for employers, saving on recruitment and onboarding can lead to greater flexibility when meeting the needs of people within the organisation. As for employees, it allows them to develop their skills, enhance their experience, and advance their careers within the agency while still enjoying job security.

However, Huang cautioned against falling into the trap of overwhelming employees, despite organisations facing many challenges with finding suitable talent, while also managing evolving employee expectations.

“Executing this strategy with logic, sensibility, and empathy is essential to prevent overwhelming individuals with more responsibilities than they are capable of or willing to manage,” she said.

She added that in her opinion, it is all about reinvesting in people who are already in the organisation.

“Conversations are a two-way street. If people feel like they are doing more than they can handle or have been given an opportunity that isn’t aligned with their wants, it’s essential to speak up and make it known,” she said.

True enough – it is essential for organisations to embrace the responsibility of fostering a supportive working environment, promoting work-life balance, and helping their people establish internal and external boundaries.

The local marketing industry has been hit hard by the pandemic over the past few years. With a huge shift in marketing trends and consumer behaviour, agencies have been looking for ways to survive and cut through the clutter as we enter the post-pandemic era.

As such, MARKETING-INTERACTIVE’s Agency of the Year Awards was back again to provide an opportunity for agencies to showcase their brilliant accomplishments, and to stand out from their competitors.

Judged by an independent panel of high-calibre, client-side marketers, the 13th edition of the awards held on 16 June focused on the overall performance of an agency, rather than a specific campaign.

The entries were evaluated based on their performance (25%), product (25%), people (25%), and perspective (25%). Participating agencies needed to demonstrate how well their organisations had performed and how well they had managed their talent over the awards period, including measurable metrics on the success of their business strategies. They were also recommended to include any case studies on unique campaigns that had been done over the period.

With 32 categories recognising various specialisations, all agencies, large and small, had the chance to shine.

We would also like to thank our 21 judges for their time and effort in crowning our winners for 2023.

