Investigate one of the Recent Marketing Campaigns - Hong Kong Wine and Dine Festival

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China Construction Bank (Asia)

China Construction Bank (Asia) founded in Hong Kong since 1921, and this is the second time for them to become the title- sponsorship for the Wind & Dine Festival. They committed to giving continues support to this mega event as part of the contribution to the community (Hong Kong Tourism Board, 2016).

Food and Beverage Industry

The Food and Beverage Industry is one of the key stakeholders for the Wine& Dine Festival. There are over 300 food and wine booths in there, where the Wineries come from a local merchant and over 23 countries and region with different types of wine. Apart from the Wine Booth, there are around 100 food booths which some of them are operated and renowned for local hotels. HKTB also invited the Michelin-starred and other award-winning restaurants to present the Fine Food (Hong Kong Tourism Board, 2016).

Tourism industry

HKTB cooperate with the travel agents in Hong Kong and publicizing this Event on those tourism industry partners retail shop at hotels, Airport, and attractions to promote the entrance pass to the inbound tourist. HKTB didn’t pay too much afford on this type of promotion (Hong Kong Tourism Board, 2016).

6. Push, Pull and Profile Strategy

6.1 Push Strategy

“It is aimed at pushing product down through the channel towards the end-users for consumption." (Fill, 2012, pp.93)

HKTB used their database to contact exhibitors who joined before – Offer discount if necessary. To encourage the hotel industry to participate in the event, HKTB had offered a priority booth reservation and 20% discount for HKHA members on booth rental. HKTB used direct marketing to the exhibitors through email; catalog and telemarketing to convince them joined the event. After the exhibitors decided to accede to the events, they would contact their customers to adhere to the event and provide sales promotion and personal selling, like price discount, buy one get one free, etc. to increase the sales volume

6.2 Pull Strategy

“Pickton and Broderick (2001) use the term ‘demand’ in relation to end customers in the context that the objective of a pull strategy is to encourage end customers to ‘demand’ goods and services from their suppliers.”

To promote the ‘demands’ from end customers, HKTB designed various promotional packages to satisfy different customers demands. Including used the mass advertising like Road Show, magazines to inform and remind the customers that what wine and dine festival promotes, period, location, etc. While the customer has attracted by advertisement message, they probably want to know more information about the events. So, HKTB had built their website and Facebook with more attractive information and comprehensive details of the products to pull the customer’s demand and decision on joining the event (Fill, 2012, pp.91).

6.3 Profile Strategy

“Profile Strategy may simply be intended to portray a favorable impression of the organization or brand (Fill, 2012, pp.94).” The goal of the event is to elevate HKTB’s profile and at the same time try to position itself as a more accredited conductor. HKTB also focused on organization’s communications as they offer more deal and reduce the exclusive to raising its corporate image, reputation.

7. Communications tools

“The marketing communication mix contains several types of tools that can be achieved in various types of combinations and different degree of strength to communicate to the target audience (Fill & Jamieson, 2011, pp.13).” Sales Promotion, Advertising, Public Relation, and personal selling and direct marketing are the five principle marketing tools. Hong Kong Tourism Board has used the Advertising and Public Relations as two main communication tools in the Wine and Dine Festival Campaign.

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7.1 Advertising

“Advertising is a non-personal form of mass communication that offers a high degree of control for those responsible for design and deliver of advertising messages (Fill, 2012, pp.16)." On the other hand, the effect of advertising to influence the target audience to consider or act in a certain way is suspect. Moreover, the effect on the sale volume is hard to evaluate

The advantage of using this tool is the flexibility because it allows the organization to reach an enormous amount of audience or the particular sector. Although internet advertising is a highly high-cost tool, it also can be the lowest cost per contact compare to the other communication tools by reaching a vast number of people.

HKTB promoted their campaign through several channels in Hong Kong and Overseas; their strategy focused on utilizing media where can reach the massive audience such as television, newspaper, and website to increase the awareness of the event between tourists and persuade them to attend during the visit in Hong Kong. At the oversea market, HKTB also places an advertisement to prompt the Wine & Dine Festival in those major key tourist markets (Hong Kong Tourism Board, 2016).[pic 5]

Figure 3

7.2 Public Relation

“Public Relations are a management activity that attempts to shape the attitude and opinions help by organizations stakeholders (public) (Chris Fill, 2012, pp.17)”.

There are several types of tools used by Public relation, for example sponsorship, event management, and lobbying. The difficulties of the public relation are hard to control once input into the channel but the support offer from the third party can be significant, and the impact on the target audience is greater than other communication tools (Chris Fill, 2012, pp. 17).

Hong Kong Tourism Board has launched a press conference to promote the new features of the festival (largest edition, different theme zones). Also, they also invited the Chefs from top local and international restaurants to introduce the variety of the event and showcased their signature dishes in the “Tasting Room.” HKTB even invited the Financial Secretary of Hong Kong in the opening ceremony to show the Government would support this campaign in promoting Hong Kong as the international tourist city. Moreover, HKTB has organized