HK Jockey Club shortlists digital agencies for project

According to sources close to the brief, the shortlisted agencies are Arc, MRM, OgilvyOne and Publicis Modem. The account is estimated to be worth HK$4 million (US$ 515,636) and the HKJC is expected to chose an agency this month.

The brief follows a wider call for agencies in November, when the club looked for a long-term digital agency to support a rebranding effort. Sources could not confirm that this round of pitching, which concluded last week, is part of the same brief.

The club currently uses several digital agencies to oversee its projects.

In November, sources said the HKJC looked to digitally rebrand as a destination for both young professionals and families in its Happy Valley and Shatin locations. At the time, at least five holding-group agencies were reportedly invited to make presentations.

Since then, sources said the process was delayed as the club made other inroads in its marketing efforts, including appointing the South China Morning Post’s former director of marketing and communications Michael McComb.

Sources have also said that the HKJC was prompted to reconsider its marketing strategies because it experienced difficulty meeting its fiscal projections in 2009.

In September last year, the HKJC announced a 30 per cent profit fall to US$90 million from $130 million year-on-year for the racing season. The loss was attributed to the economic downturn as well as Macau’s growing appeal to young professionals.