How are brand sponsors measuring ROI from their Doraemon exhibition investment?

Brand sponsors such as Prudential Hong Kong, Ngong Ping 360, and MTR are seeing a positive return on investment (ROI) from sponsoring the highly anticipated “100% DORAEMON & FRIENDS” tour exhibition.

This comes after Doraemon's parent company Fujiko Pro has partnered up with Hong Kong art studio AllRightsReserved (ARR) again to bring a large-scale exhibition to the city, including the world's tallest 12-meter Doraemon inflatable sculpture, available until 18 August at Avenue of Stars and Tsim Sha Tsui Harbourfront.

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In a conversation with MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, Ivan Choi, chief customer and marketing officer, Prudential Hong Kong, lead sponsor of the exhibition, said the exhibition theme "A true friend is always there when you need them" (好朋友，心中一想就即到) also mirrors Prudential’s commitment to understanding the needs of the public and providing timely health and wealth-related support and services for its customers.

As part of the partnership, Prudential has curated a range of activities alongside the exhibition, such as the creation of a Doraemon-branded Instagram filter and giveaways of Doraemon soft toys on its social media platforms.

In terms of ROI measurement, Prudential has brand health metrics to measure the success of the campaign across several scopes, according to Choi. These include increasing brand awareness, building positive brand perception, and portraying Prudential as an energetic brand, particularly among the family and young segments.

We also look at the engagement tracking on social media, such as the number of downloads of the Instagram filter, and an improvement in overall engagement in Prudential’s owned social platforms, including LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, WeChat, and Xiaohongshu.

On a similar note, MTR’s decision to partner with the Doraemon exhibition is driven by the widespread popularity of this beloved character. Furthermore, the message of “togetherness” conveyed by the cartoon aligns with MTR’s purpose of enabling connectivity and keeping cities moving, according to its spokesperson. 

Leveraging its extensive network, MTR has introduced a Doraemon-themed platform at Light Rail Siu Hong Station and launched three themed trains, travelling on the Light Rail, East Rail Line, and Airport Express.

“The series of first-ever events such as the Doraemon drone show, the Doraemon-themed trains, and sculptures in MTR stations not only attracted locals, but also tourists coming to Hong Kong. With the network reach of MTR, we democratise art appreciation to every corner of Hong Kong. [...] The partnership creates the best opportunity to engage the community that we always treasure,” said the spokesperson. 

To evaluate the effectiveness of the partnership, MTR has employed a comprehensive approach to measure various metrics that reflect both immediate and long-term benefits. The key considerations include enhancing corporate reputation, driving customer growth, and strengthening customer loyalty.

“We monitor people flow at event-related stations and evaluate passengers’ travel preferences to understand if the event drives more traffic. Additionally, we track visitor engagement through activities such as online and social media games and merchandise sales. We also track media coverage and publicity from the events to measure brand exposure and reach,” said the spokesperson.

However, the positive impact on staff and community engagement will be harder to measure which the brand will track through qualitative research over time, the spokesperson added.

Expanding the partnership to include CSR initiatives

On the other hand, Ngong Ping 360 has extended the partnership to include corporate social responsibility (CSR) and charitable initiatives by launching the “100% DORAEMON & FRIENDS@Ngong Ping 360” campaign. This partnership aligns with the exhibition's goal of spreading happiness and positivity throughout the city, according to a spokesperson from Ngong Ping 360. 

By introducing well-crafted installations and engaging activities at Ngong Ping 360, we aim to reinforce our brand image as a vibrant and ever-changing entity.

Apart from introducing Doraemon-themed cable cars and various installations, Ngong Ping 360 has collaborated with non-profit charity organisation the Neighbourhood Advice-Action Council (NAAC), to launch a charitable adventure package. Visitors can obtain it by donating HK$50 to NAAC.

Ngong Ping 360 has set key performance indicators (KPIs) across metrics such as cable car visitation, media coverage, and social media performance, to measure the effectiveness of the collaboration, the spokesperson said. 

“We are already seeing positive responses in these areas in the first month of the event. For example, our social media engagement and website traffic have increased by 200% and 43%, respectively, compared to the same period last year. Additionally, the number of quarterly passes sold has risen by 60% compared to last year.”

Meanwhile, the spokesperson said the benefits Ngong Ping 360 anticipates gaining from this collaboration extend beyond quantitative measurements. "Additionally, our participation in the mega Doraemon carnival is intended to attract both local and overseas visitors, thereby supporting the Hong Kong government's strategy to revive tourism through the concept of a 'mega event economy'."

In terms of social sentiments, media intelligence firm CARMA has observed over 1,500 mentions related to the exhibition over the past 30 days, with the majority generated in the past week. Of these, 51% were positive and 1% were negative. 

Many attributed the event's success to Doraemon's resonance with visitors, evoking collective childhood memories, said CARMA’s HK GM Charles Cheung. 

The exhibition, which is staged at the Avenue of Stars, has also attracted locals and tourists to visit the neighboring K11 MUSEA over the past week. According to K11 Group, it has driven a 30% surge in footfall, a 60% increase in tourist membership sales, and a 40% rise in tourist average spending at the shopping mall.

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