B2B Agency of the Year

SILVER PHD Hong Kong

Omnicom Media Group

GOLD LOCAL HERO

Pico Group Independent

B2C Agency of the Year

BRONZE New iMedia Solutions

New eBusiness

SILVER LOCAL HERO

PRIZM Group Independent

GOLD PHD Hong Kong

Omnicom Media Group

BRONZE Mindshare Hong Kong

GroupM Hong Kong

Best Acquisition/Retention Agency of the Year

GOLD PHD Hong Kong

Omnicom Media Group

Best Performance-Based Agency of the Year

SILVER EssenceMediacom GroupM Hong Kong

BRONZE LOCAL HERO

Meology

Independent

SILVER iProspect Hong Kong

Dentsu Hong Kong

GOLD Mindshare Hong Kong

GroupM Hong Kong

BRONZE EssenceMediacom GroupM Hong Kong

LOCAL HERO

Fimmick

Independent

Best Newcomer

SILVER 212 Studio Independent

GOLD LOCAL HERO

Omelette

Omelette Digital

Boutique Agency of the Year

BRONZE MGV Innovation

Vizz Digital Group

BRONZE Mobfever

SHOPFEVER GROUP

GOLD LOCAL HERO

Narrow Door

The Bees Group

SILVER

Omelette

Omelette Digital

BRONZE WHAT IF Independent

Brand & Design Consultancy of the Year

SILVER DigiSalad DigiSalad Solutions

GOLD LOCAL HERO

KREW Independent

Content Marketing Agency of the Year

BRONZE GAIA Independent

GOLD LOCAL HERO

PRIZM Group Independent

SILVER Fimmick Independent

BRONZE KREW Independent

Creative Agency of the Year

SILVER

Dentsu Creative

Dentsu Hong Kong

GOLD LOCAL HERO

Narrow Door

The Bees Group

CRM & Loyalty Agency of the Year

BRONZE Madkids Independent

GOLD LOCAL HERO

rsvp communications Independent

SILVER

KREW Independent

BRONZE Fimmick Independent

Data Analytics Agency of the Year

SILVER LOCAL HERO

KREW Independent

GOLD EssenceMediacom GroupM Hong Kong

Digital Agency of the Year

BRONZE OMD Hong Kong

Omnicom Media Group

SILVER LOCAL HERO

PRIZM Group Independent

GOLD PHD Hong Kong

Omnicom Media Group

BRONZE Pontac Independent

E-Commerce Agency of the Year

SILVER PRIZM Group Independent

GOLD LOCAL HERO

XGATE Independent

Event Agency of the Year

GOLD LOCAL HERO

Pico Group Independent

SILVER WHAT IF Independent

BRONZE

OMD Hong Kong

Omnicom Media Group

GOLD LOCAL HERO

Uniplan Hong Kong Independent

BRONZE KREW Independent

Independent Agency of the Year

SILVER Narrow Door The Bees Group

GOLD LOCAL HERO

Fimmick Independent

Industry Specialist Agency of the Year

BRONZE Branding Records Independent

GOLD LOCAL HERO

PRIZM Group Independent

SILVER

Zlashy Independent

BRONZE BlueCurrent Hong Kong & Greater Bay Area

Omnicom Media Group

Influencer Agency of the Year

SILVER INCA Hong Kong GroupM Hong Kong

GOLD LOCAL HERO Flare Communications Independent

Innovative Agency of the Year

BRONZE Fimmick Independent

GOLD LOCAL HERO

DigiSalad DigiSalad Solutions

SILVER

PRIZM Group Independent

SILVER Xaxis Hong Kong GroupM Hong Kong

BRONZE Mindshare Hong Kong GroupM Hong Kong

Integrated Marketing Agency of the Year

SILVER Mindshare Hong Kong

GroupM Hong Kong

GOLD LOCAL HERO

Fimmick Independent

Market Research Agency of the Year

BRONZE HAVAS MEDIA HONG KONG

HAVAS WORLDWIDE HONG KONG

GOLD LOCAL HERO

DigiSalad

DigiSalad Solutions

SILVER Zlashy Independent

BRONZE KREW Independent

MarTech Agency of the Year

GOLD LOCAL HERO PRIZM Group Independent

Media Agency of the Year

SILVER Fimmick Independent

BRONZE Xaxis Hong Kong

GroupM Hong Kong

SILVER LOCAL HERO FABCOM Independent

GOLD Mindshare Hong Kong

GroupM Hong Kong

BRONZE Assembly Stagwell

Production Agency of the Year

SILVER Rabbit Studio Independent

GOLD LOCAL HERO

Narrow Door

The Bees Group

Programmatic Agency of the Year

BRONZE 212 Studio Independent

SILVER LOCAL HERO FABCOM Independent

GOLD Omnicom Media Group

Hong Kong

Omnicom Media Group

BRONZE GoGoChart Independent

Public Relations Agency of the Year

SILVER GoGoChart Independent

GOLD LOCAL HERO rsvp communications Independent

BRONZE Above The Line Company Independent

Search Agency of the Year

SILVER LOCAL HERO FABCOM Independent

GOLD Omnicom Media Group

Hong Kong

Omnicom Media Group

BRONZE Digital Zoo Independent

Social Media Agency of the Year

SILVER We Glow HK Independent

GOLD LOCAL HERO PRIZM Group Independent

Best Agency Culture

GOLD Dentsu Creative

Dentsu Hong Kong

BRONZE DigiSalad DigiSalad Solutions

BRONZE Rabbit Studio Independent

SILVER LOCAL HERO Mosaic Digital Group Independent

BRONZE Xaxis Hong Kong

GroupM Hong Kong

Agency Team of the Year

Agency Leader of the Year

Rising Star (age below 30)

Local Hero of the Year and Overall Agency of the Year PRIZM Group

Walking away with the prestigious Overall Agency of the Year was PRIZM Group which scored the highest number of accumulated points that saw it win four gold awards and four silvers. It was also crowned Local Hero of the Year with six Local Hero awards.

The digital agency, which is 11 years old, has made a name for itself for thinking outside of the box. PRIZM believes digital is all about improving user experience, and works with brands such as Sun Life Insurance, HSBC, McDonald’s, Hysan & Lee Garden, and many others.

It started off as a boutique digital marketing agency in Hong Kong, but today PRIZM Group has grown into a global digital marketing agency that conjugates innovative technology, marketing creativity and data insights to deliver best of breed solutions to clients needing end-to-end digital transformation and marketing solutions.

Being an experienced digital marketing agency, its team understands the market and harnesses its knowledge to drive success across a wide range of industries.

Some of the widely recognised campaigns from PRIZM come from the loyalty and CRM marketing sectors in collaboration with brands such as Chow Sang Sang, Omubsubi and Aptamil. The projects do not stop at just delivering the platform, the PRIZM team believes the best outcome requires the seamless fusion of strategic planning, content creative and technical enablement.

