Top 5 HK influencers with the highest Instagram branded content ad spend

Influencer marketing has been a common trend within the Hong Kong adland and marketing industry, with many brands investing in celebrity or influencer partnerships to promote their products. According to an article by VS Media, Hongkongers are open to consuming content produced by influencers as long as it is entertaining. 

VS Media conducted the survey in June 2021, interviewing 309 Hong Kong residents aged between 18 and 45 via online questionnaires. The survey unveiled that 78% did not mind content produced by influencers as long as it was entertaining. Also, 73% trusted influencers' recommendations or reviews. When it came to the credibility of influencers, the survey also unveiled that 77% of respondents trusted influencers' product and service recommendations than those from celebrities.

Another report by AnyMind group highlighted that Instagram was the most-used social media platform by influencers in Hong Kong with a share of 53.77%, followed by Facebook (24.58%) and YouTube (20.72%). Only less than 1% of influencers leverage Twitter to engage the audience. Instagram is mainly used by nano-influencers (1,000 to 10,000 followers) and micro-influencers (10,000 to 50,000 followers) due to its ability to cater to those starting out and aiding them in growing their influence. Moreover, plenty of nano-influencers also leverage Facebook to curate content, but only a handful of micro-influencers use it.

But with so many influencers and KOLs out there, one may wonder which one of them costs the most for brands to advertise their products on influencers' social media. In this case, admanGo's latest survey has laid out the top five KOLs with the highest Instagram branded content ad spend. 

1. Sammi Cheng

Hong Kong artist Sammi Cheng is the top Instagram KOL with the highest branded content ad spend, according to the report. With over 864K followers on Instagram, Cheng's branded content posts have garnered thousands of likes and comments, such as her previous collaboration with Valentino on last year's Winter collection. 

Furthermore, the artist was featured in PARKnSHOP's campaign video last November, highlighting the brand's ready-to-eat meals to offer convenience to consumers. The video teaser on her Instagram has gathered nearly 2,000 likes. 

Previously in June last year, Cheng also partnered with AXA Hong Kong to launch the brand's fully-fledged integrated campaign that uses data to target relevant audiences and their excuses, aiming to encourage consumers to rethink their health plans and promote its new medical product, AXA WiseGuard Pro Medical Insurance Plan. The campaign leveraged over a hundred real-life excuses from extensive social listening. Following that, these excuses were used to create hundreds of reminders, in the form of pre-roll YouTube ads and programmatic digital ads, that offered contextual messages about the excuses, and how to address those excuses with AXA. 

2. Hins Cheung

Local singer Hins Cheung is always known for surprising fans with his sense of humour and unique collaboration with brands. With over 1m followers on Instagram, the singer has garnered over 25,000 likes on his post regarding his previous collaboration with Samsung Hong Kong. 

Cheung and celebrity fashion designer Kit Wan joined forces back in September last year, taking the Galaxy Z Flip4 as a muse to create three distinct yet equally photo-ready fashion ensembles. The Bora purple edition acts as the inspiration for and the perfect companion to a criss-crossed textured blazer, a softly draped evening jumpsuit and a tough yet feminine woven leather cage dress, with Cheung, singers Joyce Cheung and Panther Chan each modeling one of the looks. The selfie lens becomes their ultimate audience, with each artist performing before the camera in order to embody the spirit of each outfit, finding thrilling new and dynamic angles.

Cheung then shared a post on Instagram inviting fans and consumers to visit a Samsung's Holiday with Galaxy pop-up store at Harbour City last December, which is known as the campaign's marketing strategy to engage consumers. 

3. Anson Lo

As one of the members of Hong Kong's famous boy band MIRROR, it is no surprise that brands love getting endorsement from Anson Lo to promote their products. Hence, this results in Lo being the KOL with the third highest branded content ad spend on Instagram. Lo's latest post on his collaboration with beauty brand SHISEIDO has garnered over 63k likes. 

This comes after SHISEIDO's launch of a mega integrated marketing campaign in Hong Kong under the overarching theme of “From life comes beauty(讓生命 資生美)”. The extravaganza campaign encompasses thematic advertising, a metaverse-inspired virtual event and omni-channel experiences to celebrate the timeless pursuit of beauty that connects the brand’s past, present and future.

Launched in July last year, the campaign aims to bring the brand story to life through omni-channel communications and personalised experience, along with a locally produced thematic video featuring four members of the Hong Kong boy band MIRROR  to bring the audience on a journey through time – from the past to the present and to the future.

4. Elva Ni

The Instagram KOL that ranked the fourth on the list is local actress Elva Ni, who has over 823k followers on her Instagram. As a yoga instructor, beauty lover and a mother of two, Ni is always seen sharing her collaboration with beauty brands and reviews on certain beauty products.  

Last December, local actress Elva Ni collaborated with Dior Beauty on a Winter collection. Her branded content post on Instagram has gathered over 11k likes. Ni has also promoted natural-first beauty philosophies in her partnerships with brands such as Schwarzkopf, Louis Vuitton, and Shiseido. 

5. Grace Chan

Mother of three, Hong Kong-born Canadian actress Grace Chan ranked the fifth when it comes to the Instagram KOL with the highest branded content ad spend. Her latest promotion post regarding her partnership with LG on the launch of LG PuriCare AeroTower 3-in-1 air purification fan has garnered close to 4k likes. 

Chan has been actively involved in brand partnerships. For example, Chan has partnered with Love, Bonito to launch a capsule collection last April. Chan agrees with Love, Bonito’s mission of empowering the everyday Asian women resonated with her. "I have seen firsthand how clothes that are not only stylish but versatile can really boost my confidence as I venture through different seasons of my life, and I wanted to be able to enable other women to feel the same way through my collection as well," she said. 

The capsule collection was dedicated to modern woman of many hats by curating round-the-clock pieces for both work and play – a bodysuit and blazer for the professional career woman, casual tops and rompers for casual weekends with the family, and dressier one-pieces for the night outs.

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