Gay Games Hong Kong taps on to DDB as advertising partner

Gay Games Hong Kong (GGHK) and DDB Group Hong Kong are partnering to promote the 11th Gay Games to be held in Hong Kong between 3 to 11 November 2023 and are offering a glimpse of things to come with the release of their campaign teaser video this week.

The teaser video, “Everyone get ready to come out for the games”, builds excitement for the event, offering a sense of what a celebration the Games will be for the city, and for thousands of people from a variety of ethnicities, sexual orientations, religions, gender identities, ages, abilities, and backgrounds from across the globe.

Reflecting the festive nature of the Games that celebrates “unity in diversity”, the teaser clip kicks off a two-year campaign that is aimed at raising awareness, deepening understanding, and building community support for the Games – both locally as well as internationally.

Rob Cheng, strategic marketing director for Gay Games Hong Kong, said, “We are thrilled to kick off this campaign together with DDB. We have received an overwhelming amount of support and encouragement from the community over the past few months, and we can’t wait to show the people of Hong Kong and the rest of the world what GGHK will look and feel like. It's going to be a joyous and inclusive celebration that is open to everyone with 12,000 participants and 75,000 spectators from more than 100 countries. It's definitely something to look forward to and we want people to start getting excited about it now.”

Andreas Krasser, CEO of DDB Group Hong Kong, further commented, “We’re extremely proud to partner with, and support Gay Games Hong Kong. The Games are so much more than a sports and culture event; they also carry an important message of hope and optimism while providing a rare opportunity to showcase Hong Kong in a more positive light on the international stage. We wanted to emphasise the inclusive nature of the Games to help the public understand that the GGHK are in fact open to all. The entire team has been excited and energised by our collaborative partnership with the Gay Games Hong Kong team, and look forward to developing the rest of materials over the coming months.”

Meanwhile, the organisers of the Gay Games are also reportedly looking at using private venues across Hong Kong for next year’s games. The games were initially slated to take place this year, but had to be postponed due to the pandemic and restrictions.

Gay Games Hong Kong has also unveiled a new logo and brand identity. It said the new logo with slight changes and branding for GGHK not only "reflects the new date of the Games, but also features a subtle but meaningful change in the colours of the word mark and distinctive Chinese junk ship." Previously displaying the six colours of the pride rainbow on the sail, the new GGHK icon showcases a more colourful and undulating rainbow pattern.

“With still two years to go until the Gay Games, we wanted to move forward with renewed energy and confidence. We wanted to take this opportunity to not just change the dates, but take definitive steps to make these the most inclusive and diverse Gay Games ever, and make the first Gay Games in Asia a true milestone for the entire region," said Dennis Philipse, founder and co-chair of Gay Games Hong Kong. 

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