Meanwhile, this year MARKETING-INTERACTIVE added five categories, including Brand & Design Consultancy of the Year, Market Research Agency of the Year, and Programmatic Agency of the Year. With these categories, we wanted to separate the great from the good to recognise the impressive work that had been put together by advertisers and their partners.

Also, understanding that the success of an agency often comes with an influx of youth and new ideas, this year we added one new category, Rising Star. This category was created to celebrate the promising newbies within the industry that have shown resilience in the face of unyielding change.

Retail brands love unmanned stores, but will traditional retailers be replaced?

In recent years, we have seen a lot of automated or self-checkout stores appearing in the global retail market. From Amazon in the US to Hong Kong’s HKTV subsidiary brand Shoalter Automation, it is clear that retail brands love utilising unmanned stores as part of their omni-channel strategies. On the other hand, does that mean traditional retailers will eventually be replaced? Karen Wong turned to various retail and experiential agency experts to weigh in on this trend.

With technological advancements and evolving consumer behaviour, there has been a growing trend of brands incorporating automated processes into their physical stores across the globe.

Retail Technology Innovation Hub’s 2022 research showed that brands embracing selfcheckout technology in the global market grew by 11% last year. For instance, eCommerce giant Amazon created the cashier-less store Amazon Fresh. While in the UK we saw leading supermarket chain Tesco unveil the checkoutfree store GetGo earlier this year.

The trend is even more prominent in Asia. In Tokyo, FamilyMart is reportedly looking to

have 1,000 unmanned stores in Japan by 2024. In Singapore, the Pick & GO chain has opened three AI-powered unmanned grocery stores, including one called My Village at the National University of Singapore in 2021.

Zooming into Hong Kong, HKTV’s subsidiary brand Shoalter Automation is unveiling its first fully automated retail store and system in Manchester, England, by mid-2023. It is a large scale fully automated storage and retailing system in an offline shop, which can take orders, and replenish stock when required without human intervention.

Commenting on the trend, HKTV told MARKETING-INTERACTIVE that brands treat

automated stores as a cost-saving tool and a cost-effective strategy to improve business development.

“Automated stores can operate 24/7, providing customers with the convenience of shopping at any time. Convenience is also enjoyed directly by businesses as automated stores can help predict replenishment stocks, analyse shopping trends and optimise inventory management processes,” the company said.

With all customer journeys and checkouts recorded, the process of data collection is simplified and is a lot easier for brands to analyse, according to HKTV.

“Once the systems and hardware are in place, it’s also a lot easier for businesses to scale-up and open up new stores, reaching new markets compared to traditional businesses,” the company added.

Agreeing with HKTV was Tim Durgan, VP of strategy and insights for APAC at omnichannel agency Assembly, who said brands naturally will benefit from lower overhead costs after sales and cashier jobs are eliminated, but there is also more value in the ability to collect consumer data through the online checkout via a brand-owned app.

“If a company goes as far as making the entire shopfront digital, there’s also the ability to optimise your product priorities to put different items in focus at different times of the day,” he said.

Innovation and optimised inventory management are also reasons why brands are moving towards unmanned retail, said Tracy Fu, CEO, China, VMLY&R Commerce.

“Brands can try out new products, technologies and services in unmanned retail and gain more insights and experience through experimentation to improve their market competitiveness,” she said.

She also added that unmanned retail usually adopts an intelligent inventory management system that can update and forecast the sales volume of goods in a timely manner.

“This can effectively reduce an inventory backlog and waste, and ensure the freshness and quality of goods,” she said.

Enhancing the shopping experience is also key

On the consumer front, the increase in demand for more efficient and convenient shopping experiences is also key. A study titled “Consumer Preferences Towards Unmanned Store Experiences” by Axis Communications found that Hong Kong consumers’ intention to shop at physical stores in the new normal post-pandemic era has dropped by 14% compared to the prepandemic era. Almost half of the respondents (47%) indicated they are more likely to visit unmanned stores – physical stores with few to no staff.

Kevin Kan, chief experience officer of Break Out Consulting Asia, said one of the biggest challenges retail owners had during the pandemic was staffing, so it is easier to operate automated retail stores while enhancing the customer experience.

“As a person who is time-crunched, being able to shop when I want is something that would make me loyal to a brand who had all night shopping. After the global pandemic, I’d love to be able to go to the store at a time when it is less crowded, and I can shop at my leisure. It’s just so convenient!” he said.

Agreeing with Kan was Darren Chuckry, founder of experiential agency HK Initiative, who said these self-service or automated systems provide instant and detailed product information, allowing customers to easily access reviews, usage instructions, and related products, further enhancing their shopping experience and enabling them to make informed purchasing decisions.

