May 9, 2004 Live It! Love It! Laugh at It!
This one’s a corker. I just saw the Hong Kong Tourism Board’s new TVC based on the Live It! Love It! campaign. Essentially, I like the premise since it tries to sell Hong Kong as a place that provides a unique sensory stimulus for the visitor. This was something that was coming out of the research we were doing for one of the clients at my old firm. So heartily agree with all that even if the execution might be a little off.
There is this one particular clip in their TVC that’s in a restaurant where two couples are enjoying yum cha. The waiter brings one of them steamed baskets over with probably sui mai or ha gau to the folks at Table A. The couple at Table B looks over, staring longingly at the freshly arrived baskets. This in itself isn’t necessarily peculiar since people will often be inspired by what other tables have since HK’ers sometimes like to see and smell the produce before they come to a decision on eating something.
What gets me is that after Table B couple has sat there staring at the food, Table A couple picks up the dish and tells the waiter to pass it Table B.
What generosity and what a marvelous display of hospitality!
Only thing is that this is Hong Kong. I suspect this wouldn’t happen in most other places in the world, and a higher degree of such an incident would only happen in places with a better reputation for friendliness than Hong Kong does.
Okay, it’s sounds harsh but Hong Kong and it’s people are known for their friendliness. Which doesn’t mean to say they aren’t, they are just not known for it as say the Philippines or Thailand are. This particular scenario, I suspect, for those who know Hong Kong (expats and locals alike), will have the same effect on them as it did for me…have me pissing myself with laughter for the remainder of the TVC.
If this was the premise of a whole TVC it would definitely call into question believability and certainly would be overpromising. Thankfully it redeems itself but that particular clip is jarring enough to be make itself stick out, present a farcical impression, and perhaps help dilute the message the overall TVC has to offer. Demonstrate kindness if you must. Just make it believable.
Tags: Marketing Rants
- 2 comments
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Eshin
said
I’m not sure we are talking about the same TVC. These were two Asian couples.
Or maybe it is the same… since your second point is valid. I doubt Hong Kongers or anyone would just hand over free food to strangers. I’m sure the “please add that to their bill, not ours” was just out of camera.
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Giles
said
Yeah I keep on seeing on the that advert on the screens in the Airport Express terminal and then repeats on the little screen in the MTR carriage.
My conclusion from watching it is this:
- The Gweilio couple are stalking the Chinese couple as they so happened to be in the same places at the same time
- Why could the Gweilio couple pay for their own dim sum and not eat the Chinese couple’s food? Perhaps they ran out of money…
- I guess Jackie so how had to get involved, although I didn’t know he was a director!