Hong Kong Media Report 2023 results unveiled

Each year, MARKETING-INTERACTIVE undertakes one of its most significant research projects to discover the media preferences of Hong Kong’s marketers. We hope to understand which media platforms marketers are interested in for advertising solutions across the digital, outdoor, TV, radio, and print platforms.

In this research, we ask respondents to name the magazines, TV stations, digital platforms or OOH groups they would use to target consumers across key industries, including luxury, local business, and finance.

How did we achieve this?

The media rankings were derived from questions in the annual Media Spend Benchmarking Survey. It employed an online questionnaire and surveyed its database of client advertisers and marketing services agency professionals. All answers given by respondents were considered by MARKETING-INTERACTIVE when finalising the rankings.

Quality recipients and respondents

A total of 520 respondents participated in the Hong Kong Media Survey 2023. Genuine advertising decision-makers and influencers across key agency-using industries were well represented as were agency professionals from various marketing services.

Most respondents were manager-level decision makers and above, with 70% covering the Hong Kong market, and 30% responsible for other global markets. Out of the respondents, 33% came from business-to-consumer marketing companies, 24% from business-to-business marketing companies, and 43% came from both.

Advertisers from major and local international banks, FMCG companies, property and construction, IT and telecommunication firms, as well as those from travel and tourism companies, participated in the survey. Agency professionals across the marketing services spectrum were also represented.

Please also refer to the digital version of MARKETING-INTERACTIVE’s magazine for the results.

Digital Media

Luxury

No.1 Vogue Hong Kong

Taking the number one spot in luxury media for the fourth year in a row, Vogue Hong Kong has truly claimed its position as the leading platform of choice for fashion, luxury, and design brands who tap into its wealth of expertise in print, digital, and event offerings.

With the addition of new products such as Vogue Man, Vogue Living, and its customised content team – Content Lab, the Hong Kong edition of the world’s most famous magazine brand is truly 360 degrees.

Let’s find out Vogue’s secret recipe for staying on top of the media trends in Hong Kong.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: Can you share the strategies that are deployed for keeping the top spot? 

At Vogue, we always strive to further enhance high-quality and creative visual storytelling to evoke emotions, inspire aspirations, and convey the essence of luxury to readers. We will see further investing in high-quality photography, video production, and graphic design to maintain the aesthetic appeal and prestige associated with luxury brands.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: Any media or marketing trends you think media professionals should take note of in the upcoming year?

Media professionals nowadays are finding new ways to enhance immersive experiences for their audiences. From virtual and first-experience tours, behind-the-scenes glimpses, to interactive presentations and experiential events, the combination of creativity and new technology in content-making will create higher levels of experiences that resonate with audiences, and further enhance their engagement with the content. 

Another ongoing marketing trend is the increasing focus on sustainability and ethical luxury. Sustainable and ethical practices are becoming part of our lives nowadays. Media companies will be putting more in-depth and creative efforts on stories of eco-friendly practices, sustainable brands and ethically sourced products. This will resonate with environmentally conscious readers and provide a platform to showcase brands that align with sustainable values.

Website: https://www.voguehk.com 

No.2 Tatler Hong Kong

Tatler Hong Kong has navigated the challenges of this year by giving Hong Kong’s luxury space a relevant and informative portal. From the latest restaurant news, insider guides to the hippest places to eat and drink, Tatler Hong Kong continues to be a resource for those who appreciate the finer things in life. 

Website: https://www.tatlerasia.com/

No.3 Prestige Hong Kong

Prestige Hong Kong positions its site as an online lifestyle media of choice for the affluent and influential, high-flying corporate leaders, the city’s most eminent personalities, and Asia’s social elite.

Website: https://www.prestigeonline.com/hk/

Beauty and Fashion

No.1 Cosmopolitan HK

Cosmopolitan HK keeps up with the latest beauty and fashion trends, shares healthy life information, and works with readers to inspire them to be a fun, fearless female – someone who loves life, has the courage to innovate, and lives a happy and fulfilling life with mindfulness. Founded in 1984, Cosmopolitan is one of Hong Kong’s first international women's magazines and has the largest number of female subscribers.

