Lavina Tsui Hoi Ying (Miss), student, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Rare
Wednesday 31 March 2010
What is Hong Kong?
Since 1995, the following slogans have been used for Hong Kong:
And now we have been told by the government that the latest logo has evolved in to a new “revitalized Brand Hong Kong” with a “more contemporary look”.
[In with the new ... ]
[ ... out with the old]
Incidentally, the cost to taxpayers for this re-branding exercise was HK$1.4m (US$180,000). The seemingly arbitrary changing of slogans and logos is inconsistent. This time round, only the dragon logo and not the "Asia's World City" slogan was deemed worthy enough to evolve! What would have been the cost if both logo and slogan were changed?
HKSARblog also wonders just who outside of Hong Kong will know that the middle squiggly line is supposed to represent Lion Rock? Does Lion Rock even compete with Hong Kong's established international icons?
The SCMP editorial (see below) hits the mark when it mentions that outsiders know Hong Kong for its “skyline, harbour, energy and diversity”. It’s a pity that the officials in charge of Brand Hong Kong are not in tune with what is Hong Kong.
Drop this dragon dance to brand Hong Kong (SCMP)
Wonders Never Cease =⇒ City of Life =⇒ Asia’s World City
And now we have been told by the government that the latest logo has evolved in to a new “revitalized Brand Hong Kong” with a “more contemporary look”.
[In with the new ... ][ ... out with the old]Incidentally, the cost to taxpayers for this re-branding exercise was HK$1.4m (US$180,000). The seemingly arbitrary changing of slogans and logos is inconsistent. This time round, only the dragon logo and not the "Asia's World City" slogan was deemed worthy enough to evolve! What would have been the cost if both logo and slogan were changed?
HKSARblog also wonders just who outside of Hong Kong will know that the middle squiggly line is supposed to represent Lion Rock? Does Lion Rock even compete with Hong Kong's established international icons?
The SCMP editorial (see below) hits the mark when it mentions that outsiders know Hong Kong for its “skyline, harbour, energy and diversity”. It’s a pity that the officials in charge of Brand Hong Kong are not in tune with what is Hong Kong.
Drop this dragon dance to brand Hong Kong (SCMP)
Mar 30, 2010
The key to a successful branding strategy is consistency. Nike, Coca-Cola and countless other companies have shown this, regardless of their advertising campaigns. It is a point that Hong Kong's bureaucrats have missed once again with their tinkering with the image used to promote our city to the world. While they have retained the slogan "Asia's World City", the flying dragon logo has been meddled with.
Hong Kong has traditionally been the Pearl of the Orient, but that term was considered old-fashioned when branding became a trend for cities in the 1990s. In 1995, we became a place where "Wonders Never Cease" - words that were accompanied a logo of junks, dragons, opera singers and "Hong Kong". Then, tens of millions more dollars were spent so that we could become the "City of Life", with as its logo the letters HK inside a circle. The red and yellow dragon that is now being phased out set us back another HK$10 million. Such changes have made senior government officials feel that they are making positive contributions, and kept the brands office busy; the rest of us, however, have been left confused.
Cities, like companies, need a brand. They are in competition with one another and have to appear as appealing as possible. The problem is especially acute for Hong Kong, which is trying to evolve beyond being a financial centre while continuing to attract international corporations, skilled and talented residents, capital and tourists. As necessary as branding is in such circumstances, our inability to settle on a logo has blighted the exercise.
The latest effort unveiled at the weekend took the stylised dragon adopted a decade ago, shrunk it and added blue, green and red ribbons and a silhouette of Lion Rock. Authorities say the additions are to symbolise our "can do" spirit, blue sky and sustainability. The changes are obviously meaningless to outsiders, not to mention misleading: Hong Kong of late has more smog-filled skies than blue ones, while sustainability and adaptability are concepts we are struggling with. If there is to be a saving grace, though, it could readily be argued that we do indeed live in Asia's world city.