“Furthermore, these automated systems enable brands to connect with a younger, digital-savvy generation, who are accustomed to technology-driven experiences, making it essential for retailers to adapt and innovate to stay relevant in today’s rapidly changing retail landscape,” he said.

Will traditional retailers fizzle out?

While automated stores offer many benefits to brands and consumers, they may not be suitable

for all retail formats or customer preferences, according to HKTV.

“Some shoppers may still prefer the personal touch of a human cashier; traditional stores have staff that could assist customers with questions and provide assistance in choosing products.”

Certain products or services may require the expertise of a trained employee, according to HKTV. “For example, the sale of age-restricted products such as alcohol and cigarettes.”

Meanwhile, it added that the security of the stores is also a crucial concern, as unmanned stores are more vulnerable and likely to encounter theft and fraud as there are no staff to monitor customer behaviour.

Agreeing with HKTV was Carmen Wu, head of Havas Market at Havas Media HK, who said the expected investment benefits of unmanned stores do not appear to be convincing regarding operational efficiencies and value chain benefits due to system errors and payment issues.

“Additionally, traditional retail sectors such as luxury goods, watches, and jewellery brands need to maintain a personalised touch and offer expert advice. As such, unmanned stores are more likely to become prevalent in supermarkets or convenience stores, where speed and efficiency are the primary priorities,” she said.

Despite the rise in the adoption of selfservice systems in the retail industry, they are unlikely to completely replace traditional stores that rely on manpower, according to HK Initiative’s Chuckry.

“Instead, the future of retail lies in striking a balance between technology and the human touch, where automation enhances the customer experience and complements in-person interactions, creating a harmonious blend of efficiency and personalised service that today’s consumers desire,” he said.

Meanwhile, VMLY&R Commerce’s Fu said in the new world of retail business, the front end is “people + goods + place”, while the back end is AI, big data, and cloud computing.

“The back end is basic layers such as AI, big data, and cloud computing,” she added.

“For a long time to come, it will not completely replace the traditional model, but coexist with it to evolve.”

On the other hand, Break Out Consulting Asia’s Kan said as the cost of technology starts coming down, he can see unmanned automated stores slowly replacing traditional retail stores.

“What you are eliminating is the constant need to retrain staff when there is a turnover of personnel. To me, that is the real cost saving. You have simply moved variable costs (staffing, training, benefits) to fixed costs (infrastructure) of operations,” he added.

“Some shoppers may still prefer the personal touch of a human cashier; traditional stores have staff that could assist customers with questions and provide assistance in choosing products.”

It is no surprise to see a big shift in consumer behaviour and marketing trends as we enter the post-pandemic era. However, creativity and innovation remain at the heart of all that is marketing today, and celebrating the achievements made by the marketing community, and agency minds behind the work, was crucial to us at this year’s MARKies Awards.

This year’s entries were filled with unrivalled creativity and innovative marketing professionals who pushed boundaries. We saw agencies and brands work together to support the consumer. And we saw marketing leaders adjust strategies to ensure business sustainability.

The celebrations took place at JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong on 11 May 2023. MARKETING-INTERACTIVE would like to thank our 26 judges who took time out of their busy schedules to go through the entries.

Congratulations to all winners.

BEST USE OF MARTECH

GOLD

Saatchi & Saatchi

Client: New World Development

Campaign: Share for Good

SILVER

CCCDI

Client: Poly Auction Hong Kong

Campaign: Digital Auction Platform

BRONZE PRIZM Group, DDB Group Hong Kong

Client: McDonald’s Hong Kong

Campaign: McDonald's Digital Transformation Chatbot Activations

BEST IDEA – PANDEMIC RESPONSE

GOLD

Saatchi & Saatchi

Client: New World Development Campaign: Share for Good

SILVER

Ogilvy Hong Kong, PHD Hong Kong

Client: PayMe by HSBC

Campaign: Hong Kong’s Laisee

BRONZE

Mindshare Hong Kong, GroupM Nexus

Client: Midland Realty Campaign: VR Property Tour

BEST USE OF MOBILE & APPS

GOLD

Mindshare Hong Kong, GroupM Nexus

Client: Midland Realty

Campaign: VR Property Tour

SILVER

EY Mtel

Client: Watsons Hong Kong eShop

Campaign: Watsons HK Shopping App

BRONZE

CCCDI

Client: Poly Auction Hong Kong

Campaign: Digital Auction Platform

BEST IDEA – CUSTOMER ACQUISITION

GOLD

PRIZM Group, DDB Group Hong Kong

Client: McDonald’s Hong Kong

Campaign: McDonald's Digital Transformation Chatbot Activations

SILVER

PHD Hong Kong, M&C Saatchi Spencer

Client: DFI Retail Group

Campaign: yuu to me is INCREDIBLE!