Website: https://www.cosmopolitan.com.hk/ 

No.2 Vogue Hong Kong

Vogue Hong Kong is one of the leading platforms of choice for fashion, luxury and beauty brands who tap into its wealth of expertise in print, digital and event offerings. With the addition of new products such as Vogue Man, Vogue Living, and its customised content team – Content Lab, the Hong Kong edition of the world’s most famous magazine brand is truly 360 degrees.

Website: https://www.cosmopolitan.com.hk/

No.3 ELLE

Offering a portal to discover the latest fashion, beauty, and fitness trends, ELLE maintains an active and impressive social media following across Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, and is another popular beauty and fashion site that has earned a place in the Hong Kong digital media landscape.

Website: https://www.elle.com/

Parenting

No.1 Ohpama

Ohpama has been topping this list for six consecutive years. Parents are highly engaged with the platform’s practical parenting intelligence, family life news, education resources, and parent-kid activities. Under the Sing Tao News Corporation umbrella, Ohpama has built up a unique and strong family-friendly position and has upheld its media credibility for years. The platform has also proven its media excellence in providing marketing solutions to business partners by winning different industrial awards.

Website: https://www.ohpama.com/ 

No.2 Sunday Kiss

A Hong Kong-based parenting platform under New Media Group, Sunday Kiss is one of the most popular parenting platforms in Hong Kong, providing trustworthy, engaging and inspiring content to empower parents. Its website mainly covers content on child-caring/parenting/education, parenting activities, health/pregnancy as well as recipes, and has already become popular among families with young parents. 

Website: https://www.sundaykiss.com/ 

No.3 Smart Parents

In recent years, Sing Tao’s Smart Parents has become a one-stop multimedia platform for children’s education, and the most popular parent-child playground in Hong Kong. It is designed to be a guide for parents who are intent on bringing out the best in their children.

Website: https://www.facebook.com/smartparentshk/ 

Consumer Electronics

No.1 Price.com.hk 

Price.com.hk is one of the leading price comparison platforms in Hong Kong, listing more than 200,000 consumer electronics from different categories, including audio/visual, home appliances, communication, gaming, computer, and photography. With more than 10,000 local retail merchants, Price.com.hk is committed to creating a smart shopping experience for customers and providing unique services for local retailers at the same time.

Website: https://www.price.com.hk/ 

No.2 Unwire.hk

Established in 2008, Unwire.hk is a free website providing technology information and analysis, product test reports, and profiles. The website says its target users are aged 20 to 40, from students to professionals, and it claims it reaches more than two million unique visitors per month.

Website: https://unwire.hk/ 

No.3 DCFever.com

Established in 2002, DCFever.com is Hong Kong’s leading photography, tech, and lifestyle website, aimed at creating interactions between consumer electronics users, and encouraging them to use technology to elevate their standard of living.

Website: https://www.dcfever.com/ 

Finance

No.1 Hong Kong Economic Times

The site of HKET provides the digital edition of the Hong Kong Economic Times and has archives dating back to 2010. HKET offers professional analysis on finance, the property markets, as well as the economy, of which users can access through mobile, tablets, and desktops.

Website: https://www.hket.com/

No.2 Bloomberg

Bloomberg believes its customers rely on it to deliver accurate and real-time business and market-moving information that helps them make critical financial decisions by unleashing the power of information and technology to bring clarity to a complex world.

Website: https://www.bloomberg.com/asia

No.3 AASTOCKS

Founded in 2000, fintech platform AASTOCKS is committed to offering fully fledged global financial information and analytical tools through innovative technologies for investors. It also provides content spanning from Hong Kong stocks, A shares, US stocks, Singapore stocks, Japan stocks, forex, cryptocurrencies, funds, ETFs, precious metals to global indexes, and more.

Website: http://www.aastocks.com/ 

Entertainment

No. 1 HK01 

Established in 2015, HK01 is a Hong Kong-based online news portal that strives to deliver the latest happenings around town, including insider news from the entertainment industry.

Website: https://www.hk01.com/ 

No.2 100Most

100Most provides a self-curated stream about current affairs and online content, accompanying an ad platform. The site provides integrated advertising and media services to customers which are categorised into digital services, print services, event organisation, and artist management.

