Why customer experience is critical to marketing success in 2024

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Mr. Kevin Huang, Chief Operating Officer of SCMP and Ms. Jacqueline Choi, Marketing Director of Prudential Hong Kong Limited.

Mr. Kevin Huang, Chief Operating Officer of SCMP and Ms. Jacqueline Choi, Marketing Director of Prudential Hong Kong Limited.

[Morning Studio Feature]

In today’s rapidly changing media environment, companies are challenged to continually innovate and find new ways to engage target audiences and create lasting brand memories.

For brands to be successful in this endeavor, marketing teams must work closely together to create great human experiences that emotionally connect with customers. This is one of his key messages that emerged in his recent 2024 CMO prediction series produced by the South China Morning Post.

connection with people

“In 2023, we focused on sharing authentic, true stories about owners, horses, trainers, and jockeys to build an emotional connection with our viewers. “Can you imagine the amount of courage it takes to ride a horse, which is an animal at 77 kilometers per hour,” said Hanane Sabri, head of horse racing marketing at the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC).

Sabri uses his experience to lead HKJC’s marketing efforts and brand horse racing as a lifestyle and professional sport.

She believes that authentic and authentic storytelling, complemented by engaging experiences such as musical events, culinary experiences, and educational initiatives, all help bring customers and brands closer together.

Experiential marketing is becoming increasingly important. Cheuk Shum, head of marketing for HSBC Hong Kong’s Wealth & Personal banking division, said traditional advertising streams such as out-of-home displays and prime-time TV are taking a backseat as the media landscape becomes more fragmented. said.

“Before, when you launched a campaign, it was a prime-time TV spot…and almost half of Hong Kong knows you launched something. We’re doing the same thing today, but “Hardly anyone notices,” he claims.

Lasting brand memories

With advertising engagement levels low, marketers should instead focus on creating unforgettable experiences. Shum cited a recent exhibition on fraud by HSBC as an example, where in the first week he had 10,000 visitors and each person spent an average of 23 minutes at the exhibition. He said this is better than ads that only capture the viewer’s attention for a moment.

“We need to find things that have a stronger impact, and that’s something we’ll continue to work on next year. Create positive brand associations, build brand memory, and message in a more impactful way. “It’s about carving,” Shum said. He said.

Jacqueline Choi, head of marketing at Prudential Hong Kong Limited, couldn’t help but agree. She shared Prudential’s role in bringing Dutch artist Florentijn Hofmann’s Double Ducks to Hong Kong as a great example of how brands prioritize experience to build bonds with customers. .

Prudential pursued the opportunity to sponsor the Ducks’ trip to Hong Kong based on the guiding principle of creating an impactful event that attracts people. Experiential activities like these create an emotional affinity with the brand that people remember.

“The biggest challenge for marketers is always how do we make people remember who we are as a sponsor?” That’s why Choi believes 2024 will be a compelling year for branded events. .