Enterprising Hong Kong Brand Conference by South China Morning Post
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South China Morning Post Wednesday, July 13, 2016 Printed and published by South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd, Morning Post Centre, 22 Dai Fat Street, Tai Po Industrial Estate, Tai Po, Hong Kong. Tel: 2680 8888. Supporting partners: Silver sponsor: Knowledge partner: Building a brand and making a mark ............................................................... John Brennan Last Thursday the culmination of the Enterprising Hong Kong Brand Awards 2016 gave those in the audience an opportunity to both laud and learn. With the number of award categories expanded to recognise both privately-held SMEs and publicly-listed homegrown companies, more organisations than ever got the chance to take a bow when the winners were announced at the lunchtime ceremony. With the day’s events sponsored by United Overseas Bank (UOB), Qianhai International Liaison Services as the Knowledge Partner and organised by South China Morning Post, it was SCMP CEO Robin Hu who introduced the announcement of the award winners. “Companies honored by Enterprising Hong Kong Brand Awards had to demon- strate best-of-breed business strategy and breakthrough branding initiatives. The winners not only emerged as the top contender from a group of high achieving peers, they also represent the brightest business minds in our city.” he said. “‘Enterprising’ is one of our core values, which are honourable, enterprising, united and committed. It includes being creative, innovative and going the extra mile to support our customers and business partners. The Enterprising Hong Kong Brand Awards truly reflect our core values and that is why we support them,” says Christine Ip, CEO Greater China of UOB. Awards were presented to businesses drawn from six sectors spanning Hong Kong’s economy. Among the privately-held companies, Hong Kong Airlines took the Best HK Professional Services Brand honours. “This is an important award for what is a relatively young and growing company,” Christopher Birt, general manager of inflight services at Hong Kong Airlines, told the audience. “We work very hard not just to offer excellent service to our customers but to promote our brand in what is a tough industry.” Collecting the award for the Best HK Healthcare Brand in the publicly-listed category, Jacky Kwan, chairman of Bamboos Professional Nursing Services, was keen to share the praise around. “I think the honour should not only go to me and my team, it should also go to our 15,000 healthcare personnel who are working really hard and very professionally,” Kwan said. Earlier in the day, in a series of panels and talks, finalists and other experts gathered on the stage to outline and assess some of the key issues around branding, entrepreneurship and the nature of enterprise. The morning’s mini confer- ence began with a panel session entitled ‘Newcomers vs Big Players’, moderated by Raymond Ho, chairman of The Hong Kong Advertisers Association (HK2A). Joining him to look at various ways that companies just entering an already crowded and competitive marketplace can achieve success were: Robby Yung, ceo of mobile games publisher Animoca Brands; Michelle Wu, marketing general manager with hotel and serviced apartment operator Ovolo Hotels; and, Kiri Sinclair, founder and manag- ing director of PR agency Sinclair Communications. Wu explained that Ovolo’s brand is built around the idea of positioning itself as its young customers’ informative friend. Sinclair Communications is in the business of promoting its clients’ brands, and Sinclair described how important it was these clients present their message consistently across all communication channels they use. While Yung pointed out his Animoca Brands has a less common relationship with branding. “We work with licensor partners from around the world – Hollywood studios, entertainment companies, Japanese anime companies, toy companies – and we leverage their brands. So we’ve got license for Doraemon, Astro Boy, Ultraman, Garfield, Thomas the Tank Engine to create original games featuring those brands.” Next up on the stage, SCMP’s chief reporter, Enoch Yiu, moderated a panel that considered ways to transform and rejuvenate brands. Sharing their wisdom with the audience were Patrick So, general manager of Arome Bakery Hong Kong, Gary Bissett, director of marketing with Dining Concepts, and Jacky Kwan, chairman of Bamboos Professional Nursing Services. So told the story of the rise, fall