Website: https://www.instagram.com/100mosthk/

No.3 Ming Pao Weekly

Ming Pao Weekly has been a premier brand among celebrities over the past 50 years in Hong Kong, focusing on entertainment, culture, and fashion in both print and digital platforms.

Website: https://www.mpweekly.com/ 

Travel

No.1 U Travel 

U Travel is a travel platform under U Lifestyle, which provides diversified content, including the latest travel information and the hottest destinations around the world, selected air ticket discounts and exclusive packages, itinerary recommendations, and more.

Website: https://travel.ulifestyle.com.hk/ 

No.2  Klook

Klook is a travel and leisure eCommerce platform for experiences and services anytime, anywhere. With its website and app, users can experience a world of joy, from attractions and tours, to local transportation and stays.

Website: https://www.klook.com/

No.3 GOtrip

GOtrip is an interactive travel-sharing platform under New Media Group. It not only provides information on attractions and the latest travel intelligence, but it also provides netizens with a complete travel reference. GOtrip will also invite different travellers, celebrities, and bloggers to provide travel insights, including travel experiences through videos and other formats.

Website: https://www.gotrip.hk/ 

Forum

No.1 LIHKG

LIHKG is a multi-category forum website based in Hong Kong. Launched in 2016, the website has gained popularity, and is often referred to as the Hong Kong version of Reddit.

Website: https://lihkg.com/

No.2 Discuss.com.hk

Discuss.com.hk sees main discussions covering news and current affairs, entertainment, food, trends, all walks of life, real estate, finance, stocks, cars, love and marriage, computers and mobile phones, sports, and more.

Website: http://discuss.com/

No.3 Baby-Kingdom.com

Baby-Kingdom.com is a Hong Kong-based online community site that offers parenting information. With over 300,000 registered members, and 300 million messages in its database, it is one of the most popular sites for Chinese-speaking parents around the world to discuss and share information on parenting and family-related matters.

Website: https://www.baby-kingdom.com/forum.php 

Lifestyle

No.1 U Lifestyle 

Year after year, Hongkongers turn to U Lifestyle as their digital resource for the best of Hong Kong. Combining U Travel, U HK, U Beauty, U Food, and U Blog, it provides an excellent user experience, an engaged social base, and a distinctively local portal for everything you need.

Website: https://hk.ulifestyle.com.hk/

No.2 Mill Milk

Mill Milk is a digital lifestyle platform which features the latest happenings in Hong Kong, insights on the workplace, atypical exploration, travel information from around the world, talk shows, and the latest restaurant recommendations.

Website: https://www.mill-milk.com/ 

No.3 HYPEBEAST

Standing at the forefront of fashion and culture, Hypebeast uncovers the latest, emerging trends, and creates a lifestyle universe through highly curated content and various business offerings that inspires, educates, and connects a global audience.

Website: https://hypebeast.ltd/ 

News & current affairs

No.1 HK01 

HK01 provides personalised and diversified internet services for the digital era. As a trailblazer of Hong Kong’s internet industry, HK01 offers factual information and inspiring content through the use of innovative technology.

Website: https://www.hk01.com/ 

No.2 am730

The free Chinese-language newspaper am730 is distributed from Monday to Friday and covers local, international, entertainment, fashion, and travel news, while providing content on its website and mobile app.

Website: https://www.am730.com.hk/

No.3 Hong Kong Economic Times

The site of HKET provides the digital edition of the Hong Kong Economic Times and has archives dating back to 2010. HKET offers professional analysis on finance, the property markets, as well as the economy, of which users can access through mobile, tablets, and desktops.

Website: https://www.hket.com/ 

Search

No.1 Google

A platform for global users to search the world’s information, including web pages, images, videos, and more. It has been referred to as the “most powerful company in the world”, and one of the world’s most valuable brands, because of its market dominance, data collection, and technological advantages in the area of artificial intelligence.

Website: https://www.google.com/ 

No.2 Yahoo

A web services provider which delivers the latest news coverage, email, free stock quotes, live scores, and videos. It provides a web portal, the search engine Yahoo Search, and related services, including My Yahoo, Yahoo Mail, Yahoo News, Yahoo Finance, Yahoo Sports, and its advertising platform, Yahoo Native.