BRONZE

Omnichat

Client: Watsons Hong Kong eShop

Campaign: Watsons Here For You

BEST USE OF INFLUENCER

GOLD GAIA

Client: The Hong Kong Mortgage Corporation

Campaign: HKMC Branding & Tactical Campaign

SILVER Durian HK

Client: Mead Johnson Nutrition (Hong Kong)

Campaign: Mead Johnson A+ Baby Group Is Out!

BRONZE Fevaworks Solutions (Hong Kong)

Client: Otsuka Pharmaceutical (HK)

Campaign: Pocari Sweat x COLLAR Endorsers Campaign 2022

BEST IDEA – DESIGN

GOLD Saatchi & Saatchi

Client: HSBC Hong Kong Campaign: Open to Art

BEST IDEA – CX/UX

GOLD

Mindshare Hong Kong, GroupM Nexus

Client: Midland Realty

Campaign: VR Property Tour

SILVER

Saatchi & Saatchi

Client: New World Development

Campaign: Share for Good

BRONZE EY Mtel

Client: Watsons Hong Kong eShop

Campaign: Watsons HK Shopping App

BEST IDEA – DIGITAL SOLUTION

GOLD

Mindshare Hong Kong, GroupM Nexus

Client: Midland Realty Campaign: VR Property Tour

SILVER Hardchi Creative

Client: Tam Jai International

Campaign: Tam Jai Jeh Jeh Speaks Exhibition

BRONZE Pontac

Client: YSL Beauté Campaign: YSL BEAUTY ZONE

SILVER

Edelman Hong Kong

Client: KFC

Campaign: The Brainwave Bucket

BRONZE

Saatchi & Saatchi

Client: New World Development

Campaign: Share for Good

BEST IDEA – INTEGRATED MARKETING

GOLD

Dentsu Creative, Carat Media Services Hong Kong

Client: Café de Coral Campaign: A Taste of Togetherness

GOLD

The Bridge Agency

Client: Tam Jai International Campaign: Tamjai Yunnan Mixian "Dream Comes True 2022"

SILVER

Dentsu Creative Chicago, MSL HK, Analogfolk HK, AIR Concept

Client: Hong Kong Disneyland Campaign: Momentous Nighttime Spectacular

BEST IDEA – INFLUENCER

GOLD

Durian HK

Client: Mead Johnson Nutrition (Hong Kong)

Campaign: Mead Johnson A+ Baby Group Is Out!

SILVER

Omelette

Client: Royal Canin

Campaign: Take Your Cat To The Vet

BRONZE

Saatchi & Saatchi

Client: HSBC Hong Kong Campaign: DuoVerse

BRONZE

Brunswick

Client: The Hong Kong Jockey Club Campaign: With You. Then. Now. Always.

BEST IDEA – EXPERIENTIAL MARKETING

GOLD

Durian HK

Client: Reckitt Benckiser Hong Kong Campaign: 001 Of Durex, Durex 001 Launch Campaign

