It’s the obvious thing to say, so I’ll say it anyway: Hong Kong has an image problem, locally and overseas, and from a marketing point of view, it’s a chicken and egg and dim sum and lights off situation:
Does the government focus on, let’s say, trying to create a definite new brand image for a very old looking Hong Kong...or lazily continue playing for time by attracting more and more groups of elderly tourists from the mainland by bribing them with vouchers for this and that and tinpot one-off down market throwaways?
It does nothing for the overall image of Hong Kong when there’s a headline on the front page of the SCMP that says, “City’s wealth gap widens to worst in more than a decade” and how almost “40 percent of the elderly are impoverished”.
What’s obvious is that Hong Kong people have lost confidence in the leadership of the city- and other aspects of life that’s created the current post pandemic malaise.
The recent front page stories about more and more technology driven young scammers being caught after the elderly losing billions says many things- maybe even how did these people have billions to invest in cryptocurrency?
It also says desperation, gullibility, and wonders why, after years of being on the receiving end of their cold calls, there’s still been no signs of these being stopped.
Are we meant to just float through some online gangstas paradise and accept this as the new abnormal?
Sure, one can say the same thing about leaders in most other countries, but it appears that in Hong Kong, mindsets are in lockdown mode.
Either that or it doesn’t matter what we think- even to us.
There seems to be some bureaucratic government think tank coming up with a hodge podge of “What If?” thought bubbles.
These thought bubbles are seemingly not thought through enough which means that those in the city- and overseas-know the thinking is bloody useless, and can’t be bothered to challenge all this empty talk.
What’s desperately needed is a mind shift from where we are.
What has me constantly thinking is how we ended up here and where those who lead remain empty talking heads making noises about food exhibitions and books and art exhibitions and cultural exhibitions etc etc.
These have been taking place for decades- but in a happier and more productive Hong Kong.
Still, we keep going to the same old well for bandaids instead of building everything around one USP- Unique Selling Point- of what I believe makes sense.
This USP is to make Hong Kong the meeting place for the world’s new entrepreneurs- and investors- from everywhere.
Offer those who understand the importance of mind shifts and looking at creating a brave new world a new address for New Thinking.
What’s needed is creative and compelling advertising and marketing to make this objective happen.
The Hong Kong government needs to understand that it’s incapable of producing the marketing needed using whoever they’re working with now.
Either this or new thinkers will simply go it alone and make this field of dreams a reality.
The Hong Kong government can ride on their coattails and with an entrance fee attached.
At least Hong Kong has a certain exclusivity in being experts on handing out vouchers and attracting budget tour groups.
Hong Kong was what it was and it is what it is and Johnny’s in the basement mixing up some medicine and I’m on the pavement thinking about the government and the off-beat cha cha is playing in the background.
Unlike a more upmarket looking Macau attracting a different “quality” of tourists and with all the trimmings to be anything it wants to be though still travelling at half speed due to a shortage of staff, Hong Kong is looking tired, lost and confused.
HONG KONG NEEDS TO BE SEEN AS A CITY WHERE A NEW GENERATION OF ENTREPRENEURS FROM AROUND THE WORLD MEET, SHARE IDEAS AND MAKE GOOD NEW THINGS HAPPEN...WITHOUT THE NEED FOR VOUCHERS NOR NEEDING FREEBIES.
