John Morgan

Public Relations has clearly changed and prospered in many ways over the past 12 months in Hong Kong. The industry is more aggressive than ever before as agencies jostle to support the thriving HKSAR economy, which naturally feeds into China and all other parts of Asia. It is no longer a matter of survival for agencies; it is a matter of securing the right clients who truly understand how communications can drive their business strategies. And it is up to us to design and execute strategies that deliver, regardless of approach or the traditional boundaries of PR.

Many businesses in Hong Kong remain cost-conscious following events like SARS, 9-11, economic deflation and a new chief executive supported by a more progressive administration. Business leaders with vision understand the need to invest in communications—uniting it in meaningful ways beyond products to more far-reaching commitments such as sustainability, CSR and issues management—and then put in place strong advocates at the board level to ensure follow-through.

The key to success is simple: Do not limit yourself. Hong Kong has always been a place where people work tirelessly to succeed and entrepreneurs thrive. PR practitioners must have the chutzpah to keep pace. For instance, pharmaceuticals are thriving, but the regulatory environment is and always will be strict. How do we work around that? How do we stay within the bounds of the regulations but still employ enough creativity to catch the attention of consumers?

We did that for Bayer with an idea called "Dramics," drama combined with comic strips, which communicate messages about male erectile dysfunction in a playful yet meaningful way. They have led to amazing sales increases for ED drug Levitra and given the brand a place alongside iconic competitors. Our agency felt a press release just would not get the job done. We did not box ourselves in to an antiquated brief and we won in the end.

But if I had to choose the two greatest opportunities (which are also the greatest threats), it would be new media and sustainability.

We at GolinHarris have a commitment at the global level that every plan we submit to clients must have a new media component. But does this work in Hong Kong? I would say we are close, but we are not quite there yet. Certainly, new technologies are having a profound effect on how information is consumed, how perceptions are formed and how people live. However, the storm has not really hit us here yet in Asia—in my opinion, it is still brewing.

In Hong Kong, bloggers are having more of an impact not on the individuals who log onto their sites, but on traditional journalists. Studies have shown that more than 50% of journalists read blogs daily, which inspire story ideas and even quotes. These citizen journalists are clearly impacting change. In fact, a few of them are featured in this edition of Breakthrough. (Click here to read about them). They are seeding activism in rapid-fire ways through rapid-fire technologies on messages that, frankly, are not always based on facts. Then again, bloggers are also blowing the whistle on activities that used to be very easily hidden. Those of us who have been working in the PR industry for a while remember the impact CNN had on the news cycle not so long ago. (Remember the days when we had to wait for the 6:00 a.m. news?) Well, the new media impact is clearly more profound and certainly without boundaries.

With that all said, most corporations here in Hong Kong still have not picked up on the power of new media. They understand how to use it to drive sales and maybe enhance their brand, but not to manage sensitive issues or to drive corporate reputation. Many believe they have new media well covered with a comprehensive Web site. Consumers want more today. They are not static bookworms, they want interactive dialogue ... two-way conversations in real time.

Corporations in the United States tend to have three kinds of blogs: CEO blogs, customer relationship blogs and CSR blogs. Again, we see some of these in this part of the world, but not many. When the Hong Kong Chief Executive launches his own blog to share experiences from his personal life (one that is not focused on the issues), one would think this would serve as inspiration for corporations to open up a bit? Well, some have, but most have not.

But activists have figured out new media, that is certain. An increasing number of pressure groups and NGOs use new media to mobilize public support over controversial issues. It is their powerful new way to seek an alternative means to influence policymakers and other concerned parties. Local Hong Kong chapters of Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth, solo activists on their PCs and even well-respected activists such as Christine Loh are communicating their views daily for all to see (with no subscription required).

Shifting to sustainability, I should mention that as I write these comments, I am on my way out the door to a speech by Al Gore entitled "Ethics and Sustainability." (Read about GH’s participation in the event here).

Years ago, many thought of the former U.S. vice president as a softy, an alarmist and a guy who once claimed to have invented the Internet. Today, he has helped lead a charge to wake up the highest level of corporate leaders who now throw sustainability challenges to their board members with very bold five-, 10- and 15-year goals. Sustainability commitments have gone from rhetoric to very real, very specific action plans designed to tackle some of the biggest challenges facing business and the world today. From climate change and fair trade to waste and raw materials—and the list goes on.

In Hong Kong, we are seeing two mindsets. Local businesses are still wondering what they need to do about this. Meanwhile, those that are part of a larger mothership are being requested by their HQs to adapt and localize very sophisticated global sustainability commitments. Take the Dow Chemical Company, for instance, which launched "The Human Element" campaign in China as part of their 2015 Sustainability Goals. They have made a significant commitment to explain and then inspire Chinese people about what sustainability is and why it is important.

Summary

So here is what the changes in Asian PR over the past 12 months really come down to, specifically in Hong Kong:
There is a shift in media preferences. We must use a multi-faceted approach for solid PR—radio, print and TV is just the beginning.

New and traditional media must co-exist. The key is applying the right mix of media strategically.

More so than ever before, we need to be more specific about potential and target customers, stakeholders, mapping out their concerns, issues, wants, needs and desires, providing a tailored discussion platform to communicate directly.

Never underestimate the speed and geographical coverage of spreading news and opinions. Try to digest the authors' key messages as quickly as possible and then respond promptly and constructively. And then once you have done all that, blog away my friends. It is a daily newspaper at your fingertips.

In other words ... you snooze, you lose.