Brand Promotion

Dalian+Hong Kong Brand Festival Overview

Under the sponsorship of the Dedicated Fund on Branding, Upgrading and Domestic Sales (Organisation Support Programme), the BDC is implementing the "Assisting Hong Kong Enterprises to Explore Liaodong Peninsula and Adjacent Markets through Organising ‘Hong Kong Brand + Dalian’ Serial Activities” Project, with the Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong acting as the Collaborating Organisation and the CMA Exhibition Services Limited acting as Implementation Agent. This 13-month Project commenced on 16 March 2016.

Project Summary

The Liaodong Peninsula is the foremost manufacturing cluster in North China and its coastal corridor, centering on the Dalian City, constitutes not only the gateway to Northeast market, but also the north wing of the Pan Bohai Economic Rim. Apart from a strategic geographic position and strong industrial foundation, the unfolding of national strategies like “Reviving Northeast Old Industrial Base”, “Bohai Rim Region Cooperation Development Plan” and “One Road One Belt - Northeast New Silk Road” also helps to unleash the economic potential of Liaodong Peninsula; and such multiple advantages are bound to translate into immense opportunities for Hong Kong companies with an eye on the North China and Northeast Asia markets.

In line with Hong Kong brands’ recent moves to expand business frontier nationwide, this Project stages a large-scale brand promotional campaign supplemented by a bevy of market research activities, with a focus on Dalian City, the primary commercial hub of Northeast China and China’s “Pearl of the North”. Under the banner of “Hong Kong Brand +” (also referred to as “‘Dalian + Hong Kong Brand Festival’ Serial Activities”), it aims to help Hong Kong enterprises to better understand the market environment and explore business opportunities in Liaodong Peninsula and the neighbouring regions, while enhancing the collective image and market influences of Hong Kong brands through an innovative experience-based approach.

The Project features a series of diversified activities that tie in with the current needs of Hong Kong enterprises. Its mainstay is a brand experience zone set up at the “2016 Hong Kong Trendy Products Expo, Dalian” (the Expo), which integrates large-scale brand and product showcases, interactive demonstration kiosks and a variety of performances programmes with distinctive “Hong Kong flavours”, culminating in a multidimensional and dynamic “Experiencing Hong Kong, Experiencing Brands” ambience to highlight the innovative and trendy image as well as remarkable emotional values of Hong Kong brands.

Meanwhile, a comprehensive research on local distribution channel is to be conducted along three dimensions, i.e., in-depth interviews with distributors specialising in Dalian and the adjacent markets, case studies to document the real-life experience of selected Hong Kong brands in developing domestic sales, and a study tour to investigate the retail outlets in Dalian, in an attempt to gain insights into the business environment of the Liaodong Peninsula and to explore the effective strategies for market entry and brand promotion. Besides, an array of diversified publicity activities will be rolled out in Hong Kong and Dalian as well, including an all-around marketing communication programme leveraging on new media and various information channels, as well as an experience sharing seminar with emphasis on the strategies and practices of Hong Kong brands in tapping into Mainland market.

Project Deliverables

1. A brand experience area under the banner of “Hong Kong Brand +” was set up at the “2016 Hong Kong Trendy Products Expo, Dalian” (the Expo), which seamlessly integrated thematic brand/product showcases, interactive demonstration kiosks and a variety of performances programmes with distinctive “Hong Kong flavours”. The showcase gallery, deliberately designed in a contemporary style with ingenious layout, shaped into a “‘Hong Kong Brand + Dynamic Lifestyle’ Experience Zone” that assembled over 110 Hong Kong brands engaged in consumer products with strong innovation, design, or cultural elements; and it served as a epitome of the superior quality of life and charming metropolitan lifestyle of Hong Kong.
2. As a focal point of the brand experience area, the “‘Hong Kong Brand +’ Interactive Experience Camp” featured 5 demonstration kiosks interspersed among the showcases, at which selected Hong Kong brands presented a variety of innovative and interactive activities to deliver unique consumer experience, culminating in a multidimensional dynamic “Experiencing Hong Kong, Experiencing Brands” ambience to highlight the trendy image as well as remarkable emotional values of Hong Kong brands.
3. A series of stage performances with “Hong Kong flavour” and entertaining programmes echoing with the Interactive Experience Camp were lined up at the Expo venue, scattering over the exhibition period, in an attempt to demonstrate the diversity and lifestyle-orientation of Hong Kong brands while enhancing the participation and enjoyment of the visitors.
4. A half-day business study tour in Dalian to be organised, during which Hong Kong brand operators paid a visit to an enterprise/organisation with rich experience in domestic sales and observed a representative shopping mall, so as to have better understanding of local business environment and the distribution channels, and to explore the strategies for market entry and brand promotion.
5. In-depth interviews with about 8-10 local distributors with focus on Dalian and the adjacent markets were conducted. Through gathering first-hand market intelligence from the perspective of channel operators, such interviews would help advance the understanding of the commercial environment, consumers’ preference, distribution channels, and supporting facilities in Liaodong and the adjacent markets and shed light on the effective branding and marketing strategies.
6. Case studies on 3 Hong Kong companies with exposure to Liaodong or the adjacent regions were conducted to document their real-life experience in developing domestic sales, and to review their brand management strategies, business operation mode, as well as marketing tactics, with an eye to extracting relevant insights for Hong Kong companies’ reference.
7. A 2-hour concluding seminar were hosted in Hong Kong to announce the findings of distributor interviews, case studies and Dalian business study tour, which also served as a forum for professionals and representatives from local companies to share experience and exchange views in regard to domestic sales and branding practices.
8. A publicity and advertising campaign, which leveraged on both traditional information channels and a variety of new media tools like social media, mounted by phases in Hong Kong and Dalian especially at the Expo, in tandem with the activities of the “Dalian + Hong Kong Brand Festival”.
9. A set of promotional materials, e.g. leaflet, brochure of the participating companies of the brand experience area and souvenirs for visitors, was produced and distributed at selected hotspots in Dalian and the Expo prior to and/or during the exhibition.
10. Regular updates on the serial activities of the Project were broadcasted through the website of the Organiser or via a dedicated website specially established for the Project.

Please visit “Dalian + Hong Kong Brand Festival” website for detailed information

 

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Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this webpage (or by members of the Project team) do not reflect the views of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Trade and Industry Department or the Vetting Committee for the SME Development Fund and the Dedicated Fund on Branding, Upgrading and Domestic Sales (Organisation Support Programme).