Shattering expectations: How HK marketers are bracing for growth in 2025

As we near the end of 2024, it’s time to reflect on the past year, and plan for the challenges in the year ahead.

It’s no surprise that the conversations around generative AI will most likely continue in the coming year, with 68% expressing positivity towards gen AI and 59% showing excitement about AI’s integration into ads, according to Kantar’s latest report, Marketing Trends 2025.

However, concerns regarding transparency are evident – 36% of marketers feel they lack the necessary skills to identify gen AI ads, while 44% believe they can identify AI-generated ads. Furthermore, 43% of consumers express distrust towards advertisements created using AI.

In light of these predictions, MARKETING-INTERACTIVE spoke with various marketers and industry experts across the media, creative, social and PR fields to explore the challenges and upcoming trends in 2025.

Ellen Yau, Asia lead of brand strategy, women health, Bayer Healthcare

Have you recently come across a marketing campaign that perfectly melds storytelling with its promotional goals? Such campaigns are rare treasures that captivate both the essence of the product and the audience’s imagination.

As we near the close of 2024, a pressing concern arises: our city’s marketing scene is increasingly overrun by tactical promotions, discount sales, and aggressive advertising tactics. While these approaches might boost short-term sales, they often miss a critical aspect of marketing – the creation of enduring connections with consumers through engaging, inspiring, and memorable stories.

In the current economic environment, the pressure on marketers to generate immediate sales is immense. The prevailing mindset often seems to be "no immediate returns, no consideration", with a primary focus on sales conversion rates. This has led to a surge in discount-driven advertisements that prioritise quick wins over cultivating brand loyalty and lasting consumer relationships.

Research from Marketing Week’s 2024 Language of Effectiveness highlights this trend, noting that while a third of marketers underscore the importance of brand advertising, nearly half admit their campaigns are overly focused on immediate results.

Yet, it's essential to recall the fundamental purpose of marketing: to satisfy and retain customers. Storytelling in marketing does more than push a product,; it connects with consumers’ emotions and imaginations, making your brand both memorable and beloved. When consumers genuinely relate to a brand’s narrative, their loyalty and likelihood to repurchase increases - not just once, but consistently.

If promotions are interchangeable and any brand can offer a sale, what truly sets your brand apart in a crowded market? The key is in unique, creative storytelling, that is not easily replicated. This is where marketing transcends its traditional boundaries - by using narratives to elevate a brand from just another choice to an integral part of a consumer's lifestyle.

Storytelling is not merely a tactic; it is a vital element of building brand identity and engaging consumers, fostering greater brand equity and a more sustainable business model.

Looking ahead to 2025, I am optimistic about a revival of storytelling in our city’s marketing efforts. Brands need to innovate not only in their products and prices, but in how they communicate. We need stories that not only captivate and charm, but also provoke thought and stir emotions – campaigns that do more than sell,; they enchant. Brands that master this will not only achieve their sales objectives, but will also win a lasting place in their consumers’ hearts, ensuring long-term success and sustainability.

The move towards more narrative-driven campaigns is not just preferable,; it is imperative for the future of marketing. As marketers, we must remember our role extends beyond selling products, it involves enriching the lives of our customers with stories that resonate deeply. Let’s commit to infusing our campaigns with more storytelling, and transforming everyday marketing into something truly magical and impactful. Looking forward to 2025, we eagerly anticipate marketing campaigns that not only meet sales targets, but also touch hearts and create lasting impressions.

Gloria Shiu, head of marketing, 7-Eleven Hong Kong and Macau

The retail landscape continues to face significant challenges, alongside evolving customer expectations, which are top-of-mind for marketers. Customers are increasingly concerned about rising costs for everyday items, while the local retail sector is experiencing a competitive pricing environment.

In light of these factors, several key trends are set to shape our strategies moving forward. As customers prioritise value, it’s essential for retailers to strike a balance between introducing exciting new products and maintaining competitive pricing.

In China, Hong Kong, and Singapore, nearly 40% of customers actively seek out healthy ingredients in their food. We anticipate the focus on health will intensify, prompting innovations in product offerings, particularly in the realm of ready-to-eat products.

