Can culture sell? HK opens public spaces for commercial advertising

Hong Kong's Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) will make 16 of its public venues available for commercial advertising, offering brands a new channel to reach diverse audiences and strengthen brand visibility.

The venues include the external wall of Hong Kong City Hall, slanted walls of Hong Kong Cultural Centre, Hong Kong Space Museum's façade of dome, Hong Kong Central Library, Kowloon Park, Connaught Garden, Fleming Road Garden, Victoria Park Swimming Pool, Kai Tak Station Square, amongst others, according to the official document. 

Currently, 13 of the 16 advertising spaces are available for year-round rental. Limited availability applies at the Hong Kong Heritage Museum and Victoria Park Swimming Pool on specific days, while the status of the Wing Tai Road Garden space is still to be determined.

All advertising is subject to content guidelines that prohibit any material deemed damaging to the government's image, with the LCSD reserving the right to require non-compliant ads to be removed at the operator's expense.

The LCSD is now inviting expressions of interest (EOI) for commercial advertising at 16 public venues. Available advertising inventory includes high-traffic areas such as exterior walls, lampposts, interior walls of performance halls, audience staircases, seat backs, pillars, and event brochures.

The EOI process will inform the department's final strategy and service details. Submission documents are available on the LCSD website, with a deadline of 16 December.

The LCSD will appoint one or more operators under a two- or three-year license, with the possibility of a two-year extension based on performance. The selected operator(s) will be responsible for marketing the venues and managing client relationships, bearing all associated costs—including utilities, equipment installation, maintenance, insurance, and site restoration.

Industry reactions

According to Hilda Cheung, marketing director, CODY Out Of Home, these venues offer fresh experiential engagement opportunities for brands to integrate OOH advertising with live events and community participation that effectively  broadens the OOH landscape. "This is a complementary extension of traditional OOH formats, potentially shifting how audiences interact with public media."

Building on this announcement, the approach reimagines city landmarks as vibrant canvases—utilising exterior walls, outdoor lampposts, and staircases in audience areas for creative ad placements, she said. "Such diverse formats push the boundaries of experiential advertising, boosting audience resonance and deepening brand impact through unique, immersive interactions."

Meanwhile, Kenny Ip, vice president, media and partnership management, WPP Media Hong Kong, said the LCSD’s decision to open up 16 public venues for commercial advertising isn't just a niche addition, but rather a strategic move that aligns with the city’s ambitions to be a cultural destination. 

While traditional OOH platforms such as JCDecaux and MTR remain the backbone of Hong Kong’s OOH ecosystem, what LCSD venues bring is a unique layer of cultural association and hyper-local engagement, said Ip.

“These are spaces that host concerts, exhibitions, and community gatherings — places where brands can authentically participate in the city’s cultural life.”

"For many of our advertisers, these sites offer a rare chance to embed brands within the cultural fabric of Hong Kong, reaching audiences in spaces where art, heritage, and community intersect. While more creative ad inventory is always welcome in our city, these sites offer opportunities to elevate brand storytelling in environments where culture drives brand. If managed thoughtfully, this could redefine how brands engage with the city and its people," he added.

Opportunities for brands

While the jury is out on whether the move is going to be a game-changer, Natalie Yu, content and communication director at OMG said the venues, steeped in culture and community significance, present a strategic opportunity for brands to align themselves with culturally relevant events, distinctly setting them apart from traditional OOH giants, added Yu.

"In an era where audiences increasingly value art and cultural context, this initiative empowers brands to create dynamic and compelling campaigns that truly resonate. By seamlessly integrating their messaging within these culturally relevant spaces, brands can enhance their visibility and forge deeper connections with the community," she added.

Also known as iconic landmarks, CODY Out Of Home's Cheung said they already possess rich cultural context and historical significance, further enhanced by diverse cultural layers.

"This creates a more vibrant and engaging cultural mix, amplifying synergy with the landmark’s heritage. As a result, activating an OOH campaign at such locations generates a stronger emotional impact, producing an effect where the combined elements deliver value greater than the sum of their parts—truly achieving1+1>3."

These spaces offer exceptional versatility, making them most compelling for clients in lifestyle, arts and culture, entertainment, hospitality, and community-driven sectors, as well as for fan-led campaigns, she added. "The key selling proposition lies in large-scale, event-driven activations that merge digital and traditional OOH solutions with imaginative approaches in open-air environments—enabling brands to achieve greater visibility, audience engagement, and campaign impact through innovative domination opportunities."

WPP Media's Ip said luxury brand clients, those in high-end fashion, jewelry, and premium spirits, see tremendous value in associating their brands with Hong Kong’s cultural landmarks and events, where the audience is primed for discovery and engagement.

"The core selling point is clear: culture is the new brand currency. By activating campaigns in these venues, brands can create experience-led moments that build emotional connections and drive real-world impact," he added.

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