SILVER

Saatchi & Saatchi

Client: HSBC Hong Kong

Campaign: Open to Art

BRONZE

GREY Hong Kong, PHD Hong Kong

Client: HSBC Life

Campaign: Life Goes On – HSBC Swift Guard

Critical Illness Plan Launch Campaign

BEST IDEA – VIDEO

GOLD

Dentsu Creative, Carat Media Services Hong Kong

Client: Café de Coral

Campaign: A Taste of Togetherness

SILVER

Hardchi Creative

Client: MTR Corporation

Campaign: East Rail Line Cross Harbour Extension

Branding Campaign

BRONZE Society

Client: Tam Jai International Campaign: Life’s a mixture, we taste it all

BRONZE

Wunderman Thompson Hong Kong, PHD Media

Client: HSBC Hong Kong Campaign: HSBC Premier #ThisIsMyFamily Campaign

BEST IDEA – GAMIFICATION

GOLD

Dentsu Creative, EssenceMediacom

Client: Shell Campaign: Shell X BMW Motorsport Campaign

SILVER

Wunderman Thompson Hong Kong, PHD Media

Client: HSBC Hong Kong Campaign: HSBC Paraverse

BRONZE Cymballe

Client: Dah Sing Bank Campaign: Catch It If You Can 3.0

BEST USE OF O2O STRATEGY

GOLD

Ogilvy Hong Kong, PHD Hong Kong

Client: PayMe by HSBC Campaign: Hong Kong’s Laisee

SILVER

Wunderman Thompson Hong Kong, PHD Media

Client: HSBC Hong Kong

Campaign: HSBC Paraverse

BRONZE

iProspect

Client: SHISEIDO HONG KONG

Campaign: SHISEIDOVERSE: 150 YEARS TO THE FUTURE

BEST USE OF PROGRAMMATIC

GOLD

Wunderman Thompson Hong Kong, PHD Media

Client: HSBC Hong Kong

Campaign: HSBC. No.1 Buy Now Pay Later campaign

SILVER

Dentsu X

Client: Ocean Park Hong Kong

Campaign: Unlock the Halloween Parkaverse Campaign

SILVER

Xaxis Hong Kong, Mindshare Hong Kong

Client: Delivery Hero Food Hong Kong

Campaign: foodpanda Quarantine Hotel 2022 Campaign

BRONZE

Vpon HK

Client: Tam Jai International Campaign: Why not loving both ?

BEST IDEA – PUBLIC AWARENESS

GOLD

Omelette

Client: Royal Canin

Campaign: Take Your Cat To The Vet

SILVER

Saatchi & Saatchi

Client: New World Development Campaign: Share for Good

BRONZE

GREY Hong Kong, PHD Hong Kong

Client: HSBC Hong Kong Campaign: 18 Cheering Hub

BEST IDEA – SOCIAL MEDIA

GOLD

Leo Burnett Hong Kong

Client: DBS Bank (Hong Kong)

Campaign: Different Kind of Bank

SILVER

Narrow Door

Client: Hawley & Hazel Asia Investment Campaign: Darlie – Smile to Connect

BRONZE

Noiseless Design, Zenith Media, XDCG, Strategic Venture

Client: Hang Seng Bank Campaign: Project Hazel

BEST USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA

GOLD

Hardchi Creative

Client: MTR Corporation

Campaign: East Rail Line Cross Harbour Extension Branding Campaign

SILVER

The Bridge Agency, Madkids Communications

Client: Tam Jai International

Campaign: Duck Blood Returns

BRONZE

Vibes, Wavemaker

Client: PrimeCredit

Campaign: TFK x JFFT Small Loan Social Campaign

BEST IDEA – LAUNCH/REBRANDING

GOLD

Durian HK

Client: Reckitt Benckiser Hong Kong

Campaign: 001 Of Durex, Durex 001 Launch Campaign

SILVER

Hardchi Creative

Client: Bossini Enterprises

Campaign: Hong Kong Tee Campaign

BRONZE

PRIZM Group

Client: Danone Nutricia Early Life Nutrition (Hong Kong)

Campaign: Cow & Gate Club Digitalization Initiation

BEST USE OF CONTENT

GOLD

Omelette

Client: Royal Canin

Campaign: Take Your Cat To The Vet

SILVER

Hardchi Creative

Client: Ngong Ping 360

Campaign: Crystal+ Grand Launch Campaign

BRONZE

Naughty Things Creative

Client: FORTRESS Hong Kong

Campaign: FORTRESS x RubberBand Branding Campaign 2022

BRONZE

Omelette

Client: Oriental Watch Company

Campaign: Take Your Time to Rediscover The City

BEST USE OF DATA/INSIGHTS

GOLD

OMD Hong Kong

Client: McDonald’s Hong Kong

Campaign: McDonald’s Global first GA4 Predictive Audiences Activation

SILVER

Ogilvy Hong Kong, PHD Hong Kong

Client: PayMe by HSBC

Campaign: Hong Kong’s Laisee

BRONZE Assembly

Client: Blue Insurance

Campaign: The Blue Ocean Project

BEST USE OF CRM

GOLD

PRIZM Group, DDB Group Hong Kong

Client: McDonald’s Hong Kong

Campaign: McDonald's Digital Transformation Chatbot Activations

SILVER

Cymballe

Client: Nan Fung Group

Campaign: Green Explorer

SILVER

DigiSalad Solutions

Client: Eagle Property Management (CP)

