Report: Hong Kong ad market improved in September

Hong Kong's adspend slightly improved in September while a number of touchpoints recorded adspend increase as well, according to Admango.

In general, there was a 5% month-over-month growth in local advertising spending in September. Free newspaper marked the highest month-over-month increase in adspend (32%). Advertisers from several industries increased their adspend significantly such as retail and property (113%); real estate (92%); supermarket (115%); convenience store (229%); and overseas property (61%) when compared to August.

Adspend in magazines recorded a 15% month-over-month increase in September. Top categories included jewellery, watches and luxury products (63%) and fashion, accessories and eyewear (123%).

Mobile saw a 5% month-over-month growth in adspend. Though insurance recorded a 39% increase, critical illness insurance marked an impressive 362% increase in adspend in particular. Furthermore, the 16% month-over-month growth in social media adspend was mainly driven by restaurants (75%), while fast food along with food delivery and catering services also saw a 56% and 84% month-over-month growth in adspend, respectively.

Plenty of industries saw a remarkable month-over-month increase in adspend in September. For example, museum and theme parks marked a 260% month-over-month growth in adspend in which 39% of it was used in social media. Hotels and resorts saw a 20% month-over-month growth in which
mobile and social media accounted for 44% and 42% of the total adspend.

The relaxation of the social distancing measures for fitness centres, beauty parlours and cinemas in late August drove the growth in adspend in beauty,
slimming and fitness (99%) and entertainment (73%). The adspend in beauty and slimming salons increased by 106% when compared to August where mobile and social media accounted for 35% and 19% of the adspend, respectively. Movie and theatre saw a significant 275% month-over-month growth in
adspend and OOH ad was the key advertising platform with a 44% share of the spend.

As for the top 10 advertisers, Samsung topped the list, followed by McDonald's and Hang Seng Bank. Visa launched a campaign in September and boosted its adspend with a 216% month-over-month growth, where mobile was the main advertising channel accounting for 65% of its adspend. Foodpanda also saw a drastic jump in adspend with outdoor ads as the key advertising platforms.

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