5 top social media agencies in Hong Kong

Here’s a fun fact not many of us are aware of - today, 30 June, marks World Social Media day.  Social media has become a part of our everyday life, and has fast established itself as a critical tool for communications and connection for brands and consumers alike.

According to media reports, World Social Media day was first celebrated by Mashable on 30 June 2010 to highlight its rising importance.  The early social media platforms that many of us might have heard about were the likes of MySpace and Friendster. Today, headlines are often stolen by the likes of Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Snapchat, TikTok, WeChat and of course Facebook, which still boasts the highest usage.

Data by Hootsuite and We Are Social also found that as of January 2021, over 53% of the world's population was connected over social, which was an over 13% increase from the previous year. Below are some other interesting statistics found by Hootsuite and We Are Social.

In Hong Kong specifically, there are about 6.44 million social media users as of 2021, said the study by Hootsuite and We Are Social. This marked a 110,000 increase from 2020 and 2021. The number of social media users in Hong Kong was approximately 85.6% of the population. Around 44.2% of users aged between 16-64 in Hong Kong use social media for brand research and 34.3% in the same age group use it for work. 

In light of the rising importance of social media, we turned to our 2021 Agency of the Year Hong Kong results to find out who our judges thought were the five best social media agencies in Hong Kong. We've listed our top 5 winners alphabetically. Our list of agencies below won over our independent panel of high-calibre, client-side marketers not only by displaying the work they have done for clients, but also through their desire to nurture talent and create proprietary products for execution of world class campaigns.

Branding Records

Branding Records prides itself on being flexible, adaptable and ambitious. Currently it has a team of 14 based out of Hong Kong, and five in Shanghai. The agency has over 200 clients worldwide, and works with brands such as Asia Financial Holdings, East Asia Super League, Furla, Moschino, Salvatore Ferragamo, Slumberland, Visa and many others.  Over the past few years, the agency has also made an effort to collaborate with startups and non-profits such as blüüm, Fusang, the Karen Leung Foundation, and UniTrust, to name a few.

As an agile boutique agency, the agency divides its services into three categories: brand development, digital marketing and brand activation.  Its brand development services include defining brand strategies, naming and developing logos, crafting a brand image, and mapping out detailed strategies for clients.

Digital marketing is also a core aspect of the agency as it helps clients identify and target key community advocates on social media. It also helps clients with effective posting schedules and strategies, search engine keyword ranking, and campaign tracking.  As for brand activation, it helps clients strategise social media marketing to drive traffic in physical spaces, enrich retail stores with creative design and interactive features, and gamify stores for unique brand experiences to boost both online and offline engagement.

Fimmick

Full service digital marketing agency Fimmick has been around for over 12 years and is headquartered in Hong Kong. The agency provides customised integrated digital marketing, social media marketing, programmatic and automated online advertising, creative marketing campaigns, content marketing, video production, mobile first marketing, customer relationship management, and influencer marketing solutions.

It is also a preferred partner of the Facebook Marketing Partner Programme for agencies, and has been working closely with major industry leaders such as Google and LinkedIn.

The agency has worked with notable brands such as AIA, Nestle, Shiseido, ASUS, Samsung, Panasonic, Coca-Cola, 3M, DBS, Bossini, and many others.

Currently, its team has over 120 talents in Hong Kong with a majority of them being Millennials and Gen Z-ers. To ensure these talents are nurtured, mentors and job rotation schemes are created. Learning programmes and allowances are also provided by the agency to keep them abreast of industry trends. Fimmick often organises webinars, Weekly Learning Wednesdays and Digital Fridays for its staff to learn through teaching as well.

Last year, it also enabled flexible working hours and remote working for its staff. It also expanded its account servicing, content creative digital partnership and growth and CRM departments.

Krew

Krew has made a name for itself as a force to be reckoned with. Over the past year, Krew has doubled its headcount to 35 full time talents and turned the downtime faced by agencies in 2020 to an opportunity for growth. Some of its clients include AIA, Sun Hong Kai, Towngas, ChinaChem, UPD HK and Wheelock.

Using its analytic tool, KREWatch, the team has banked big on data to optimise its services. Evolving from the 2020 version, KREWatch 2.0 has been upgraded with features such as audience targeting mapping and keyword and hashtags data recommendation. The team advanced its proprietary analytic tool to cope with the rising online penetration and its big data support gave clients the confidence to pursue online marketing initiatives.

It also recently introduced its content hub Lifenews HK! which helps develop content and launch impactful live broadcasts for clients with the help of a professional video production team. Last year the team also made a hire to build its financial news team. To ensure its teams are trained holistically, Krew conducts intensive cross-industrial training sessions all year-round. The team also has ambitions to expand its digital and social services to China and Macau in the near future.

Meology

Meology believes in leveraging the true power of social to help clients grow in the face of adversity. Some of the clients it has worked with include Cathay Pacific, Toyota, Lexus, Jardines, Mannings, Sunkist, MSIG, Blueair and many others.

Meology prides itself in focusing on the human experience and creates social strategies that empower people and brands facing new challenges presented by the pandemic. Much of its ethos when it comes to social media also drives its talent acquisition and retention. For example, last year amidst the lockdown, the agency decided to put the mental wellness of its people first, and empowered the teams to do what they do best through flexible working arrangements, and regular virtual idea workshops.

Giving back to the industry is also vital to the agency which often conducts workshops for local corporates and SMEs. During these workshops, Meology shares its insights and experiences to help attendees unleash their potential through eCommerce and social media. It also looks to uncover fresh perspectives from new generations that will transform into great ideas and drive behavioural changes. It is known for its professionalism and best-in-class digital marketing experience.

New iMedia Solutions

New iMedia Solutions has over 13 years of experience working with clients from over 40 different industries. In 2020, it brought on board over 150 new clients. The agency believes in exploring new businesses riding on market trends and clients’ needs. One ongoing development by the team is around the space of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance campaign performance for clients.

Some of its key social media clients include American Express, Coach, Agnesb, DKSH, Tissot, Hong Kong Baptist University amongst others. Some of the solutions it provides clients are social media and content marketing, creative content creation and user experience, search engine marketing and optimisation, eCommerce solutions, and programmatic advertising.

Putting its people first is a priority for new iMedia solutions. With remote working taking over last year, it found its video classes particularly useful for its talents to learn and keep their digital knowledge fresh. It has also created a self-owned online knowledge hub where its talents could access the latest digital trends, market insights and client work showcases to find inspiration and world class ideas.

Clearly, its strategy in putting talent first is paying off as it boasts a 21% talent count who have been with the agency for over 10 years, and 39% of talents with over five years with the agency.

Photo courtesy: 123rf