Branding is more than a visual tag. When used by a city, it can be a strategic process for developing a long-term vision. But identification and consistency are important. Frequent changes cause more harm than good. Hong Kong's real brand is known the world over. It comprises our skyline, harbour, energy and diversity. The product is good. For all these strengths and the taxpayers' money spent, though, we lack an enduring marketing image. No doubt the search will go on, but our history of chopping and changing makes it less likely that a winning formula will be embraced for the long term.
Tuesday 30 March 2010
0429 HKSAR Name of the Day
Gracemary Kwok Heung Leung, teaching consultant, Department of Psychology, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation
Monday 29 March 2010
0428 HKSAR Name of the Day
Phoenix Lam (Ms), research assistant, Department of English, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Rare; Self-important
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Rare; Self-important
Sunday 28 March 2010
0427 HKSAR Name of the Day
Pinky Choy (Ms), Senior Research Assistant, School of Law, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong (see 0016 HKSAR Name of the Day and 0150 HKSAR Name of the Day)
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation; somewhat common in Hong Kong
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation; somewhat common in Hong Kong
Saturday 27 March 2010
0426 HKSAR Name of the Day
Chimpanzee Lee, advertising company, Hong Kong (courtesy Cecilie see 0324 HKSAR Name of the Day)
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation; Nature-based
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation; Nature-based
Friday 26 March 2010
0425 HKSAR Name of the Day
Kennex Leung, advertising company, Hong Kong (courtesy Cecilie see 0324 HKSAR Name of the Day)
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation
Thursday 25 March 2010
0424 HKSAR Name of the Day
Bandex Wong, advertising company, Hong Kong (courtesy Cecilie see 0324 HKSAR Name of the Day)
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation
Wednesday 24 March 2010
0423 HKSAR Name of the Day
Chapman Claude Lee Lok Fung (Mr), student, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Rare
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Rare
Tuesday 23 March 2010
0422 HKSAR Name of the Day
Corinna Wong Lee Wai Lin (Mrs), Executive Officer I, Department of English and Communication, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong (see 0413 HKSAR Name of the Day)
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Rare; somewhat common in Hong Kong
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Rare; somewhat common in Hong Kong
Monday 22 March 2010
Sunday 21 March 2010
Saturday 20 March 2010
0419 HKSAR Name of the Day
Sergeant Leung Wai Kau, surveyor (since 1991), Hong Kong
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Rare; Self-important
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Rare; Self-important
Friday 19 March 2010
0418 HKSAR Name of the Day
Elbe Lee Din Luk, accountant, Hong Kong
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation for male; Rare for female
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation for male; Rare for female
Thursday 18 March 2010
Wednesday 17 March 2010
Tuesday 16 March 2010
0415 HKSAR Name of the Day
Monita Leung Lai Hung, surveyor (since 1996), Hong Kong
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation
Monday 15 March 2010
0414 HKSAR Name of the Day
Juleus Lee Chee Ho, accountant, Hong Kong
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation; Insertion; Substitution
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation; Insertion; Substitution
Sunday 14 March 2010
0413 HKSAR Name of the Day
Corinna Har Man Yee, doctor, Hong Kong (HKSARblog's suggestion based on phonetics: “Harmony”?)
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Name Category: Rare
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Rare
Saturday 13 March 2010
Friday 12 March 2010
0411 HKSAR Name of the Day
Bosco Lee Kin Wang, surveyor (since 2000), Hong Kong (see 0222 HKSAR Name of the Day)
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation; Substitution; somewhat common in Hong Kong
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Creation; Substitution; somewhat common in Hong Kong
Thursday 11 March 2010
Wednesday 10 March 2010
Tuesday 9 March 2010
Monday 8 March 2010
Sunday 7 March 2010
0406 HKSAR Name of the Day
Helmuth Lau Kam Hung, accountant, Hong Kong
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category:Creation; Rare; Deletion; Insertion
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category:
Saturday 6 March 2010
Friday 5 March 2010
Thursday 4 March 2010
0403 HKSAR Name of the Day
Benson Lee Bun, surveyor (since 2000), Hong Kong
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Rare; Son-suffix
About Novel HKSAR Names
Name Category: Rare; Son-suffix