and rise once again of Arome Bakery. Facing brand ‘fatigue’ and declining popularity with consumers, the company formed a re-branding team drawn from all parts of the company, from its chefs to its interior designers, to turn things around. Successful branding isn’t a one-shot process, Bissett explained, but is built on continuing development. Even relocating the company’s popular Bombay Dreams restaurant within the same building required a re-brand involving changes to the logo and the recruitment of a master chef from India. Kwan said repackaging the company’s brand of medical and nursing services is its main objective. On top of that, he added, delivering a very good quality of service is essential for the company to successfully build its reputa- tion. Breaking out of the panel set up, Dr Witman Hung, principal liason officer for Hong Kong-Shenzhen Qianhai Authority presented a case study on strategies Hong Kong brands can use in the China market. Hung suggested that emphasising the relative ‘foreign-ness’ of the brand, building its fanbase online, leveraging key opinion leaders, such as internet celebrities, personalising the landing page, were all strategies worth considering. “Search engine optimisation and data analytics are not new technologies but if used correctly they are still very effective,” he added. The final discussion before the awards were announced was entitled ‘Impossible vs I’m possible.’ Moderator Dr Edmund Lee, executive director of the Hong Kong Design Centre, saw this in terms of the urgent need for “Hong Kong to regain the entrepreneurial spirit”, and his panel was full of suggestions about how this might be achieved. Start-up campus Paperclip is Deepak Madnani’s fourth company and the founder and ceo readily admitted to embracing the principle of failing fast and iterating. “It’s about the ability to keep moving forward and keep pushing,” he said. Will Lai, co-founder and business director with digital marker agency Fimmick, believed curiosity has to be encouraged more within the local education system. “Most people who’ve studied in Hong Kong are good listeners but can’t ask good questions.” Studying its competitors and making sure Wifi Egg differen- tiated itself from them has been key to the company’s success, said Vincent Fung, marketing manager with the mobile communications service provider. On a less positive note, he said he’d found a decline in the attitude of potential hires, with many not bothering to turn up for interviews or even calling to explain their no-show. Sam Yeung, Sales Manager with flyer distributor Flyer King, said detailed copying of their products by competitors had been an issue for the company but developing new ways of engaging with its clients and their customers has ensured it has continued to thrive. Robby Yung (right), Chief Executive Officer of Animoca Brands shares his insights on “Newcomers vs Big Players” panel. He is joined by moderator, Raymond Ho (left), Chairman of The Hong Kong Advertisers Association (HK2A) and Judge for Enterprising Hong Kong Brand Awards 2016; Kiri Sinclair (second from left), Founder and Managing Director of Sinclair Communications and Michelle Wu (second from right), General Manager of Marketing of Ovolo Group. Enoch Yiu (second from left), Chief Reporter of SCMP and Judge for Enterprising Hong Kong Brand Awards 2016 moderates “Evolution vs Revolution” panel. Her panellists consist of (left) Jacky Kwan, Chairman, Bamboos Professional Nursing Services; Garry Bissett (second from right), Director of Marketing, Dining Concepts and Patrick So (right), General Manager, Arome Bakery HK Co Ltd. Dr Edmund Lee (left), Executive Director of Hong Kong Design Centre and Judge for Enterprising Hong Kong Brand Awards 2016, “moderates Impossible vs I'm Possible” panel. His panellists include Willy Lai (second from left), Co-founder and Business Director of Fimmick; Vincent Fung (middle), Marketing Manager of Wifi Egg; Deepak Madnani (second from right), Founder and CEO of Paperclip Startup Campus and Sam Yeung (right), Sales Manager of Flyer King. Robin Hu, Chief Executive Officer, South China Morning Post Publishers welcomes everyone to the Enterprising Hong Kong Brand Awards ceremony. Dr Witman Hung, Principal Liaison Officer for Hong Kong, Shenzhen Qianhai Authority provides key strategies for Hong Kong brands to enter the China market. Christine Ip, Managing Director and CEO, Greater China of United Overseas Bank Limited announces the winners of Best HK Retail & Hospitality Brand Award, publicly-listed and privately-held.
