Cheers Express: Strengthening Community Bonds through Food

1. Core submission document templateCampaign CategoriesPR Awards is organised by Marketing magazine, a division of Lighthouse Independent Media Ltd. 2/F Connaught Harbourfront House, 35-36 Connaught Road West, Sheung Wan, Hong KongTel: + 852-2861-1882 Fax: + 852-2861-1336 www.marketing-interactive.com

2. Entry Details Best Reputation / Brand Management Campaign Best Engagement – Mass Community Best PR Campaign – Public Awareness Cheers Express Link Asset Management Limited NOTE: Any specific information or content intended for judging purposes only must be clearly indicated in Red, or highlight it in red. Marks may be deducted if the strict slide number of entry submission is exceeded.

3. Entry Video https://youtu.be/558MrgBqS0c

4. (10%) Max. 1 slide • A clear description of the business/brand consumer challenge that public relations was being asked to address. • Any key statistics which help illustrate the scale of this challenge in more detail. Mandatory information to submit: Start date, end date, key objectives, target audience, budget and key competitors Challenge • Cheers Express - Hong Kong’s First-Ever Food Truck Party • Date: 3-20 September 2015 (Saturday, Sunday, and Public Holiday) • Target Audience:Mass public as Link’s shopping malls are located in the centre of each community in Hong Kong • Key Challenge: Studies have shown that people in Hong Kong are busier than ever, and are spending less and less time with family and friends. This not only translates into weaker interpersonal bonds, it also has a wider impact on the entire community • Key Objectives: • To connects all members of the community and to help everyone in the community, both young and old, to strengthen their bonding • To attract cross-district residents to the targeted shopping malls and engage shoppers with vibrant events • To drive footfall and spending for the five designated malls • Budget: Approximately HK$10 million (US$1.3 million)

5. (30%) Max. 2 slides – slide 1 A clear rationale of why you chose this PR approach. The core insight on which you focused your strategy. An outline of your message, along with creative and media thinking. How these were developed to be both distinctive and impactful. Mandatory information: Core strategy, campaign concept and creative rationale. Strategy • Overall Event Concept • - In order to strengthen the connection of people in the community, Link used a daily essential – “food” – to build stronger relationships and hence foster social connections that benefit the whole community in four key areas, namely neighbours, grandparents and grandchildren, friends, and couples. • Creative and Originality • - Food trucks have long been fashionable in North America and even other parts of Southeast Asia. In Hong Kong, “Cheers Express” was the first-ever food truck themed party. Link successfully transformed giant containers food kitchens featuring tailor-made food and art installations on the four themes of relationships, to strengthen bonding over food. Neighbours Community Friends Families

6. (30%) Max. 2 slides – slide 2 A clear rationale of why you chose this PR approach. The core insight on which you focused your strategy. An outline of your message, along with creative and media thinking. How these were developed to be both distinctive and impactful. Mandatory information: Core strategy, campaign concept and creative rationale. Strategy Strategic Development Positive energy - Uniting the community by delivering positive energy Container and food truck as the main theme -Being the first food truck /container party in Hong Kong, it could definitely drive footfall and attract more cross-district residents to the targeted shopping malls. Strengthen bonding over food - People love to chat at mealtime, and gathering for a meal is an essential element of any festive occasion. Happenings at various locations - The events were held at 5 shopping malls located in Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and New Territories so as to attract mass public of Hong Kong to join the events Elements of arts - Arts represent an outlet of expression, which is an effective medium to deliver the concept of the event to the members of the community. Contribution to the community - Connecting with NGO

7. (30%) Max. 2 slides – slide 1 - An overview of how your campaign/strategy was implemented - The different tactics/medium used within the programme - The roles of these different tactics/medium Execution Event Execution Food - In order to maximise the impact of the food truck party, a broad variety of celebrity chefs, representing the four relationships were invited to tailor-make dishes on the themes. Positive energy -Since clapping is an easy way to build bonds between people, Link invited Eli Bishop, the Guinness World Record holder of “Most Claps in a Minute (1,020 times)”, to spread joy in the community through clapping. Celebrities - Link invited renowned celebrity chefs including Maria Cordero to design scrumptious dishes. Famous actors also attended the opening ceremony, further ensuring that the event was the talk of the town. Arts - Local artists from different walks of life were invited to decorate the giant containers with art installations, based on their personal experience regarding the four themes of relationships. Charity - The event encouraged everyone in the community to join hands to donate to help people in need. Interactive games were designed for participants to foster their bonding.

8. (30%) Max. 2 slides – slide 2 - An overview of how your campaign/strategy was implemented - The different tactics/medium used within the programme - The roles of these different tactics/medium Execution Communications PR - A Media Preview, Opening Ceremony and in-depth interviews helped to blast the event’s messages through a broad variety of media channels. Advertisements - Newspapers, magazines, Out-Of-Home channels and social media were all used to advertise the campaign in order to maximise its exposure and effectiveness. Promotion - A van was decorated as “Cheers Express” to distribute candy and spread happiness in the community. It passed through 13 of the 18 districts in Hong Kong to encourage the public to vote for the relationships they most wanted to enhance. Sales Redemption - A “Tasty Relationship Chopstick Set” was produced on the theme of relationships, which not only engaged the public but also drove sales at 12 Link’s shopping malls.

9. (30%) Max . 2 slides – slide 1 - The campaign’s bottom-line impact. - Notable changes to the stakeholders’ behaviour. - Clear evidence/metrics demonstrating the campaign’s performance. - A clear rationale as to why you believe this qualifies for a PR award. Results Engaged shoppers with joyful experience • The huge success of “Cheers Express” engaged shoppers with a series of events. It successfully communicated Link’s brand promiseto the community and enhanced interpersonal bonds among families and friends. In just seven days, the event drove footfall of 1.9 million to the five designated shopping mallsacross Hong Kong, of which 49% were cross-district shoppers. One shopping mall even recorded an 80% increase in footfall compared to a festive event in 2014. - Crucially, participants also gave the overall event 4 out of 5 marks for its creativity, attractiveness, and fun activities. 83% of the participants said they will recommend their friends to join Link organises similar programme.

10. (30%) Max . 2 slides – slide 2 - The campaign’s bottom-line impact. - Notable changes to the stakeholders’ behaviour. - Clear evidence/metrics demonstrating the campaign’s performance. - A clear rationale as to why you believe this qualifies for a PR award. Results • In terms of public relations, the event successfully generated a print circulation of 14.7 million with a total media value of over HK$6.6 million (US$850,000), covered by 90% of all local newspapers and Hong Kong’s largest local broadcaster, TVB. • Over 10,000 “Tasty Relationship Chopstick Sets” wereredeemed, generating sales of more than HK$10 million (US$1.3 million) for tenants at Link’s malls. • Cheers Express won the award of “My Favourite Shopping Mall Events” in My Favourite Shopping Mall Awards 2015-16 organized by Hong Kong Economic Times Limited. • Following the huge success of Cheers Express with mobile food kitchens in giant containers, the Hong Kong Government has initiated a two-year pilot scheme for food trucks in prime locations. PR Buzz Driven Sales for our Tenants Public Recognition

11. Supporting Visuals Max. 2 slides – slide 1 (optional)