Our emphasis on ready-to-eat choices such as high-protein products aligns with evolving customer preferences and caters to active lifestyles. Health-conscious customers are increasingly seeking products made with nutritious ingredients, and we aim to meet this demand.

Furthermore, the role of online shopping continues to expand, with customers leveraging digital platforms for price comparisons and convenience. This trend underscores the importance of enhancing our digital channels, including our new 7-Eleven app. This app will not only facilitate seamless online shopping experiences, but will also serve as a platform for personalised customer engagement.

As we embrace these changes, we also recognise the growing significance of loyalty programmes such as yuu, which empower customers to engage more meaningfully with our brand.

In conclusion, it is crucial for us as marketers to collaborate in addressing these challenges and leveraging emerging opportunities. By focusing on customer trust, health-conscious offerings, and innovative digital solutions, we can navigate the complexities of the retail environment and emerge stronger in 2025.

Eva Kwok, director of marketing and communications, Grand Hyatt Hong Kong

This year, the volatile nature of both local and global economies has posed significant challenges in crafting a resilient marketing strategy. The conventional reliance on past experiences for predicting business outcomes has proven unreliable, emphasising the need for a highly adaptable marketing approach.

The shrinking booking window of travellers, and the trend of select corporate groups opting for budget-friendly Asian destinations have impacted our hotel occupancy forecasts. Simultaneously, the growing preference among locals for travel to the Greater Bay Area or other Asian countries during weekends and public holidays may contribute to an unpredictable business pattern in our F&B operations.

Looking ahead to 2025, numerous transformative trends are poised to shape the marketing landscape. Personalisation will remain a central focus, bolstered by advancements in AI and machine learning. These technologies will not only allow us to enhance personalised experiences throughout the booking journey, and during the stay with a distinctive brand voice, but also enable us to curate content that deeply resonates with our guests through data-driven analysis.

Sustainability and social responsibility will retain their significance, with consumers placing a premium on brands that demonstrate environmental consciousness and ethical practices. The evolution of influencer marketing will persist, placing a premium on authenticity and the strategic utilisation of micro-influencers targeting specific niche audiences.

Echoing HKTB’s strategy, Grand Hyatt Hong Kong is targeting the Muslim market. In addition to marketing the hotel’s Muslim-friendly facilities and services to travel agents and the media, we are leveraging Hyatt’s hotel network to connect with influencers to penetrate this new market.

Cheuk Shum, managing director, head of marketing, wealth and personal banking, HSBC Hong Kong

As we look ahead to 2025, the economic outlook, local retail sentiment, and changing consumption patterns will continue to be pivotal forces influencing brand and agency decisions in Hong Kong.

To navigate this landscape, advertisers, agencies, and publishers must collaborate more closely to drive growth and unlock new market opportunities by creating new value propositions, and simultaneously, seeking efficiency.

As a passionate “foodie”, I’ve recently seen that many restaurants are creating buzz through “four hands experiences”, where chefs from different backgrounds and disciplines are literally “joining hands” to deliver unique culinary adventures. Brands and agencies can take inspiration from this concept to captivate customers and stimulate demand. As a marketer myself – I am calling on you all to join hands with me – if you have a groundbreaking idea and wish to collaborate with HSBC, reach out to me on LinkedIn!

Cost efficiency remains a critical focus as advertisers aim to optimise their bottom line. The industry must embrace AI and marketing automation to enhance speed-to-market and reduce costs. Let’s bring on 2025!

Anthony Tsang, head of marketing and digital (Greater China region), Oriental Watch Company

2024 is another challenging year for our retail environment. Unexpected events and consumers’ lifestyle changes continue to affect the whole industry;, consumers keep re-evaluating their priorities and cutting back on non-essential items, especially luxury goods. However, we can see opportunities in crisis, and we can seize the opportunity from the important trends in 2025.

Marketers always keep monitoring the potential of generative AI., I believe we will start to see more organisations move beyond the hype and start integrating generative AI into their business strategy in 2025 – such as transforming existing business models on online advertising, retail operating, media streaming, etc. Apart from existing products and services with a chatbot implementation, marketers can also consider generative tools and applications which will enable more new possibilities.

