HONG KONG, HORSE RACING AND THE FULLER PICTURE

What’s interesting about Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, the CEO of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, persuading Simon Fuller to sit at the table of horse racing is that though he might not have the answers, the British entrepreneur asks the right questions. 

This is needed by those in the horse driven game to see beyond the obvious and question where horse racing is going, especially Hong Kong racing plus the importance of creating a relevant brand personality around it.

As an adman and marketing executive, this helps horse racing to create and have a clearly defined business and marketing strategy at a time when the world is undergoing immense changes with a new generation lost in time and space and wondering what the heck the future might hold. 

Having someone with the brand value of a mega successful global entrepreneur like Simon Fuller in Hong Kong had to do with bringing one of his newer projects- the multi cultural Pop group Now United- to perform and add some snap, crackle and pop to the Hong Kong International Races in December. 

This inspired the man whose management portfolio has at one time or another included everyone from David Beckham, Lewis Hamilton and Andy Murray to the Spice Girls and owning the “Idol” franchise to decide to make Hong Kong the city for a reality show to find a female member for the group. 

Incredible free PR that helps enormously to have the eyes of the world on Hong Kong at the right time, it’s a huge opportunity to show everything moving forward and towards a celebration and greeting to the upcoming Lunar New Year of the Horse.

Having known Simon for over twenty years, here’s someone who makes things happen in a very big way when it comes to the business of entertainment. 

This includes how, especially music driven entertainment, enhances the appeal of sports  with potential sponsors and new business partners.

Old school suddenly becomes New Cool. Even horse racing.

What Simon Fuller brings around the world and now Hong Kong could be described as “business marketing excitement”, something intuitive and which can’t be taught nor learned.

Yes, he’s a deal maker- a very successful one- who also knows how to make the pieces fit. 

After all, this is 2025 with consumers spoilt for choice from a very cluttered buffet table.

From a marketing point of view, it’s about breaking through this clutter- and winning in business and in life.

Let’s never lose sight of empathy and the power of words and visuals that hit heart, head and home.

Apparently, there was a press conference today to announce this new partnership between X1X Entertainment and the HKJC. 

I didn’t attend it because, well, Winfried and Simon are experienced and skilled presenters and the press conference was not their first rodeo. 

They would have said all the right things and given the obligatory thumbs up sign. 

Far more interesting for me is going to be following both walking the walk behind talking the talk and delivering.

This, I am extremely sure they will do through game changing and big picture stuff that will take horse racing- and my home that is Hong Kong- where it needs to go and presented to consumers as one of world’s best products.

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