Hongkong Land modernises legacy with consumer-centric brand identity

Hongkong Land, a real estate investment, management, and development group in Hong Kong, has unveiled a bold new brand identity created by branding agency DNCO. Rooted in over a century of excellence, the rebrand marks a pivotal moment for the company as it modernises its legacy to reflect its position as the curator of Asia’s most dynamic city-centre destinations.

Since its founding in 1889, Hongkong Land has played an integral role in shaping the heart of major cities across Asia. With over 85 million square feet of prime office and luxury retail property and assets under management exceeding US$41 billion, it remains one of the region’s most influential real estate companies.

With a refreshed story and visual identity, Hongkong Land’s rebrand is a reflection of its ongoing commitment to innovation, excellence, and world-class hospitality. At the heart of this transformation is a new leading line: ‘Experience is central’—a statement that speaks to both Hongkong Land’s city-centre portfolio and its focus on customer experience.

The new story surfaces its core strengths — excellence, innovation and exceptional hospitality. Captured in the line ‘experience is central’, it reflects the trust in Hongkong Land, elevated customer experience and the city core strategy, encompassing the Central district in Hong Kong that many will know and love today. 

While Hongkong Land has long set the standard for city-centre placemaking, the rebrand ensures its reputation continues to stand apart in an increasingly competitive market. ‘Excellence since 1889’ turns its deep-rooted heritage into a future-focused advantage, reinforcing its legacy of leadership and innovation.

Alongside this, DNCO introduced a set of guiding values to shape the company’s internal culture: "Always forward, be a bridge, think in generations." ‘Always forward’ speaks to the relentless pursuit of innovation, ‘think in generations’ puts craftsmanship and sustainability at the forefront, and ‘be a bridge’ is a commitment to deepening relationships, rooted in the connected walkway system Hongkong Land first pioneered in the city. 

Meanwhile, the iconic ‘H’ symbol, originally crafted by Austrian designer Henry Steiner, is inspired by the ancient Chinese character 壽 meaning ‘longevity’. DNCO retained the original intent of the historic symbol, updating the shape for a digital world and bringing it into three dimensions through motion.

Rendered with depth and dynamic motion, the evolved mark reflects the vibrancy and layered experiences of Hongkong Land’s destinations. With perspective shifts and immersive textures, it visually embodies the bridges and walkways the company pioneered—seamlessly connecting people and places.

The brand’s visual language is designed to create a timeless yet contemporary aesthetic. A refined typographic system pairs Univers, a classic nod to the company’s history, with Noto, a globally inclusive typeface designed for over 1,000 languages. A neutral base is accented with bold colour highlights, injecting energy and modernity into the corporate identity. Complemented by reportage-style photography, the rebrand brings a cinematic quality to Hongkong Land’s presence, placing the viewer at the heart of each city-centre experience.

"DNCO has given us a brand language to elegantly articulate our strategy, alongside a visual identity that reflects the premium quality at the heart of everything we do," said Michael Smith, chief executive, Hongkong Land.

Joy Nazzari, founder of DNCO, said: "A new leadership and bold new strategy present an exciting opportunity to reflect real change — both internally to galvanise the team, and to the world. For Hongkong Land, this rebranding marks a significant visual and messaging shift that aligns with its strategy and is commensurate with being category leaders in Asian city centres. It has been an incredible journey bringing the brand up to date, ensuring that it now reflects the exceptional premium experience felt on the ground every day across the portfolio."

The rebrand launched alongside Hongkong Land’s new strategic vision, and the impact was immediate. The new brand has since been rolled out across major Asian cities, with high-impact digital screen takeovers in Hong Kong, Vietnam, Singapore, and Shanghai. To ensure brand adoption at every level, DNCO also co-led a series of brand masterclasses for over 800 Hongkong Land employees.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to DNCO for more information.

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