Hong Kong PR Network comes of age

If you think PR professionals in Hong Kong don't measure up to their European or American counterparts - the Hong Kong PR Network wants you to eat your words.

YeeLim Lee, founder of the Hong Kong PR Network admitted when he just arrived from the UK having worked at Firefly and Pleon a couple of years ago that the local PR industry was 'immature' compared to the PR scene in Europe.

Three months after working in Hong Kong, his perception changed as he realised things are "just done differently here" from client interaction to the pace of projects that have to be completed.

For instance, Lee said you get a brief in the morning and is expected to send your first press release draft to your client by the end of the day. Even with events that would normally take two months to plan in other parts of the world, here you've got to plan and execute in the space of one week, which does help "to train you to be on the ball and constantly thinking".

Lee (Weber Shandwick), Emma Jenkins (EBA) and Jeremy Woolf (Text 100) came together in June 2007 to form the Hong Kong PR Network, which Lee said started out for selfish reasons - to network with fellow industry peers in a casual setting - has evolved to become a group that is keen to help budding PR executives nurture their jobs and careers, provide insights and share experiences on what PR is like in Hong Kong.

The Facebook group boasts close to 900 members with key objectives to make the Hong Kong PR industry an exciting place to be and help them connect and network with peers.

With Fong Underground becoming the permanent venue where you could see local PR folks hobnobbing once every six weeks, the group announced last night that it will be endorsed by Council of Public Relations Firms of Hong Kong.

David Croasdale, chairman for cPRf explained why the organization supported the up and coming network.

To tie in with the announcement, last night's event kicked off with a sharing session by industry veterans a.k.a The Legends of HK PR comprising Annie Bentley, Mary Devereux and David Ketchum, who commented on Lee's Facebook page - "I sort of always thought of myself as "bold pioneer perpetually on the leading edge of communications" but I guess Legend will do."

Nontheless, the crowd were all ears as the legends of PR recounted anecdotes of working in the field during the 80s and 90s in Hong Kong.

With the financial tsunami still looming and the threat of swine flu hitting home, PR professionals were hungry for advice on how to manage their jobs in the midst of crisises.

"Things will pass, it's all in a days job. Be first in the queue for the best jobs and clients and be the most dynamic person in your own arena that you've created," Bentley, chairman and founding partner of Bentley Communication said.

Their secret recipies to PR success?

"Take things personally, be always alert with news about your clients and company. Make more effort to really care about the result. It makes a huge difference," Devereux, International VP for New York Life International in Asia with over 20 years experience having worked in Burson-Marsteller and Ogilvy said.

And finally pioneering legend, Ketchum, CEO for Upstream Asia who was marcomm senior VP for Calvin Klein and held senior roles in Burson-Marsteller and Hill & Knowlton said,

"People successful in public relations have a predilection for action. Strategy is important, but it's mostly judgement and common sense. Strategy is the sound thinking behind all your action. When you are action-oriented, you naturally make mistakes. It's OK to make a lot of mistakes. But make them quickly, and learn from them, and move on to make new mistakes."

Mobile Boutique?

Strolling into Nathan Road the other day, I saw a colorful truck driving through the busy road, far far away.

I thought it was the Mister Softee, or what the locals call "ice-cream car." But I was mistaken when I saw a number of people lining up to enter the truck.

Following the queue, I was quite amused to see it is Uniqlo new advertising strategy - a mobile boutique with hundreds of T-shirts decorated the truck.

Uniqlo has expended quite vigorously in the Asia Market in recent years. With its "simple" style, it attracts those who like mix and match.

Promoting the new line of Unliqo Tee, the shop launches a new campaign -the mobile boutique.

"This little truck is very effective in promoting our new items," Jen Leung, marketing officer of Unilqo said. "There are so many items, not just the tee but also jeans and scarf, in the actual shop. And this provides another space for potential customers to know more about our Tee design." Jen Leung, Marketing Officer of Uniqlo said.

Instead of storing the stocks in the trucks, passer by could click the computer installed in this 200-feet tiny little shop, to browse the latest items displayed on the computer screen.

Barbie, no space waster

It has been a while since I’ve been to Shanghai, but a two day trip on the way to an ancestry visit opened my eyes. Yes, hardware changes a lot in the cityscape. But it is more than that. Retailers are making use of every space to encourage people to spend, as the new Barbie store shows.

Strolling into the six-story Barbie extravaganza, the escalator on the ground floor took me back to the 50s era. Lots of old designed Barbies are displayed within these 20 seconds, like a mini-exhibition, the Elizabeth Taylor and the pilot style Barbie are two of the many. These certainly mean something to the mid 20s and 30s something generation like me. It took us back to the good old days.

But the Barbie store symbolises more than a child’s fantasy. I could see different strata, different ages of people in the shop. I would say the only Barbie store in the world which offers something for everyone. Not only the spa and cosmetic shop lure the 20 to 30-something women, the coffee shop, selling macaroni and cakes with Barbie’s logo, are suitable to everyone and those who would like to sip a cup of coffee. There is a tiny little space that allows us to be Barbie for a minute or two in front of the camera.

And this giant shop also fulfills its corporate responsibility while encouraging you to spend. There is a big space for educational purpose. Kids could learn fashion design and English, with the computer aid and English books.

The only thing I am puzzled with is the timing. Why investing US$30 million in Shanghai and in this particular period of time? Not other cities? Not other country? My Shanghai friend told me China, as US President Obama said, will be the first country in the world to recover from the credit crunch. And the elixir to save the country from the deteriorating economic growth is to encourage consumptions. Corporates believes China is the only and biggest country that has the potential to spend, albeit in a gradual speed during this time of the year. Sadly fail to make an appointment with the manager; I would have to ask him this question.

Not just the Barbie shop, Shanghai gives me an impression that corporate grasps every chance to boost consumption. Like the sakura exhibition I have gone the other day, Sakura is never the main character. The lucky draw, the painting auction, the food store, the handmade accessories, every step I walked through the path is not about flowers! And they got pig racing that sort of things that attract people to come over.

I will tell you more about interesting marketing in Shangahi, in the next round.