HSBC transforms tax season into wealth opportunities with cinematic flair

HSBC is redefining how Hongkongers view tax season with its bold new campaign, “Money for every opportunity — The path to wealth and glory” (萬應天下・最紅富甲之道).

Done in collaboration with creative agency Hungry Digital and media agency Omnicom Media Group, the campaign aims to promote HSBC’s tax season personal installment loan (滙豐稅季分期「萬應錢」)—a tool that provides customers with immediate financial flexibility for meeting their tax obligations.

Inspired by the grandeur and drama of The Three Kingdoms (三國演義), the campaign has reframed tax season from a time of financial stress into a strategic moment for financial empowerment.

A cinematic narrative has brought the idea to life, featuring veteran actor Lam Suet (林雪), who has reprised the role of the legendary warlord Dong Zhuo (董卓), alongside Joey Thye (戴祖儀) as a modern-day HSBC relationship manager (RM). 

The creative fusion blends humour with historical drama while dramatising HSBC’s role as an indispensable financial advisor. Lam’s epic presence adds cinematic weight to the campaign, while Thye’s role resonates on two levels—both as an on-screen relationship manager and through a natural cross-platform tie to her special advertorial segment in the recent popular TVB drama, The Queen of News 2 (新聞女王2). 

This synergy seeks to open new opportunities for content partnerships and amplification across both broadcast and digital platforms, creating a seamless connection to premium HSBC services such as HSBC Premier and HSBC Life products.

The campaign’s central message is simple: “Opportunity belongs only to those who are prepared.” In the film, Dong has faced a treasury shortfall due to mounting expenses and taxes, while Thye has stepped in with a timely loan solution, transforming the crisis into a strategic advantage.

In the end, Dong declares that with HSBC’s tax season personal installment Loan, customers can seize every financial advantage. This line captures HSBC’s promise to empower customers to act decisively when opportunities appear.

The campaign is being delivered through a full-scale rollout across high-impact channels, including large-format out-of-home placements such as MTR sites and bus wraps, a dynamic digital and social programme, and TVC placements timed to coincide with the launch of The Queen of News 2. This integrated media strategy aims to drive awareness and create seamless customer journeys into HSBC’s digital ecosystem and contact center for instant applications.

Cheuk Shum, head of marketing, Hong Kong, HSBC, said: “Tax season often comes with financial stress, but we wanted to reframe it as a time of opportunity. Through a humorous and cinematic approach, we’re showing customers that with HSBC’s flexible tax loan solutions, managing your finances can be both empowering and rewarding. By pairing a legendary character with a modern-day banker, we made tax season not just relatable — but epic."

Rudi Leung, founder and director, Hungry Digital, said: “Most tax loan campaigns lean into urgency to borrow. We wanted something entertaining and rewarding to watch. Working with OMG, we integrated a content partnership with an advertorial element from an upcoming TV drama — a rare fusion of storytelling, entertainment and brand integration.”

Don’t miss: HSBC showcases iconic main building in hit drama The Queen of News 2

Recently, HSBC has extended its partnership with TVB for The Queen of News 2, with several scenes filmed at the HSBC Main Building in Central.

A spokesperson from HSBC told MARKETING-INTERACTIVE that this partnership with TVB, which began in early 2024, builds on the popularity of The Queen of News by engaging actress Charmaine Sheh, the lead character, and transforming her into HSBC’s “Queen of finance” (理財女王). Through a four-part video series on TVB’s Scoop (東張西望), Sheh simplified complex financial topics into relatable narratives. 

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