Ocean Park taps WE to boost figures

<P>HONG KONG Ocean Park has selected WE Communications as its main advertising partner, as it embarks on a massive five-year redevelopment plan of the park.<BR>The move signals an effective continuation of marketing strategy for the attraction, with WE Communiciations GM Iris Chan, who had run the account before on behalf of incumbent Grey, taking up the reins again to oversee the business for the new agency.<BR>Grey did not repitch for the business, which was nevertheless fought over by 10 agencies in a complicated process, which was stipulated by Ocean Park's Government connections.<BR>WE, which had started working on individual projects with Ocean Park late last year, will now handle thematic advertising and events on a full-time basis.<BR>One of the park's main marketing aims will be to sustain the momentum it has built up, achieving record visitor numbers since the arrival of Hong Kong Disneyland, while fashioning a distinctive brand appeal. "We have to keep people excited about the park, as well as creating a very diffentiated appeal against the Disney brand with Hong Kong people," Chan said. <BR>"We have to keep generating traffic using different tactics and different events."<BR>Marketing outside Hong Kong will concentrate on mainland China, where the goal is to position Ocean Park as a must-see attraction in Hong Kong. Disneyland's lure could be both a threat and opportunity, Chan said. "It depends on our own marketing strategy," she added. We want to position Ocean Park as a totally different experience. If Disney can bring in added tourists, it's of benefit to Ocean Park as well."</P> <P> </P>