Website: https://hk.yahoo.com/

No.3 Baidu

Baidu is a Chinese multinational technology company specialising in internet-related services and products, and artificial intelligence, headquartered in Beijing’s Haidian District.

Website: https://www.baidu.com/ 

Social media

No.1 Instagram

Acquired by Facebook for US$1 billion in 2012, Instagram’s storytelling and live-streaming platform has become the standard way that many of us share photos and keep up with friends, family, and total strangers online.

Website: https://www.instagram.com/ 

No.2 Facebook

With a product offering that began as a college directory, but has gone on to consume and connect nearly every online touch-point in our lives in less than two decades, Facebook, and its interconnected apps, and ad partners, are with us, and our friends, and their friends, every step of the way.

Website: https://www.facebook.com/

No.3 YouTube

Currently owned by Google, YouTube has more than 2.5 billion monthly users who collectively watch more than one billion hours of videos each day.

Website: https://www.youtube.com/ 

Out-of-home media

No.1 JCDecaux Transport

Established in 1976, JCDecaux Transport is one of the leading outdoor advertising companies in Hong Kong. With over 40 years of experience, it manages advertising sales concessions for MTR and Airport Express. The company also holds concessions for Hong Kong International Airport (24 years), Macau International Airport (21 years), and Pacific Place Passages (28 years).

JCDecaux Transport continues to lead the OOH advertising industry with outstanding achievements such as digitally transforming the MTR and Hong Kong International Airport. By merging offline and online strategies, it offers innovative online-to-offline outdoor advertising, and pioneering programmatic digital out-of-home solutions.

Let’s hear from JCDecaux Transport on the upcoming media trends, and its experiences in the digital landscape.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: How do you keep up with the rapidly evolving digital landscape? Are there any exciting innovations on the radar?

In the rapidly evolving digital landscape, JCDecaux Transport navigates the dynamic DOOH landscape, delivers impactful campaigns, and stays ahead of the competition by following these strategies: We stay updated on DOOH trends by attending DOOH events and conferences to foster creativity and innovation. We embrace and explore data-driven technology such as AR and VR. We also conduct various reports to monitor competitors and industry leaders.

There are indeed some exciting examples of innovations to share:

1. The Sandbox Metaverse: JCDecaux Transport has joined The Sandbox Metaverse, a virtual world platform, and launched the MTR Metaverse, which offers a time-travelling journey through futuristic and historical elements of the MTR Metaverse Station.

2. HKIA Metaverse: We launched the first-ever HKIA Metaverse. This virtual world offers international visitors and local travellers an interactive experience to explore the airport in a virtual environment.

3. JCDecaux Transport's Summer Sports Fiesta event showcased the use of AI deep change technology. Participants had the opportunity to experience a virtual 3D rowing event at Tsim Sha Tsui MTR Station.

4. Rowing boat treasure hunt game: As part of the Summer Sports Fiesta, JCDecaux Transport introduced a rowing boat treasure hunt game. Participants were encouraged to engage by scanning QR codes with their smartphones and earn MTR points.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: Any media or marketing trends you think media professionals should take note of in the upcoming year?

One trend that we believe will continue to grow in the future is artificial intelligence-generated content (AIGC). The advancements in AIGC technology have paved the way for more engaging and personalised experiences for viewers, making DOOH an increasingly innovative and effective advertising medium. We are actively exploring innovative ideas to integrate AIGC technology into DOOH.

AIGC has the capability to generate various types of content, including text, images, videos, and even audio, based on predefined parameters. This significantly reduces the time and resources required for content creation, allowing advertisers to create and deliver compelling campaigns more efficiently.

We recently launched TLive, a brand new eCommerce platform in collaboration with MTR Advertising. TLive incorporates the latest AI technology to generate AIGC humans, providing a unique way for guests to interact. Using 4K holographic transmission technology, guests can engage with AI-generated idol digital avatars, and clients are enabled to promote their brands more effectively, and expand into the local Hong Kong and Greater Bay Area markets.

