EPS to lift spending with 'easy' theme

Launched in 1985, the system clocks 250,000 transactions worth HK$400 million (US$51.5 million) daily. However, EPS -- a consortium of 22 major banks in Hong Kong -- is also overlooked by a large number of consumers in the city, according to research. "The time has come to rejuvenate the image of EPS. The service faces the same challenge about every two years," said Ruby Or, general manager of Lowe Hong Kong. "The service has been in the market for 22 years and is available to all consumers with ATM cards, who can tap into savings directly like a debit scheme. But we need to remind them how easy it is to use this service. "At the same time, it's important that we don't compete against credit cards, because the overall aim is to encourage consumer spending." The campaign is based on insights from the agency's Faces of Hong Kong research, which revealed that a new generation of consumers had become more receptive to the idea of spending responsibly and, based on the economic environment, was less extravagant with spending, showing a greater willingness to manage expenditure. Lowe's new work focuses on the simplicity of not over-spending. A 35-second TV commercial shows a child who counts money from his piggy bank to buy a toy, while a man is inspired by the child's actions to use EPS to make a purchase. "The TV imagery depicts the simplicity of the child's use of money and the ease with which consumers can manage their spending by using EPS," added Or. The campaign, which will run on terrestrial and cable TV, as well as outdoor TV, was led by Lowe's creative director Emma Chan and planning director Rachel Wong.