Commuters in Hong Kong are accustomed to being bombarded with consumerism. Hardly a public space remains that's not covered with an advertisement. The challenge for advertisers is to get noticed, and the methods of attracting attention are becoming more extreme.
MTR commuters may have probably spotted what looks like an airport terminal's departures board, complete with huge aircraft wheels, in the middle of Central MTR station.
'It's surreal,' says commuter Wong Wing-yin, referring to global courier company DHL's latest brand-building push.
Christina Au Hiu-nam first saw Louis Vuitton's giant suitcase in Chek Lap Kok while hurrying to catch a flight. She found herself stopping to take photos. 'It was so big and pretty,' she says. Installations like this are 'less boring' than traditional posters, she says. 'And it makes the terminal and the stations look cooler.'
Harried travellers have also stopped to have their photo taken near the luxury brand's installation. 'It attracts more attention - it's a good image-building tactic,' says Au.
Shoppers in Nathan Road this month will get to see Asia's first rotating sign, weighing in at 75 tonnes. Canon is footing the $30 million bill. That figure is dwarfed, however, by the sum Hong Kong advertisers spend annually: more than $45 billion last year, an 11 per cent increase on 2004, according to Nielsen Media Research. Of that, $1.6 billion was spent on outdoor ads last year, which includes 3D installations such as Sony's and DHL's.
Outdoor advertising firm POAD says advanced technology and lower production costs have allowed agencies too look at new ways to promote a product.