Campaign: New LP Club Loyalty App – Happy Shopping Formula

BRONZE

Cymballe

Client: The Hong Kong and China Gas Company

Campaign: Towngas 160th Anniversary Grand Lucky Draw Campaign

BEST USE OF DIGITAL SOLUTION

GOLD

We Glow HK, Mosaic Digital, Echo Picture

Client: NARS Cosmetics Hong Kong

Campaign: NARS POWERICON NFT Campaign

SILVER

Omnichat

Client: Watsons Hong Kong eShop

Campaign: Watsons Here For You

BRONZE

PRIZM Group

Client: Sun Life Hong Kong

Campaign: Sun Life Hong Kong – Loyalty & Community Architecture Technovation

BEST USE OF GAMIFICATION

GOLD

Durian HK

Client: Mead Johnson Nutrition (Hong Kong)

Campaign: Mead Johnson A+ Baby Group Is Out!

SILVER

Ogilvy Hong Kong, PHD Hong Kong

Client: PayMe by HSBC

Campaign: Hong Kong’s Laisee

BRONZE Cymballe

Client: Hysan Marketing Services

Campaign: Little Monster E-lab

BRONZE

Pontac

Client: SHISEIDO HONG KONG

Campaign: SHISEIDOVERSE: 150 YEARS TO THE FUTURE

BEST USE OF VENUE

GOLD

MakeItLoud, Boxing Promotions

Client: Cityplaza Hong Kong

Campaign: Monster Inc. Merry GIFTmas

SILVER

EssenceMediacom

Client: Cartier

Campaign: The Culture of Design Multisensory Experience

BRONZE

Hardchi Creative

Client: Tam Jai International

Campaign: Tam Jai Jeh Jeh Speaks Exhibition

BEST IDEA – PUBLIC RELATIONS

GOLD

Hardchi Creative

Client: MTR Corporation

Campaign: East Rail Line Cross Harbour Extension Branding Campaign

SILVER

The Bridge Agency

Client: Tam Jai International

Campaign: Tamjai Yunnan Mixian "Dream Comes True 2022"

BRONZE Society

Client: Tam Jai International

Campaign: Why not loving both?

BEST IDEA – CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

GOLD

Hardchi Creative

Client: Heep Hong Society

Campaign: Autism Awareness Week

SILVER

Omelette

Client: Royal Canin

Campaign: Take Your Cat To The Vet

BRONZE

CruiSo Digital Solutions

Client: CSL Mobile

Campaign: CSL Mobile x M+ "Reshaping the New Art Tech Experience"

