Reimagining brand and influencer partnerships in the culture-first era

More than one-third of Hong Kong advertisers admit influencer quality is a major challenge, and it’s easy to see why. For years, marketers relied on popular influencers posing with products and flooding social feeds, but this conventional approach has grown stale. Brands repeatedly tap the same celebrities and KOLs, resulting in promotional fatigue where the influencer overshadows the product, blurring brand differentiation. 

This traditional model is further strained by Hong Kong’s unique market challenges. After years of distress, it’s difficult to spark enthusiasm when local sentiment remains weak. Many brands respond by doubling down on aggressive tactics. They often approach creators with a one-way, transactional mindset: here’s the script, here’s the product, post it on Tuesday. 

But this often stifles what makes creators effective in the first place — their credibility and connection with their audience.  As Ivy Wong of VS Media observes, marketers often impose promotional messaging unsuited to an influencer’s natural voice, diluting credibility. Audiences tune out shallow endorsements, especially when disconnected from local realities.  

At the same time, many brand partnerships fall short because they’re optimised for impressions, not impact. Campaigns over-index on reach, ignoring whether the content speaks meaningfully to the community. Social media has flipped influence from top-down to bottom-up. The most effective partnerships today are rooted in cultural empathy and community participation, not visibility alone.  

We’re now in a culture-first era, where effective brand communication is about genuinely joining community conversations, not interrupting them. Today’s audiences, especially ‘Zillennials’, expect brands to earn relevance by embedding themselves in conversations that matter. They’re seeking cultural resonance over product pitches. Brands must show cultural empathy, partnering with creators as genuine storytellers, not as paid media channels. 

This calls for a rethinking of partnerships—not as rentals of fame, but as collaborations between brand and creator to co-author culture. This shift is especially vital in Asia’s hyper-localised, tribe-driven landscape, where the idea of a single "mainstream" no longer exists. Instead, micro-communities shape culture. Brands that understand this, and give creators the freedom to engage their tribes authentically, unlock deeper value. 

Instead of asking “How do we sell this product?” marketers must prioritise “What matters to our audience?” That’s where new models of collaboration come in. Instead of one brand voice speaking to many, imagine many voices coalescing around a shared belief. This approach allows for creative plurality while still aligning under a core idea. In Hong Kong, where the sense of identity can at times feel somewhat confusing, this approach seems especially fitting. Audiences crave authentic stories reflecting their true city rather than polished ads. 

A recent example of this shift is "Hong Kong Never Normal 非常港" (HKNN), a non-profit initiative that turned the traditional partnership model on its head. Launched by a private-sector consortium, HKNN counters the prevailing doom-and-gloom narrative. Its insight was simple: outsiders ask if Hong Kong is back to normal, but the city was never normal to begin with. The city’s eccentricities are precisely its charm, so why not wear it like a badge of honour? It set out to celebrate Hong Kong’s idiosyncratic culture and resilient spirit as a source of pride. 

Unlike traditional campaigns, HKNN embraced a decentralised model. Over 60 homegrown brands and creators were invited to interpret the core idea in their own voice. From disruptive unicorns like Animoca, to culture-shaping platforms like 9Gag. From unique spots like The Savoury Project; to the iconic SCMP. A spectrum of talented HongKongers joined, including Stephen Fung 馮德倫, Serrini 梁嘉茵, Stephanie Au 歐鎧淳, Jordan Leung @69ranch and more. 

HKNN targeted over 30 specific passion tribes — foodies, cinephiles, art enthusiasts and more. There was no brief, just a question: “What’s Never Normal about Hong Kong to you?”. Stephen Fung gave insights about Hong Kong style film-making in Hollywood, while @69ranch Jordan did satirical sketches on local parenting. Each story felt real, grassrooted and community-centric.  

HKNN engaged tribes both online and off. For fashionistas, Hypebeast ran vox-pop interviews. For dance fans, artist Vian Lin initiated impromptu dance battles with the domestic worker community, showcasing the city’s vibrant diversity. For gamers, HKNN showed up in a  ‘game-in-game’ experience in Walled City Rhapsody, live on The Sandbox metaverse.  

In essence, HKNN built a many-to-many campaign – dozens of creators connecting with dozens of micro-audiences. The results so far: international media coverage was exposed to 982 million people globally, earning HK$6 million in PR value. Instagram content alone received 7 million views, 99% organically, demonstrating the effectiveness of culturally resonant content over paid exposure. 

Ultimately, the future of brand and influencer partnerships lies in rebalancing the equation. Instead of renting attention, brands must earn participation. From chasing scale to cultivating connection. And from top-down messaging to bottom-up momentum. Because in the culture-first era, brands that embrace the unconventional, empower local voices, and put culture before corporate agendas will reap more enduring rewards. 

This article was written by Terence Ling, chief strategy and innovation officer at TBWA Hong Kong.