Fluid beats Publicis in multi-agency pitch to spearhead HK investment campaign

Aimed at positioning Hong Kong as China’s financial centre, the campaign will run in print, online as well as in outdoor media across Europe beginning in October 2012.

Its objective is to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) into Hong Kong by highlighting the city's private banking and asset management capabilities, and its role in the growing offshore Chinese renminbi market.

Fluid produced concepts that challenged conventional imagery of Hong Kong in the financial services arena such as "HK's skyline and shiny, reflective cityscapes", said managing director Andrew Au.

"We approached the brief in a metaphorical sense by using a combination of business-associated imagery, with strong, strategic, clever copywriting to draw the target audience in," Au told Campaign Asia-Pacific.

Even though Europe is in recession and its economic crisis, while contained, remains acute, the region is the focus for InvestHK as it has not been active there for some time, Au revealed.

FDI data for the first half of 2012 show mainland China as the largest single source of investment into Hong Kong, with a total of 38 completed projects. Projects from eurozone economies rose by 22 per cent compared to a year ago.

InvestHK's director-general of investment promotion, Simon Galpin, has said that economic stresses in the West are presenting a strong case for investors to expand their businesses to this part of the world as they try to move ahead of competitors.

However, if the global situation worsens, expansion plans could be delayed and FDI into Hong Kong may be impacted. "Therefore, it is important that we continue to strenuously promote our city's strengths and help investors gain a firm foothold here," Galpin added.

Fluid's other clients include The Economist Group, Dow Jones, Omega, Li & Fung, and The Hong Kong Jockey Club. Start JudgeGill is the creative agency that designed the new InvestHK website last year.