Alex Honnold scaled Taipei 101: How can HK create its own viral moment?

Over the past week, US rock climber Alex Honnold's free solo ascent of the Taipei 101 skyscraper in Taiwan captured global attention, completed without a rope, harness, or safety equipment. This feat not only demonstrated his extraordinary skill but also propelled the skyscraper into the international spotlight.

The iconic 508-metre structure, a major tourist attraction, drew significant attention as Honnold completed the ascent in just one hour and 31 minutes, broadcast live on Netflix as “Skyscraper Live”. It accumulated over 6.2 million views globally, totalling 12 million viewing hours, according to Netflix.

In fact, the global discussion of Taipei 101 surged in late January, driven largely by Honnold’s free solo-style climb, which generated 125,800 mentions and over 15 million engagements in a week, according to media intelligence firm CARMA. In the weeks prior, conversations linking Taipei 101 with Taiwan were relatively low and focused on general themes related to landmarks and places, such as "skyscraper" and "tallest building."

After 23 January, mentions rose more than eightfold, with keywords shifting sharply toward Honnold and climbing-related terms such as "free", "climb", and "ropeless". The increase in engagement during this period indicates that the viral moment also raised attention for Taipei 101 and, by association, Taiwan as a destination, according to CARMA.

The event also attracted tens of thousands of onlookers, with Taipei 101’s chairwoman Janet Chia stating on her Threads that many of Honnold’s fans came specifically from places such as Singapore, Hong Kong, and Kaohsiung. This event transformed the building into a symbol of ambition and adventure, drawing numerous visitors to Taipei and enhancing the city’s global reputation.

With the climb elevating the profile of Taipei 101 and the city itself, it raises a question: Would similar cultural moments happen in Hong Kong today?

Revitalising HK by creating unforgettable moments

Realistically, a feat such as Honnold's probably won't happen in Hong Kong today, as the city that once naturally produced unexpected events now lacks the openness and confidence to do so, according to Eddie Foster, managing director, Handl Media.

Hong Kong was once a city where unexpected, culture-shaping moments happened naturally, driven by a sense of openness and confidence that allowed global stories to blend seamlessly with the city, he said. “A lot of time has passed since moments such as UK actor Christian Bale leaping from IFC for The Dark Knight in 2008 captured the world’s attention.” 

Instead of pursuing superficial spectacle, Hong Kong should leverage its ability to host meaningful, globally relevant stories rooted in its unique context. “The focus should be on rebuilding global curiosity through creativity and long-term storytelling,” Foster said. He added:

The city’s density, pace, ambition, and mix of cultures create an intensity that is rare and compelling.

Hong Kong's superpower isn't what it shows; it's what it collides with, according to Jacopo Pesavento, CEO, Branding Records. “You've got dystopian density meeting colonial elegance, street food temples next to luxury flagships, and a skyline that looks like it was designed by a committee of sci-fi authors on deadline.”

However, what many tourism boards overlook is that global attention is not gained by presenting what people expect; it's earned by creating moments that go viral because they feel extraordinary, Pesavento said. He added:

Honnold climbing Taipei 101 worked because it weaponised architecture as theater.

Hong Kong could effortlessly create these moments, transforming the city into a natural film set where human ambition meets urban chaos, with scenarios such as extreme athletes navigating the bamboo scaffolding jungle, underground raves in the MTR after hours, or Michelin chefs competing in Mong Kok street stalls, said Pesavento. 

Stop marketing the view. Start engineering the moments that make the view unforgettable.

Using local culture to boost global visibility

As a city famously branded as "Asia’s world city", Hong Kong should spotlight the rich discoveries it offers, where urban adventures and frontier thinking meet distinctive cultures, as a successful destination must attract not just tourists but also talent and investment, according to Virginia Ngai, associate partner at Prophet. She added: 

While the Taipei 101 climb was a singular feat, Hong Kong must move beyond ‘tourism branding’ and adopt destination branding as a strategic growth accelerator.

While Hong Kong's initiatives through Brand Hong Kong and Hong Kong Tourism Board aim to attract business and tourism, these efforts lack effective integration, and the "Asia's world city" ambition has mostly focused on the former, Ngai said. “It is imperative to align these strategic goals to create a coherent story. This shifts the narrative from a static city of commerce to one that resonates with global stakeholders who value both business excellence and vibrant lifestyles.”

Furthermore, Ngai suggested that Hong Kong should transform its cultural events into a multi-dimensional brand platform. This could involve amplifying its unique identity by enhancing local traditions and iconic events, such as the Cheung Chau Bun Festival, Hong Kong Marathon, and Rugby Sevens, into global celebrations by inviting international celebrities, such as "King of Mandopop" Jay Chou at the Australian Open, and media partners, such as Netflix, to actively participate, said Ngai.

Handl Media's Foster echoed her views, noting that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the Hong Kong Sevens, an event that delivers something tangible and meaningful, regardless of one’s interest in rugby. It symbolises continuity, shared experiences, and a sense of heritage that has been passed down through generations. He added: 

Sport is a universal conduit, but it’s not the only one. Music, food, art, and creative subcultures all operate in the same way. They create entry points for global audiences to connect with Hong Kong through feeling rather than explanation.

To scale local culture globally, it needs to be specific enough to be exotic but accessible enough to be shareable, according to Branding Records’ Pesavento, adding that Hong Kong tends to play it safe with traditional festivals that tourists simply photograph and then forget. 

The city should amplify the weird, the underground, and the authentic, he said. For example, it can transform the Star Ferry into a floating concert venue featuring local bands, create a night market curated by top chefs instead of tourist trap vendors, commission street artists to revamp entire districts overnight, or even host rooftop cinema screenings of Hong Kong classics at their original filming locations.

Culture becomes internationally visible when authentically documented by those experiencing unique moments, providing stories that are worth sharing on social media, said Pesavento. 

The content writes itself if you're brave enough to let the city be itself rather than a sanitised postcard version.

Harnessing the power of social media

With Honnold’s climb of Taipei 101 dominating global social media discussions, industry experts MARKETING-INTERACTIVE spoke to agreed that social media acts as the engine powering experience-driven advocacy.

The Honnold climb worked because it created a new angle on familiar architecture, capturing what people know while presenting an impossible perspective, said Branding Records' Pesavento. Meanwhile, Hong Kong's challenge lies in being incredibly photogenic yet predictably so, with everyone capturing the same skyline shot from Victoria Peak, the same neon street in Mong Kok, and the same dim sum display, he added. 

"That's the formula: take what people know and show them the impossible perspective. But here's the deeper game: you can't buy this kind of virality through ads. You engineer it through access. Give photographers and creators permissions nobody else gets. Invite them into closed spaces, after dark, above the city, below the streets. Make Hong Kong the place where content creators can capture what's forbidden everywhere else," said Pesavento.

As a destination brand evolves from mere claims to what people genuinely experience and share, high-visibility events create the "peak moments" that dominate algorithms, but sustained growth relies on authentic community storytelling; thus, cultivating a multi-dimensional platform and a clearly defined identity becomes crucial, according Prophet's Ngai.

In branding, Handl Media's Foster said that while localising content is crucial for reaching a Hong Kong audience—considering tone, language, and cultural nuances—promoting HK as a destination often relies more on brands than institutions, as how global brands present themselves shapes the city's international perception.

He added: 

When brands learn to place global stories within a Hong Kong context, using the city as a character rather than a backdrop, social media becomes a powerful tool for projecting Hong Kong outward to a global audience.

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