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Transcript of Enterprising Hong Kong Brand Conference by South China Morning Post
South China Morning Post Wednesday, July 13, 2016
Printed and published by South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd, Morning Post Centre, 22 Dai Fat Street, Tai Po Industrial Estate, Tai Po, Hong Kong. Tel: 2680 8888.
Supporting partners:
Silver sponsor: Knowledge partner:
Building a brand andmaking a mark
...............................................................John Brennan
Last Thursday the culmination of the Enterprising Hong Kong Brand Awards 2016 gave those in the audience an opportunity to both laud and learn.
With the number of award categories expanded to recognise both privately-held SMEs and publicly-listed homegrown companies, more organisations than ever got the chance to take a bow when the winners were announced at the lunchtime ceremony.
With the day’s events sponsored by United Overseas Bank (UOB), Qianhai International Liaison Services as the Knowledge Partner and organised by South China Morning Post, it was SCMP CEO Robin Hu who introduced the announcement of the award winners.
“Companies honored by Enterprising Hong Kong Brand Awards had to demon-strate best-of-breed business strategy and breakthrough branding initiatives. The winners not only emerged as the top contender from a group of high achieving peers, they also represent the brightest business minds in our city.” he said.
“‘Enterprising’ is one of our core values, which are honourable, enterprising, united and committed. It includes being creative, innovative and going the extra mile to support our customers and business partners. The Enterprising Hong Kong Brand Awards truly reflect our core values and that is why we support them,” says Christine Ip, CEO Greater China of UOB.
Awards were presented to businesses drawn from six sectors spanning Hong Kong’s economy.
Among the privately-held companies, Hong Kong Airlines took the Best HK Professional Services Brand honours.
“This is an important award for what is a relatively young and growing company,” Christopher Birt, general manager of inflight services at Hong Kong Airlines, told the audience. “We work very hard not just to offer excellent service to our customers but to promote our brand in what is a tough industry.”
Collecting the award for the Best HK Healthcare Brand in the publicly-listed category, Jacky Kwan, chairman of Bamboos Professional Nursing Services, was keen to share the praise around.
“I think the honour should not only go to me and my team, it should also go to our 15,000 healthcare personnel who are working really hard and very professionally,” Kwan said.
Earlier in the day, in a series of panels and talks, finalists and other experts gathered on the stage to outline and assess some of the key issues around branding, entrepreneurship and the nature of enterprise.
The morning’s mini confer-ence began with a panel session entitled ‘Newcomers vs Big Players’, moderated by Raymond Ho, chairman of The Hong Kong Advertisers Association (HK2A).
Joining him to look at various ways that companies just entering an already crowded and competitive marketplace can achieve success were: Robby Yung, ceo of mobile games publisher Animoca Brands; Michelle Wu, marketing general manager with hotel and serviced apartment operator Ovolo Hotels; and, Kiri Sinclair, founder and manag-ing director of PR agency Sinclair Communications.
Wu explained that Ovolo’s brand is built around the idea of positioning itself as its young customers’ informative friend.
Sinclair Communications is in the business of promoting its clients’ brands, and Sinclair described how important it was these clients present their message consistently across all communication channels they use.
While Yung pointed out his Animoca Brands has a less common relationship with branding.
“We work with licensor partners from around the world – Hollywood studios, entertainment companies, Japanese anime companies, toy companies – and we leverage their brands. So we’ve got license for Doraemon, Astro Boy, Ultraman, Garfield, Thomas the Tank Engine to create original games featuring those brands.”
Next up on the stage, SCMP’s chief reporter, Enoch Yiu, moderated a panel that considered ways to transform and rejuvenate brands.
Sharing their wisdom with the audience were Patrick So, general manager of Arome Bakery Hong Kong, Gary Bissett, director of marketing with Dining Concepts, and Jacky Kwan, chairman of Bamboos Professional Nursing Services.
So told the story of the rise, fall and rise once again of Arome Bakery. Facing brand ‘fatigue’ and declining popularity with consumers, the company formed a re-branding team drawn from all parts of the company, from its chefs to its interior designers, to turn things around.
