Background

While important, cultural conservation projects in Hong Kong have largely been superficial – preserving simply a building or structure. State Theatre, originally the Empire Theatre, was built in 1952, giving the public its first taste of the high arts from Western and Chinese cultures. In the 70s and 80s, the State Theatre was pivotal in the rise of Hong Kong’s entertainment industry. But as the industry dwindled, so did the State Theatre’s importance. This was accelerated by a huge fire in 1997. Since then, it has remained largely forgotten in the bustling North Point. However, New World Development had restoration plans for the State Theatre, but needed the approval of the general public. The most important objective – get people to care about the State Theatre as well.

Describe the creative idea (40% of vote)

Instead of creating another advertising promotion campaign, it was imperative for people to experience the State Theatre for themselves. To get different generations (ranging from Gen Z who are looking for modern retro events to show off their taste to the baby boomers who are looking for nostalgia) to care and want to play a part in approving the redevelopment of the State Theatre. We also had to generate interests from influencers, celebrities, policy makers and conservationists, to bring them all on the same page to see the need to conserve this Theatre. Since the State Theatre was an iconic place for generations of locals, we wanted people to experience those memories again and tofeel the importance of the theatre. So instead of pushing messages, we created an experiential-led solution that brought back to life the glamour of the State Theatre and showed future generations the importance of local culture.

Describe the execution (40% of vote)

We repremiered the State Theatre. Through New World’s own online platform and social media channels, we announced State Theatre’s reopening, which caught the attention of celebrities, influencers and more to register as well as share their anticipation. Oral history and 3000 thousands of artifacts were collected. Collaborators included artists, architects and the local community, piecing together forgotten stories to recreate the State Theatre with the art direction of the golden 50s. Since there was an immersive theatre experience, local theatre actors were characters within the State Theatre's story - and interacted with guests as guides took them around the exhibition, helping to take our audience back in time as if State Theatre was still in its iconic state. Movie posters, interior designs, lighting designs were all done by mastercraftsman in Hong Kong. They set-pieced even mimicked the iconic film styles by Wong Kar Wai, who had his movies premier here.

List the results (20% of vote)

With zero advertising budget, the immersive experience created a phenomenon. As one of the top 5 Google-searched locations for 3 weeks, it also became an Instagram hotspot for cross-generations, ranging from conservationists and historians, to celebrities, influencers and elderly residents. People identified the State Theatre with ‘modern heritage cool’, causing bookings to reach above capacity, causing over 30,000 visitors in just one week. Over 6 weeks, #statetheatre was a trending topic, and related videos and photos generated over 700,000 engagements online. Most importantly, the city’s unique identity was back in the spotlight with over 50 countries reporting on the State Theatre, reaching over 1 million viewers. New World Development. Discover the State Theatre in all of us.