In summary, media professionals should pay attention to the growing trend of artificial intelligence-generated content in the upcoming year. Its potential to create personalised and engaging experiences, coupled with its efficiency in content creation, makes it a valuable tool in the ever-evolving media and marketing landscape.

Website: https://www.jcdecaux-transport.com.hk/ 

No.2 JCDecaux Cityscape

JCDecaux Cityscape initiated its digital transformation process in 2018 by introducing market-first campaign-based audience impressions analytics, building a solid foundation for the launch of programmatic digital out-of-home (pDOOH).

Website: https://www.jcdecaux-cityscape.hk/programmatic-dooh

No.3 Asiaray Media Group

The out-of-home media company has worked with a number of Hong Kong brands such as MTR and High Speed Rail. Its work can be seen across various platforms such as billboards, LED walls, shopping malls, bus shelters, and MTR stations.

Website: https://www.asiaray.com/

Digital out-of-home

No.1 JCDecaux Cityscape

JCDecaux Cityscape has been crowned the winner in the Digital Out-of-Home Media category for the second year in a row. JCDecaux Cityscape initiated its digital transformation journey in 2018 by introducing market-first campaign-based audience impressions analytics, building a strong foundation for the launch of programmatic digital out-of-home (pDOOH). 

The company has had pDOOH offerings in Hong Kong's central business districts across its first-class digital frame network since 2021. This cutting-edge initiative enables advertisers to engage in programmatic trading, leveraging data to optimise campaign efficiency, and integrate omni-channel marketing strategies.

This year, the company rolled out pDOOH campaigns with prominent brands such as HSBC, Samsung, Levi’s, Hennessy, and many others.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: Can you share the strategies that are deployed for keeping the top spot?  

JCDecaux Cityscape has implemented several strategies to maintain the top position. Firstly, we recognise the importance of data in shaping the programmatic digital out-of-home (pDOOH) ecosystem. Since 2018, we have been at the forefront of audience measurement development for Out-of-home (OOH) advertising.

Our real-time campaign-based audience analytics have set us apart as the sole OOH media company in Hong Kong offering this service. By connecting all 300-plus JCDecaux cityscape bus shelters and 36 tram shelters, we are able to count all traffic exposed to our ads, building a strong foundation for our pDOOH offerings.

Secondly, we understand that pDOOH requires a different selling technique compared to traditional OOH, as it is highly data-driven. To address this, we have prioritised equipping our advertising consultant team with comprehensive product knowledge. This ensures that they are well-versed in the complexities of pDOOH and can effectively communicate its value to clients.

Lastly, in addition to focusing on internal capabilities, we place great emphasis on educating and sharing insights with the industry. As the concept of pDOOH is relatively new in the Hong Kong market, we believe that providing information to clients and partners increases the likelihood of them trying out this innovative trading solution.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: Have you noticed any radical shifts in your audience’s media consumption trends recently?   

In the current post-pandemic landscape, where brands are operating with limited budgets and seeking to maximise their investments, the data-driven optimisation of pDOOH becomes even more relevant. We have observed significant shifts in audience media consumption trends.

PDOOH offers a seamless integration into the media mix via omni-channel DSPs (demand-side platforms), which allows brands to maximise their opportunities. With its fast, agile, and flexible trading mode, advertisers can easily pause and resume campaigns with a simple click.

The ability of pDOOH to adapt and respond quickly to changing circumstances has become crucial in this dynamic environment. Advertisers can adjust their message, creative content, and targeting strategies in real-time, ensuring that their campaigns remain effective and impactful.

In summary, the data-driven optimisation, seamless integration, and flexibility of pDOOH have proven to be valuable assets in meeting the evolving media consumption habits of our audience in the post-pandemic era.

Website: https://www.jcdecaux-cityscape.hk/programmatic-dooh

No.2 JCDecaux Transport

Combined with creativity, passion, data, and technology, JCDecaux Transport offers innovative DOOH advertising solutions catering for different brands. Most of its work is often showcased at MTR stations and Hong Kong International Airport.

Website: https://www.jcdecaux-transport.com.hk/

No.3 Asiaray Media Group

Asiaray launched the first programmatic digital out-of-home (pDOOH) campaign along Singapore's latest Thomson-East Coast MRT Line. The campaign engaged with on-the-go audiences along the rail line, and resulted in the successful delivery of more than 210,000 impressions.

