MarketingPulse Online attracts more than 21,000 viewers

Experts share latest marketing insights and trends under new normal

MarketingPulse Online, a two-day virtual conference organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), attracted more than 21,000 viewers from more than 50 countries and regions. Under the theme “Marketing for GOOD”, a total of 27 seminars and workshops were staged during the conference, bringing together more than 40 marketing and advertising experts from around the globe to share their creative strategies, examine the latest marketing trends under the new normal, and share success stories in the area of digital transformation.

Exploring impact of digital transformation
Focusing on digital transformation and the impact of new marketing technologies, one of the speakers was Mayur Gupta, who was Global VP for Growth & Marketing at Spotify and has been named on the Forbes list of the world’s most influential chief marketing officers. Now working as Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer at Gannett – USA Today Network, Mr Gupta discussed how marketers can respond to behavioural shifts by leveraging technologies in the era of uncertainty, and by predicting future growth trends amid the digital transformation taking place in marketing. “COVID-19 basically punched all of us in the face, and it has taken us back to the basics of what marketing always had to be, and what it ought to be – the three simple Ps, which are defining your purpose, the promise you make to the consumer that reflects that purpose and, ideally, the product you deliver matching that promise,” he said.

Jeny Yeung Mei-chun, Commercial Director, MTR Corporation Limited, shared her tips on how brands can connect with customers and the community at every digital touch point, with insights on digital acceleration in the future. “The MTR’s mission is to keep the city moving. Like transportation companies in many other cities around the world, the MTR is going through a smart journey to upgrade its capabilities to help the community. So, a lot of the features in our new app revolve around how customers can use our services better, but the other major component is lifestyle information since passengers are now demanding more than the basic core services.”

Positive branding amid challenges
Arjan Dijk, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at Booking.com, shared perspectives on how major brands have been responding to shifting consumer behaviour under the new normal, giving his predictions for marketing trends and tourism development as businesses begin to recover. “All marketing activities have to be performance-driven during the pandemic. Going forward, I see huge opportunities for staycations as well as ‘workcations’. I think many of us are thinking about our summer and imagining going on a week’s vacation and staying a week longer to work.”

teamLab shares artistic journey
Navigating the confluence of art, science, technology and the natural world, the globally renowned art collective teamLab unveiled their creative philosophies and immersive experiences to the audience at MarketingPulse Online. A senior member from teamLab said: “[Digital works] can free us from materials and we are no longer stuck in one room. Boundaries are just an illusion that humans make. New ideas both come from and affect old ideas.”

Examining the impact of livestream commerce and short video marketing
Eray Li, General Manager of Southern China, Kuaishou (Magnetic Engine), has also worked at digital giants Tencent, Cheetab Mobile and Alibaba. At the conference he explained Kuaishou’s strategies and tricks of the trade to seize the significant opportunities presented by their platform. “There was a user base of 818 million for short videos at the end of last year, accounting for 87% of netizens. The average daily time people spent on short videos exceeded the time spent on instant messaging, video calls, et cetera. In 2020, Kuaishou’s e-commerce sales were Rmb381.2 billion, and 84% of its users prefer to follow the recommendations of livestreamers.”

Cracking the code for Gen Z
Timothy Armoo, founder of Fanbytes, a leading influencer marketing agency, shared some of the latest strategies to win the hearts of the young generation through video content, influencer engagement and algorithms on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and other social media. “Gen Z have short interest spans, not attention spans,” he said. “In the past, you needed a big budget to advertise on TV, but the world of social has created a more level playing field where anybody can play – small brands as well as large. But this also means Gen Zs have a lot of influence; in fact, so much influence that any brand that does not take them into consideration is playing a losing game.”

Online platform runs until 30 April
The MarketingPulse Online platform will remain open until 30 April. During this period, industry members can continue to make use of the different features of the platform and also review content from previous events.

MarketingPulse Online website: https://marketingpulse.hktdc.com/en/
Photo download: https://bit.ly/2PJXIZA

About HKTDC
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong’s trade. With 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via trade publications, research reports and digital news channels. Follow us on Twitter @hktdc and LinkedIn

Media enquiries
Please contact the HKTDC’s Communications & Public Affairs Department:
Christine Kam, Tel: +852 2584 4514, Email: christine.kam@hktdc.org