HK consumers hooked on celebrity, but blind to brand sponsors

The dynamics of celebrity endorsements, brand partnerships, and event sponsorships are shifting across Hong Kong, driven heavily by distinct generational behaviors and a changing roster of local icons.

According to a comprehensive YouGov survey titled "Influence in Hong Kong: Celebrities, brand collaborations and sponsorship impact"—which surveyed 1,024 adult respondents in Hong Kong—male figures continue to heavily dominate consumer influence across multiple generations. However, the nature of that influence reveals a stark division between established legacy stars and a new wave of cultural icons.

For local celebrities over the age of 40, seasoned cinema legends command the greatest public favour. Louis Koo leads the demographic with a powerful 54.6% favourability rating, followed by Dayo Wong at 36.1% and Tony Leung at 33.3%. Television star Charmaine Sheh at 23.6% and pop artist Hins Cheung at 15.9% round out the top five.

In stark contrast, the under-40 leaderboard trades legacy cinema for a mix of modern pop culture and athletic excellence. Music sensation Keung To matches Koo’s top-tier dominance, leading the younger bracket at 44.6%. He is followed closely by Olympic champions Cheung Ka Long at 27.4% and Siobhan Haughey at 27.1%, signaling that sports personalities now hold immense commercial prominence among younger demographics.

Recording artists MC Cheung at 24.5% and Terence Lam at 23.7% complete the list. Interestingly, the data suggests that superficial features providing immediate entertainment value are far more influential in driving local consumer engagement than internal characteristics, such as a celebrity’s personal values or deeper emotional connections.

Advertising campaigns encounter vastly different reception styles depending entirely on the age of the target viewer. Millennials demonstrate highly active engagement habits, with 20% likely to actively search for additional information online after spotting an advertisement. Conversely, 33% of baby boomers admit they simply ignore or do not pay attention to advertising campaigns at all.

When brands look to overcome this friction through cross-brand collaborations, the integration of intellectual property yields substantial returns, particularly when featuring beloved anime or cartoon characters. In tracking recent local campaign awareness, the partnership between Tempo and McDull achieved the highest public awareness at 47%, followed by MTR and Chiikawa at 35%, FWD and Super Mario at 34%, Wellcome and G.O.D. at 32%, and Uniqlo and Garden at 24%.

Overall, 26% of consumers agree that these cross-collaborations successfully elevate market awareness for both participating brands, and an identical 26% state that such partnerships would make them consider purchasing the associated products or services.

Live experiences remain a primary driver of consumer engagement, with entertainment and cultural events leading paid event attendance across the city. 26% of Hong Kong residents attended a paid entertainment event over the past twelve months. Securing entry to these events remains highly structured, as 46% of attendees purchased their tickets through official box office channels, while 18% utilised credit card promotions or priority booking systems.

However, this high engagement exposes a massive blindspot for corporate marketers, as more than eight in ten participants who attended a paid event could not recall who the title sponsor was.

Despite this widespread recall deficit, bridging the gap yields undeniable rewards for brands that successfully break through the noise. Among the select 18% of attendees who were aware of the event's title sponsor, over 80% stated they would actively engage with or pay closer attention to the brand moving forward. This strong brand loyalty underscores a vital lesson for modern marketers: while music and cultural events are consistently well-attended, the ultimate return on investment depends entirely on a brand’s ability to move past passive visibility and make its title sponsorship truly unforgettable.

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