Tony Leung as HK's cultural ambassador: Yay or nay?

Hong Kong-born actor Tony Leung Chiu Wai has gotten the marketing industry talking as to whether he should be named the cultural ambassador for Hong Kong, after The Venice Film Festival announced on Monday it plans to honour him with its Golden Lions for Lifetime Achievement this year.

Leung starred in three movies which have won the Golden Lion at the Venice International Film Festival. These are A City of Sadness (1989) by Hou Hsiao-hsien, Cyclo (1995) by Tran Anh Hung, and Lust, Caution (2007) by Ang Lee. In accepting the offer, he declared: “I am overwhelmed and honoured with the news from the Biennale di Venezia. I hope to celebrate this award with all the filmmakers I have worked with. This award is a tribute to all of them as well.”

Since his win, netizens have been congratulating Leung. A check by MARKETING-INTERACTIVE saw that his Facebook was flooded with netizens congratulated Leung on winning the award and said he is well-deserved for such an honour. Media intelligence firm CARMA also saw a total of 900 mentions in Asia regarding the incident over the past six days, with 26% positive, 72.8% neutral and only 1.2% negative sentiments in Asia.

Meanwhile, social monitoring firm Meltwater also saw a total of 495 mentions regarding the matter over the past week, with 77.2% positive and 0.8% negative sentiments. 

In a statement on the government website on Monday, Hong Kong cultural chief Kevin Yeung, congratulated Leung on receiving the award and said Leung is the first Chinese actor who ever received the honorary award. 

"As a household name in Hong Kong, Leung started his career in Hong Kong's television industry before advancing to the big screen. Leung's exquisite acting skills had earned him many awards and brought him onto the global stage with flying colours. His endless pursuit of a higher level of artistic performance over the past few decades is an exemplar of Hong Kong actors' spirit and Hong Kong's cultural richness," Yeung said.

Yeung added that Hong Kong movies and filmmakers have gained recognition among their counterparts worldwide by winning a number of international awards in recent years, and the Hong Kong government and the Hong Kong Film Development Council will continue to provide support on various fronts and push for sustainable development of the industry.

Speaking on a cultural perspective, in Hong Kong, the Community Cultural Ambassador Scheme was launched since 1999.  Every year, local performing arts practitioners or groups are invited through an open invitation exercise to act as cultural ambassadors to conduct a wide range of outreach activities that are both educational and fun at various indoor and outdoor venues, including public spaces in the community.

Commenting on the cultural ambassadorship, David Ko, managing director of RFI Asia told MARKETING-INTERACTIVE that Leung is widely regarded as one of the most talented actors in the Chinese-speaking world and his work definitely helps to represent the cultural richness of Hong Kong.

“He has starred in many critically acclaimed movies that have been praised for their cultural significance. His work has helped to showcase the unique cultural identity of Hong Kong to audiences around the world,” Ko added.

He added that on a global tourism front, while Leung may not have the same level of mainstream global recognition as the likes of Jacky Chan who was the city's ambassador since 2005 to 2012, his fame is rapidly rising, especially with his recent performance in the Marvel Studios movie Shang-Chi. “I think Hong Kong people would love to see him as a cultural ambassador for the city,” he added.

Agreeing with his view was Leung Chung, managing partner, creative of creative agency Sunny Idea, who said Leung can definitely represent the cultural diversity of Hong Kong and can be a cultural icon with substance, “He first began his career at local broadcaster TVB, then he has tried different roles be it villain or hero in local and international movies ever since. He is definitely a suitable person to represent the cultural side of the city,” he said

He added that this is a good timing for the local government to amplify the message that Hong Kong is an international hub of cultural diversity by immediately appointing Leung as its cultural ambassador.

While Leung brings a unique set of qualities and talents to the table that set him apart from other cultural ambassadors, his exquisite acting skills and ability to convey a wide range of emotions make him a master of his craft, according to Yvonne Ma, founder and managing director of marketing agency Eighty20. "He has also been able to achieve international recognition and success while still staying true to his Hong Kong roots, which is a testament to his dedication to his craft and his commitment to representing Hong Kong culture on a global stage," she added. 

"Leung has a broad and diverse filmography and has endlessly pursued higher levels of artistic performance over the past few decades without ever being loud or boastful. Naming Leung as a cultural ambassador would not only recognise his contributions to the film industry but also showcase Hong Kong's rich cultural heritage and artistic talent to the world," she added. 

It can help promote Hong Kong's cultural and creative industries and inspire future generations of artists and performers.

Uth creative CEO, Desmond So, also added that Leung’s passion, talent, and professional attitude in the movie industry has earned him a positive image among Hong Kong people.

“Many residents have been longing for a cultural ambassador who can represent Hong Kong with pride, and Tony Leung fits the bill perfectly,” he said. He noted however that the actor has always maintained a low profile when it comes to his personal life.

“It is unclear whether he would be willing to accept the honour of representing Hong Kong as a cultural ambassador. Nevertheless, his fans continue to admire him for his outstanding contributions to the film industry and his unwavering dedication to his craft,” he said.

While having a cultural ambassadorship might work on Leung's favour, Chris Kyme, co-founder and creative director of Kymechow, a creative services agency said Hong Kong still needs a big, global idea before discussing who should be a good ambassador - be it from a cultural or tourism perspective.While Leung might not have the star power yet with an international audience, Kyme added that in Asia he definitely has the pull.

“I think a more important question at this stage is, what’s the big idea for Hong Kong? That’s where we should be starting, before we even get to the topic of brand ambassadors. Too much importance is placed on celebrities in campaigns, in the absence of sustainable brand ideas. This is the bigger, more important issue that needs to be addressed,” he added.

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