MemeStrategy sponsors HK Film Awards with humourous activations

MemeStrategy, a virtual asset ecosystem venture managed by the meme platform 9GAG, has sponsored the 43rd Hong Kong Film Awards (HKFA) as the LOL Sponsor (迷之贊助) along with humourous marketing activations, including capturing celebrities in cinematic slow-motion movements.

A spokesperson from MemeStrategy told MARKETING-INTERACTIVE that while the venture strategically invests in AI, blockchain, and culture to bridge the new economy with traditional finance, its sponsorship of the HKFA aligns with its exploration of cultural and entertainment, celebrating Hong Kong’s film industry.

To redefine brand sponsorship with innovation and humour, MemeStrategy launched several initiatives before the HKFA as a preheat. For example, it collaborated with 9GAG and 9GAG’s Web3-focused venture studio, Memeland, across Instagram, Threads, and X, creating fun Hong Kong movie-themed content, ranging from trivia to historical highlights.

MemeStrategy also partnered with the Hong Kong YouTube channel Utopia Pictures HK (香城映画) to produce a video titled “Golden Awards & Golden Rice” (金像獎與金象米), which celebrated local creators and resonated with audiences who appreciate cinematic storytelling.

In terms of community activation, MemeStrategy hosted a screening of the local film Shaolin Soccer (少林足球) with filmmaker Tenky Tin (田啟文) at Golden Scene Cinema. The event aimed to engage Memeland’s community and generate local media coverage.

On the event day last Sunday (27 April), MemeStrategy leveraged star power by debuting the first GlamBOT, a high-speed camera system used for capturing slow-motion videos of celebrities, on the HKFA red carpet, directed by Ronnie Chiu from Utopia Pictures HK. It featured stars such as Tony Leung (梁朝偉), Carina Lau (劉嘉玲), Aaron Kwok (郭富城) and Daniel Wu (吳彥祖) in cinematic slow-motion moments. 

To engage the audience in real-time, MemeStrategy introduced live reporting on Threads, featuring actor Ng Siu Hin (吳肇軒) as the live reporter. He shared playful moments via 9GAG's Threads to bring fans closer to the action. Additionally, MemeStrategy captured and shared behind-the-scenes GlamBOT footage for social content, aiming to fuel excitement and support for Hong Kong cinema.

MemeStrategy measures return on investment (ROI) qualitatively and quantitatively, according to the spokesperson. Qualitatively, it elevated HKFA’s promotion with the first-ever GlamBOT at HKFA, directed by Utopia Pictures HK’s Ronnie Chiu, featuring stars such as Leung and Lau, and a debut Threads livestream by actor Ng Siu Hin, engaging fans with stars’ humour. 

"Quantitatively, our campaign with 9GAG achieved over 31 million impressions, over 6.2 million video views and approximately 485,000 engagements on social media, a record-breaking milestone," the spokesperson added. 

Ray Chan, chairman and CEO of MemeStrategy, said: “MemeStrategy is dedicated to advancing AI, blockchain, and culture, with the Hong Kong Film Awards as a cornerstone of our cultural exploration. We’re thrilled to support local creators and collaborate with red-carpet stars to create engaging content, promoting Hong Kong films globally. Moving forward, MemeStrategy will leverage 9GAG’s creative DNA and the team’s expertise to identify promising cultural projects, supporting their growth with Web3 and emerging technology."

Don’t miss: Howking Tech to rebrand as MemeStrategy following 9GAG founder's buyout

In early April, Chan, who is also 9GAG's co-founder Ray Chan officially completed the acquisition of a controlling stake in Howking Technology and renamed the company as MemeStrategy, which captures the company's latest business outlook and strategic ambitions.

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