In addition, a great customer experience is a must. In 2025, the customer experience will progressively be seen as the main differentiator between retail competition. In Hong Kong, as consumers become more discerning, we need to provide friction-free, hyper-personalised, and memorable experiences to customers.

Consumers purchase luxury goods and services and expect tailor-made and excellent quality. AI and data analytics help us gather deeper insights into customer preferences and behaviour, enabling ultra personalisation through customer interactions and real-time data. As an omni-channel strategy becomes more sophisticated we can smooth over the transition between online and offline with a unified brand experience.

Tina Chao, chief marketing and digital customer experience officer, McDonald’s Hong Kong

In recent years, significant changes in the world, including in Hong Kong, have prompted many to reassess what truly matters in life. As we navigate a world of excess, the focus is shifting from material possessions to personal fulfilment and happiness. People are prioritising experiences over things, seeking authentic moments - whether through memorable trips, satisfying meals, or fitness journeys – that enhance their well-being.

The idea of "affordable happiness" emphasises that joy doesn't have to come from expensive pursuits; simple pleasures, such as sharing a meal with friends or enjoying nature, can bring immense satisfaction. Brands must recognise this shift and strive to offer accessible experiences that resonate with consumers.

To stand out, companies should focus on innovation, personalisation, and community. Tailoring offerings to individual preferences and introducing unique elements can create memorable interactions that foster emotional connections.

Looking towards 2025, the pursuit of happiness through experiences is likely to thrive. Brands that adapt by emphasising affordability, uniqueness, and emotional resonance will find success in this evolving landscape.

Tim Warwick, vice president, franchise operations, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macau and Mongolia, The Coca-Cola Company

As of this writing, Coca-Cola’s AI-generated holiday ad has been getting a lot of attention, adding more carbonation to the bubbling topic of how new digital tools such as generative AI would upend and revolutionise marketing in general, and content creation in particular.

The technology fuelled remake of Coca-Cola’s classic 1995 spot – “Holidays Are Coming” – is yet another indication that the trend of brands incorporating generative AI technology into ads and getting either cheers or jeers (or both) for doing so continues. I believe a broader topic is how it is essential for marketing professionals to keep up with evolving trends, as well as how digitally enabled, yet human-led marketing, can really harness the power of technology to deliver “real magic” for brand management in this time and age.

Coca-Cola is no stranger to incorporating AI into our marketing, having worked with OpenAI on the 2023 release of “Masterpiece,”, which depicted a gallery where the art comes to life and passes around a bottle of Coke.

The Coca-Cola Company is always dedicated to creating the highest level of work at the intersection of human creativity and technology. Specifically, Coca-Cola has celebrated a long history of capturing the magic of the holidays in content, film, events, and retail activations for decades around the globe. We are always exploring new ways to connect with consumers and experiment with different approaches. This year, our global team crafted films through a collaboration of human storytellers and the power of generative AI.

Why would Coca-Cola go out of our way to push the envelope? I believe we are on the cusp of a great technological evolution that’s already touched upon every aspect of our lives, including marketing. That’s why we need to keep pushing the envelope to stay ahead of the curve.

At Coca-Cola, we envision a future where new technology, including artificial intelligence, is integral to everything we do, empowering us to, among other things, unlock our creative potential for the way we approach brand building. Sometimes you might catch heat for what you do when reaction is polarised, but isn’t it a part of being a forerunner?

I believe one of the biggest challenges is to make sure technology is in the service of storytelling, but not the other way around. To that end, it’s critical that we create a real balance between making the most of what technology has to offer and keeping the humanity perspective also. In this case, the 1995 film is a reference point and the foundation, and it’s human-created. Our global team didn’t ask AI to come up with the plot from scratch.

In addition, it’s also very important to know when best to use AI. In this case, our global team believes when we want to show something hyper-realistic and fantastical, generative AI is the perfect tool or technology as it can give us that imagination superpower.

It’s the best of times when new technology such as AI can really change the game and unlock wonders. It’s the worst of times because very soon this realisation will finally sink in: It’s the new way or the “highway”. You either embrace it or get left behind. I hope my sharing will provide you with some food for thought as we plan for yet another exciting new year.

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