Call for the Most Popular Marketing Smartphone Apps in Hong Kong

The use of smartphone apps in marketing and advertising is fast becoming a prevailing global trend. To recognize the outstanding creativity of local marketers and advertisers in this emerging marketing platform, the Hong Kong Wireless Technology Industry Association (WTIA), Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC), Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Ltd. (Cyberport) and Hong Kong Wireless Development Centre (HKWDC) co-organize the “2011 Hong Kong Marketing Smartphone Apps Popularity Contest”.

Mr Ken Fong, Chairman of WTIA, said, “With over 13.4 million mobile subscribers and a penetration rate of 189% in December 2010, Hong Kong offers a highly sophisticated mobile user population for mobile marketing campaigns. According to a recent WTIA study, 73% of the respondents are using smartphones at present and 71% will buy a new phone in the next 12 months. Of the latter group, 70% said they will buy smartphones and 59% will accept advertising for a lower service fee or free data plan. It reflects that smartphone apps will flourish as a major marketing channel in Hong Kong.”

Introducing details of the Contest, Mr Fritz Chiu, Principal Consultant (IT Industry Development) of HKPC, said, “Through this competition, we hope to salute the excellence of local marketers and advertisers in using smartphone apps for marketing, and to enhance public awareness and involvement in this emerging marketing platform. In addition to open application, we also encourage public nomination and voting for their favourite entries.”

Mr Herman Lam, CEO of Cyberport, said, “Cyberport is fully committed to nurturing ICT talent and promoting creativity. We are honoured to co-organize this contest to encourage the development of more outstanding smartphone apps to be used in advertising and marketing, and further promote the industry development.”

The contest is part of a larger project sponsored by Create Hong Kong (CreateHK) of the HKSAR Government with a view to promoting advertising and marketing on mobile media. Mr Jerry Liu, Head of CreateHK, said: “The project will highlight our competitive edges in mobile advertising and marketing, and reinforce Hong Kong’s position as Asia’s creative capital.”

The Contest consists of six categories. Apart from the Most Popular Marketing Smartphone Apps Awards, there are Awards for Best Marketing Smartphone Apps under ‘Technology’, ‘Creativity’, ‘Advertisement’, ‘Social Wellness’ and ‘Game’ categories. Closing date for entries by public nomination will be 30 April 2011.

At the launch of the Contest today (24 March 2011), Ms Lana Yip, Head of eBusiness & Remote Channel, Citibank Global Consumer Group; and Ms Annie Leung, Senior Manager - Sales and Marketing of MTR Corporation, also shared their companies’ experience on smartphone apps marketing.

Details of the Contest will be available at the website http://csm.hkwtia.org from 1 April 2011. For more information about the Contest, please contact HKPC’s Winky Wong at tel. (852) 2788 6085 or email: winkyw@hkpc.org. For other media enquiries, please contact Felix Chan at tel. (852) 2788 5036 or email: felixchan@hkpc.org.

*  *  *

Mr Jonathan Ho
General Manager
Corporate Communications
Hong Kong Productivity Council
Tel: (852) 2788 6390
Fax: (852) 2788 5056
Email: jonathanho@hkpc.org
Website: www.hkpc.org

24 March 2011

Mr Ken Fong, Chairman of WTIA (left), and Mr Fritz Chiu, Principal Consultant (IT Industry Development) of HKPC, answered questions from the media

(left to right) Mr Ken Fong, Chairman of WTIA; Mr Fritz Chiu, Principal Consultant (IT Industry Development) of HKPC; Ms Lana Yip, Head of eBusiness & Remote Channel, Citibank Global Consumer Group; and Ms Annie Leung, Senior Manager - Sales and Marketing of MTR Corporation