BEST IDEA – CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT

GOLD

Leo Burnett Hong Kong

Client: Cathay Pacific Airways

Campaign: SeFun’s in the Air

SILVER

Mindshare Hong Kong, GroupM Nexus

Client: Midland Realty

Campaign: VR Property Tour

BRONZE Hardchi Creative

Client: Tam Jai International Campaign: Tam Jai Jeh Jeh Speaks Exhibition

BEST USE OF OUT-OF-HOME

GOLD

Saatchi & Saatchi

Client: HSBC Hong Kong Campaign: Open to Art

SILVER

Dentsu X, Hivestack

Client: Ocean Park Water World Campaign: Water World Go Splash Summer Campaign

BRONZE

AIR Concept, AnalogFolk Hong Kong

Client: Hong Kong Disneyland Campaign: Momentous Nighttime Spectacular

BEST USE OF REAL-TIME MARKETING

GOLD

EssenceMediacom

Client: Uber Hong Kong

Campaign: Go your way, Live your way

SILVER

Yello Marketing

Client: Hong Kong Billiard Sports Control Council

Campaign: Hong Kong Masters 2022

BRONZE EY Mtel, The Bridge Agency

Client: Tam Jai International

Campaign: Tamjai Souper Hero NFT

BEST IDEA – MOBILE MARKETING

GOLD

Mindshare Hong Kong, GroupM Nexus

Client: Midland Realty Campaign: VR Property Tour

SILVER

Pontac

Client: KIEHL'S Campaign: CAMP KIEHL'S

BRONZE

Pontac

Client: SHISEIDO HONG KONG

Campaign: SHISEIDOVERSE: 150 YEARS TO THE FUTURE

BEST IDEA – BRANDED CONTENT

BEST USE OF INTEGRATED MEDIA

GOLD

Saatchi & Saatchi

Client: HSBC Hong Kong

Campaign: Open to Art

SILVER

Narrow Door

Client: SHISEIDO HONG KONG

Campaign: SHISEIDOVERSE: 150 YEARS TO THE FUTURE

BRONZE Hardchi Creative

Client: Tam Jai International

Campaign: Tam Jai Jeh Jeh Speaks Exhibition

GOLD

Saatchi & Saatchi

Client: HSBC Hong Kong

Campaign: Open to Art

SILVER

Durian HK

Client: Reckitt Benckiser Hong Kong

Campaign: 001 Of Durex, Durex 001 Launch Campaign

BRONZE Hardchi Creative

Client: Bossini Enterprises

Campaign: Hong Kong Tee Campaign

BEST IDEA – EVENTS

GOLD

Hardchi Creative

Client: Heep Hong Society

Campaign: Autism Awareness Week

SILVER

Saatchi & Saatchi

Client: HSBC Hong Kong

Campaign: Open to Art

BRONZE

Sunny Idea

Client: Oatly Hong Kong

Campaign: Oatly Taste-Tea Art Fair

BEST IDEA – PARTNERSHIP/SPONSORSHIP

GOLD Hardchi Creative

Client: Citygate Outlets

Campaign: "WOOD" You

SILVER

Saatchi & Saatchi

Client: HSBC Hong Kong

Campaign: Open to Art

BRONZE

CruiSo Digital Solutions

Client: CSL Mobile

Campaign: CSL Mobile x M+ "Reshaping the New Art Tech Experience"

Best of Show – Campaign

Open to Art

Taking home the coveted overall Best of Show – Campaign was Open to Art, and the team had its hands full winning four gold and three silver trophies.

Open to Art was launched to develop a campaign platform that positions HSBC at the forefront of digital art and culture, as well as to drive brand awareness and PR value via long-term activations and events.

The idea of the campaign was built on consumer research which uncovered that art, specifically digital art, was one of the fastest growing trends for younger consumers. The popularity of the Digital Art Fair and Hong Kong Art Fair’s digital installation among Gen Z and millennials was also very evident through HSBC's social listening.

As such, the team developed a year-long initiative that aimed to allow the entire city to both exhibit and experience digital art. As one of the largest banks in Hong Kong, HSBC has converted many physical and digital spaces, including events, branches, traditional media spaces and even virtual ones, into art spaces.

The brand hopes to drive relevancy between the bank and art by creating opportunities for the local community to enjoy these experiences in ways they otherwise could not, while also highlighting Hong Kong’s brightest digital creators.

As part of the campaign, the brand developed “Art of Progress”, a live multimedia installation in its wealth centres, using AI and historical data from the Hang Seng Index to create real-time art pieces in a traditional Chinese style.

It is also showcasing its billboards in high-traffic locations featuring both HSBC’s partnerships with M+ for the Kusama exhibition and local digital multimedia creators. The innovative interactive element has opened up a way where consumers can interact with the art, symbolising the spirit behind “Open to Art”.

Furthermore, HSBC has also collaborated with K11 in creating some of the world's largest NFT exhibitions, including turning K11 MUSEA into a guided tour of digital art. It has also developed an “Open to Sound” installation on the West Kowloon Waterfront Promenade, giving a live experiential sound experience to one of Hong Kong’s iconic water fronts.

Best of Show – Agency

Saatchi & Saatchi

Meanwhile, Saatchi & Saatchi took home a large haul of six gold, five silver and two bronze trophies. Across the three campaigns it entered, the campaign “Open to Art”, which was done for its client HSBC Hong Kong, won four gold and three silver trophies.

The agency’s campaign with New World Development – “Share for Good” – also won two golds, two silvers and one bronze.

The idea of the campaign came as NGOs in Hong Kong were facing serious issues with donations during the pandemic, where costs were rapidly rising and fundraising events were drying up with no-person events allowed. The “Share for Good” campaign aimed to solve the inherent issues with NGOs in Hong Kong and reimagine what successful giving could look like.

During the three-week campaign, the agency created “Share for Good”, a digital platform that allowed NGOs

to communicate their work, goals and needs, whether in funding or in-kind. Institutions, corporations, and even individuals, could then “match” with the NGOs to donate against their needs.

The agency also developed partnerships with hospitals, medical supply companies and logistics experts to help with the most in-demand in-kind donations, as well as developing a dedicated team to help monitor the donation process, including helping NGOs with auditing to ensure every dollar of the proceeds was used to the fullest.

In just the campaign period alone, the campaign received donations from over 1400 institutions, corporations, restaurants and schools. This even helped change the perception of New World Development in Hong Kong. During the same period, social mentions increased by 30%, and negative social sentiment dropped from 20% to 14% for the first time since the pandemic.