SHK Financial, one of the territory’s leading non-bank financial institutions, is hoping to build brand awareness among white-collar workers aged 30 to 49, who have between three to five years’ investment experience and hold a diverse portfolio.
“The challenge for any financial services institution is to find a positioning that is unique and build brand awareness and empathy with your target customers,” said Rebecca Neufeld, head of marketing, SHK Financial.
“SHK Financial has helped build the wealth of Hong Kong for the last 40 years; we have experienced all the highs and lows - it is spirit that has allowed the people of Hong Kong to bounce back.”
Anthony Plant, CEO of Saatchis Hong Kong, said the key idea was to find a link between this spirit and a financial institution - and thereby differentiate SHK Financial from its rivals. “The solution was expressed in our new endline - ‘A wealth of spirit’,” he said. “Financial institutions generally spend up to HK$3 billion (US$387 million) each year on marketing, but many just use tactical executions focusing on the products. Why would you spend all that media investment just to end up saying the same thing as your competitors?”
The ad campaign includes 60- and 30-second TVCs, print and online. Saatchis approached veteran director Brian Lai to shoot the story of a typical Hong Konger and his story of success from the humblest of beginnings. “We track the hero’s story from when he was a young boy receiving his first dollar, to the present day when he reflects on all that he has achieved,” said Plant.
The spot depicts key moments in Hong Kong’s history - water shortages, the stock market crash, the building of the Tsing Yi bridge, the riots - recreated through computer graphics or via real news footage. Meanwhile, three print executions portray the dollar coin as the foundation upon which success is built. Each highlights a key feature of Hong Kongers: enduring, flexible and innovative.
The campaign will run until late November, with media handled by ZenithOptimedia.