Website: https://www.asiaray.com/

Print

Business magazine

No.1 iMoney

iMoney is a member of the Hong Kong Economic Times. Established in 2007, it focuses on wealth management with content that stretches across global and local finance news, innovative business features, marketing strategies, topics that concern the workplace, and personal development.

No.2 Bloomberg Businessweek

The magazine provides information and opinions on the important happenings in the world of business. Renamed Bloomberg Businessweek in 2010, the publication provides news about markets, technology, and lifestyle, and hosts editorials and opinions in its magazine and on its website.

No.3 The Economist

A weekly magazine printed in demitab format, and published digitally, that focuses on current affairs, international business, politics, technology, and culture.

Local newspaper

No.1 am730

The free Chinese-language newspaper am730 is distributed from Monday to Friday and covers local, international, entertainment, fashion, and travel news, while providing content on its website and mobile app.

No.2 Hong Kong Economic Times

HKET is one of the financial daily newspapers in Hong Kong offering professional analysis on finance, the property markets, as well as the economy, of which users can access through mobile, tablet, and desktop.

No.3 Headline Daily

Headline Daily is one of the publications of Sing Tao News Corporation. Over the years, Headline Daily has been providing quality news, leisure, and entertainment information via its multimedia platforms to reach targeted audiences

Travel 

No.1 U Magazine 

U Travel is one of the books distributed by U Magazine, providing the latest information and travel reports to destinations both at home and across the globe, and featuring promotions and suggested itineraries. Over the past few years, U Magazine has gained increasing recognition in the media industry, achieving multiple honours for its work.

No.2 National Geographic

National Geographic is a magazine published by the National Geographic Society. Topics covered by this magazine include science, geography, history, and world culture. In addition to its content, the magazine is well-known for its layout with a thick square-bound glossy format and a yellow rectangular border on the cover.

No.3 Discovery

Discovery shares travel stories to connect you with meaningful experiences and places, from the experts at Cathay Pacific’s in-flight magazine.

Parenting magazine

No.1 Smart Parents

Sing Tao's Smart Parents has won the title of Best Parenting Magazine for 11 consecutive years. In recent years, it has become a one-stop multimedia platform for children's education and the most popular parent-child playground in Hong Kong. It is designed to be a guide for parents who are intent on bringing out the best in their children.

No.2 Playtimes

Playtimes covers childcare, education, health, food, and fun activities. The publication says its magazine and the digital edition offer an honest and informative perspective on parenting in Hong Kong to help readers make the best decisions for them and their family.

TV Broadcaster and radio

TV Broadcaster

No.1 ViuTV

In its eighth year of operation, ViuTV has taken the TV world by storm and has already become the favourite choice for local marketers. It offers various types of programming throughout the day, including news and public affairs, lifestyle, documentaries, and overseas content.

Website: https://viu.tv/

No.2 TVB

Headquartered in Hong Kong, TVB is one of the few broadcasters in the world that operates a vertically integrated business model encompassing content creation, broadcasting, and distribution. Since 2016, TVB has begun its transformation journey from a traditional media player to a major digital player.

Website: https://www.tvb.com/

No.3 Now TV

Now TV is a paid television provider, and the largest in Hong Kong. While most of its programmes are in English, Cantonese or putonghua, it also offers some programmes in Hindi and French.

Website: https://www.nowtv.now.com/ 

Radio

No.1 Commercial Radio 2 

Commercial Radio 2 targets a younger audience and offers a wide range of music and entertainment programmes. It also launches the Ultimate Song Chart Awards Presentation ceremony every year, one of the most well-received awards ceremonies for the city’s music industry.

Website: https://www.881903.com/

No.2 Commercial Radio 1

Commercial Radio 1 offers programmes about current affairs, traffic, and financial information. It also has many talk shows, interactive phone-in programmes, as well as some cultural and drama programmes.

Website: https://www.881903.com/

No.3 RTHK Radio 1

RTHK Radio 1 is a broadcast radio station in Hong Kong, providing breaking news, current affairs, and talk shows.

Website: https://www.rthk.hk/radio/radio1