Successful branding isn’t a one-shot process, Bissett explained, but is built on
continuing development. Even relocating the company’s popular Bombay Dreams restaurant within the same building required a re-brand involving changes to the logo and the recruitment of a master chef from India.
Kwan said repackaging the company’s brand of medical and nursing services is its main objective. On top of that,
he added, delivering a very good quality of service is essential for the company to successfully build its reputa-tion.
Breaking out of the panel set up, Dr Witman Hung, principal liason officer for Hong Kong-Shenzhen Qianhai Authority presented a case study on strategies Hong Kong brands can use in the China
market.Hung suggested that
emphasising the relative ‘foreign-ness’ of the brand, building its fanbase online, leveraging key opinion leaders, such as internet celebrities, personalising the landing page, were all strategies worth considering.
“Search engine optimisation and data analytics are not new
technologies but if used correctly they are still very effective,” he added.
The final discussion before the awards were announced was entitled ‘Impossible vs I’m possible.’ Moderator Dr Edmund Lee, executive director of the Hong Kong Design Centre, saw this in terms of the urgent need for “Hong Kong to regain the
entrepreneurial spirit”, and his panel was full of suggestions about how this might be achieved.
Start-up campus Paperclip is Deepak Madnani’s fourth company and the founder and ceo readily admitted to embracing the principle of failing fast and iterating. “It’s about the ability to keep moving forward and keep pushing,” he said.
Will Lai, co-founder and business director with digital marker agency Fimmick, believed curiosity has to be encouraged more within the local education system. “Most people who’ve studied in Hong Kong are good listeners but can’t ask good questions.”
Studying its competitors and making sure Wifi Egg differen-tiated itself from them has been key to the company’s success, said Vincent Fung, marketing manager with the mobile communications service provider. On a less positive note, he said he’d found a decline in the attitude of potential hires, with many not bothering to turn up for interviews or even calling to explain their no-show.
Sam Yeung, Sales Manager with flyer distributor Flyer King, said detailed copying of their products by competitors had been an issue for the company but developing new ways of engaging with its clients and their customers has ensured it has continued to thrive.
Robby Yung (right), Chief Executive Officer of Animoca Brands shares his insights on “Newcomers vs Big Players” panel. He is joined by moderator, Raymond Ho (left), Chairman of The Hong Kong Advertisers Association (HK2A) and Judge for Enterprising Hong Kong Brand Awards 2016; Kiri Sinclair (second from left), Founder and Managing Director of Sinclair Communications and Michelle Wu (second from right), General Manager of Marketing of Ovolo Group.
Enoch Yiu (second from left), Chief Reporter of SCMP and Judge for Enterprising Hong Kong Brand Awards 2016 moderates “Evolution vs Revolution” panel. Her panellists consist of (left) Jacky Kwan, Chairman, Bamboos Professional Nursing Services; Garry Bissett (second from right), Director of Marketing, Dining Conceptsand Patrick So (right), General Manager, Arome Bakery HK Co Ltd.
Dr Edmund Lee (left), Executive Director of Hong Kong Design Centre and Judge for Enterprising Hong Kong Brand Awards 2016, “moderates Impossible vs I'm Possible” panel. His panellists include Willy Lai (second from left), Co-founder and Business Director of Fimmick; Vincent Fung (middle), Marketing Manager of Wifi Egg; Deepak Madnani (secondfrom right), Founder and CEO of Paperclip Startup Campus and Sam Yeung (right), Sales Manager of Flyer King.
Robin Hu, Chief Executive Officer, South China Morning Post Publishers welcomes everyone to the Enterprising Hong Kong Brand Awards ceremony.
Dr Witman Hung, Principal Liaison Officer for Hong Kong, Shenzhen Qianhai Authority provides key strategies for Hong Kong brands to enter the China market.
Christine Ip, Managing Director and CEO, Greater China of United Overseas Bank Limited announces the winners of Best HK Retail & Hospitality Brand Award, publicly-listed and privately-held.
