Insight
The landscape of shopping malls has undergone drastic changes with the arrival of many new vertical malls. To stay relevant, in particular with the young generation, Times Square needed to reaffirm its brand position – THIS IS YOUR TIME, and build emotional connection with the shoppers to gain momentum for the long run.
Young people in Hong Kong are very creative and expressive, yet they lack the opportunity to showcase their talent. A very good example is the large cluster of independent musicians in Hong Kong. There are a lot of young and aspiring buskers on the streets who have never been heard at scale. They upload their works with adept musicality and creativity onto YouTube and Facebook, hoping to get the word out. However, living in a highly commoditised and pragmatic society where arts and culture are not widely embraced, very few actually become famous. Worst still, against the backdrop of soaring prices and skyrocketing rents, young people simply dare not to venture beyond arts and culture as a leisure pursuit.
The lack of opportunities inspired OMD to leverage on its premium location to set a stage for the young indie artists, at the same time promote and rejuvenate local arts and culture. Using independent music, a unique icon of modern local culture, it gave young Hong Kongers a chance to express themselves and shine.
Strategy
Introducing “Times Square MUSIC ROOM”, the place for indie artists to showcase their talent at no cost.
Times Square MUSIC ROOM was a year-long initiative to let indie artists inspire people through sharing the music of their era. THIS IS YOUR TIME, THIS IS HONG KONG MUSIC. There is no better way to connect with shoppers than celebrating MUSIC OF THEIR TIME with an authentic musical feast.
The agency talked to aspiring buskers who often played casually on the streets, and at the same time looked out for a huge variety of quality indie artists who had not performed extensively. It wanted to do more than simply staging a series of music performances, because what mattered was a long-term support to these young and passionate talents that the city is currently missing.
From conception of the idea to final production, it took a year to make sure every element of MUSIC ROOM appealed to young indie artists, celebrating a local culture unique to Hong Kong.
Execution
Times Square MUSIC ROOM was not just another live music venue. OMD asked indie artists how their ideal stage is like, and remodeled the Open Piazza based on over a hundred feedbacks. And since it wanted to inspire young Hong Kongers with the works by indie artists, it curated a wide repertoire that would resonate with the audience. Every song had a story to tell; every song brought arts to life.
Starting from Sep 2014 to Aug 2015, on the last Friday every month, Times Square invited a total of 43 indie artists and bands to perform on the stage; from pop to rock, and from folk to jazz. To build excitement and anticipation, it published artist interviews on social media channels prior to every show.
After 12 monthly performances, it staged MUSIC ROOM FINALE as a roundup of the fruitful year of hard work, a tribute to the passion of our local indie artists. Audience was immersed at the FINALE for five hours, cheering for their favourite indie artists they got to know through MUSIC ROOM.
Not only did the campaign promote arts development by exposing the audience to a diverse spectrum of genres, it also inspired young Hong Kongers to chase their own dreams. Just as how the indie artists stepped forward despite living in a highly pragmatic and cash-driven society, young Hong Kongers all deserve a chance to shine too.
Results
Throughout the year, Times Square has become the hotbed of indie music in the city. Totally organic, it generated 15,865 likes, 213 shares, and 217 comments on social media.
More than entertainment, it engaged shoppers and gave local culture a chance to flourish. Based on the post-campaign study:
• 92% liked MUSIC ROOM;
• 88% stated that they were likely to revisit MUSIC ROOM, and 79% would recommend MUSIC ROOM to others;
• 90%+ thought that the event should be held continuously in a larger scale;
• 95% agreed that MUSIC ROOM has helped them learn more about independent music in Hong Kong, and aided the development of independent music in Hong Kong
• 89% thought that MUSIC ROOM has brought a positive image to Times Square;
• 65% declared that they were likely to visit Times Square more often because of MUSIC ROOM.
The campaign has enhanced Times Square’s brand image and successfully connected with the audience. It ignited hope in young dream chasers' heart.
“Two years ago we were just busking cover songs under the gigantic TV screen, yet today we’re standing on this stage performing our own music! We are touched. Thank you Times Square!” - ZOOOOOM, Performer at Times Square MUSIC ROOM.