Brief Explanation

2015 saw HSBC reach its 150th anniversary. To mark the occasion, we wanted to deliver more than just a campaign celebrating the bank’s history. We wanted to involve and excite the people of Hong Kong. So we worked with the bank to launch a banknote with a difference. Not only was it a HK$150 note, it was the world’s first official augmented reality banknote. We also developed a press, outdoor and digital campaign, all of which allowed people to activate content within the app, and directed them to the subscription website where they could apply for the note.

The Brief

The brief was to humbly thank Hong Kong for providing a home to HSBC for 150 years, and to give them a reason and opportunity to take part in our anniversary celebrations.

Describe the success of the promotion with both client and consumer including some quantifiable results

Within two days of the note’s announcement, the HSBC anniversary app reached No.1 in the Hong Kong app store. Subscription to the banknote was heavily oversubscribed, receiving more than 8.75 million applications, with special commemorative sets being oversubscribed 65 times. As a result of this overwhelming response, HSBC cancelled the digital and print media two weeks before the campaign was due to end. All profits from the banknote sale are going to local charities, and while no figure is yet available, it’s already clear that it has exceeded all expectations.

Explain why the method of promotion was most relevant to the product or service

While the banknote itself was eminently collectable, the augmented reality app added more value and brought the story of HSBC to life in an unexpected way. Through the app, users were invited to explore the bank’s rich history in Hong Kong, see the growth and changing skyline of the city, and take a 3D tour of the bank’s four headquarters since 1865. The augmented reality element of the app was activated through banknote references placed within press, OOH, in-branch and digital work meaning consumers could engage with all touch points of the campaign. The app and all campaign material drove consumers to an HSBC website from which an application for a physical HK$150 commemorative banknote could be made.