The Campaign

In Hong Kong, branded entertainment meaning an original content which brings are experiences produced to entertain and engage with an audience. The regulations of branded entertainment in Hong Kong is relatively low compare to other market as you can see different types of branded content appear on TV shows, movies and even outdoor events.

Results

Times Square is one of Hong Kong’s most successful urban transformation stories. But the tireless innovation from new vertical malls shifted the attention away from Times Square week after week. So we needed a way to put ourselves back on the spotlight, by getting people to talk about and endorse Times Square as Hong Kong’s most iconic shopping mall. Our strategy was to transform ourselves again, from the “timeless meeting place” to the “place of happenings” that moves with the times. We brought Gundam and Zaku, 2 timeless animate heroes that engages both adults and kids out of Japan for the FIRST TIME. Parts of the Gundam and Zaku were transported on open trucks without any announcement, surprising mass media and many Gundam Fans. Media and fans voluntarily tracked and reported the entire process on mass media and online communities! A multi-dimension replicate of one of the most iconic scenes in the <<Gundam>> animate, we deliberately brought the 2 heroes to life in 1:3 ratio, a size just right for vistors to easily capture the entire figure on their cell phones in their perfect composition from different angles! Going beyond displays, we created a lightshow with specially designed audio-visual effects from our iconic TV screen. Gundam fans felt as if they stepped into the centre of Zaku and Gundam’s battle! The engaging experience even impressed and brought the creator of Gundam, legendary animator Mr Tomino on his first-ever visit to Hong Kong! We Also gave fans a close-encounter with 20 human size 1.8m tall Zakus with whom they played games to win souvenirs. Artwork , figures and animation of Gundam were showcased in a 10m long space-ship “White Space”. All in all, The Gundam Docks was timeless piece that brought memories to grown-ups and little ones at Times Square!

Gundam and Zaku, 2 timeless animate heroes were brought to Times Square that engages both adults and kids out of Japan for the FIRST TIME. 3 stories high facing one another, one day, a life-sized battlefield vividly appeared at the heart of Causeway Bay, stopping everyone from suit clad adults to young children. A tangible, immersive experience that was definitely worth talking about. Best of all, Gundam and Zaku were brought in their most original form, giving Times Square the opportunity to reclaim our leadership status.

The most successful mega event for Time Square in 2013, it saw us fulfill our vision – to be a “place of happenings” by providing exclusive, immersive entertainment experiences. Making the headlines across local and foreign media, it also promoted our brand on a regional level! In just 4 weeks and ZERO media spend, we did not only generate enormous word-of mouth but also deeply engage with HKers! -Over HKD 2M local PR and over HKD 6.5M international PR Coverages, totally over HKD 8.5M free media mentioning -Over 1,500 online organic discussion on forums, accounted for 20% of total volume of Time Square’s online mentioning in 2013 -Over1,500 videos created by international media and fans to share their experience -Facebook Fans grew by 7.5% with over 3,500 organic sharing, reaching more than 750K shoppers -Follower of Instagram grew by 600% -Number of Fans grew by 3.3% on Sina Weibo, event related articles is reposted close to 5,000 times, reaching over 36 million Weibo users -4.8M footfall to Time Square. A 13% increase compared to the same period in 2012! Most importantly, we did not only attract Gundam Fans, but engaged with HK shoppers with a more holistic entertainment experience!