Hong Kong people always love some good popcorn for gossip and drama online! Many brands take advantage of recent social events or trending topics to promote their brand. A standout example of cause marketing in Hong Kong is IKEA, known for its swift and high-quality responses to trending topics on social media! Cause marketing involves promoting the brand's products and services by leveraging the current popularity of local events, major international sports competitions, or globally relevant issues. It generally falls into the following 3 categories:
1. Public holidays and festivals
e.g., Valentine’s Day, Mid-Autumn Festival, Christmas, etc.
2. Brand-specific celebrations
e.g., brand anniversaries, VIP days, etc.
3. Social incidents
e.g., Hong Kong representatives winning champions in international competitions, trending topics on social media, etc.
When conducting cause marketing, the following 3 key points must be considered to avoid causing PR disasters.
1. Relevance of the Issue
Each brand has a different tone, and therefore the issues suitable for marketing also vary. The products that are appropriate for leveraging these issues should be carefully selected. If the chosen topic does not match your brand and/or products well, this cause marketing campaign will only lead to negative effects on the audience's perception, making it seem like the brand is just piggybacking on the popularity of irrelevant trending topics. Additionally, remember to seize the golden 48 hours; otherwise, once the popularity of the issue drops, you will not achieve the desired promotional effect.
2. Be Aware of Copyright Issues
Recently, several Hong Kong athletes won medals at the Paris Olympics, prompting numerous brands to celebrate with promotional activities. However, the International Olympic Committee has strict regulations – non-official sponsors and brands are forbidden from using the Olympic rings in advertising and marketing activities, and there are restrictions on term usage like “Olympics” and “gold medal” in ad copy. Brands must first study the related regulations thoroughly from the organisers in advance to avoid legal issues.
3. Propriety & Language
The goal of promotion is to enhance customers' impressions of the brand. Therefore, the images and copy used must be engaging yet not offensive. Brands should avoid being overly sensational for the sake of attention, which could alienate other brands or specific customer groups and lead to a more significant public relations crisis!
