—Going Viral Isn’t Enough. What is the “Core Axis” Marketing Needs?
📉 Confusion Caused by Inconsistent Marketing
As mentioned in the previous article, marketing is the cornerstone of a company’s future. However, in Hong Kong, it’s common to see marketing activities that lack a clear focus or consistency.
Companies are told to “deliver results,” but the definition of “results” is often ambiguous. Metrics like the number of “likes” on social media or the momentary buzz from an ad campaign are often the sole basis for evaluation. This tends to sideline the essential work of building brand value and deepening customer relationships.
⏳ Chasing Only Short-Term Metrics Won’t Build Trust
Page Views (PV), Conversion Rates (CVR), follower counts—these numbers are certainly easy to visualize and convenient for internal reporting. However, solely chasing these figures won’t leave a lasting impression in the customer’s memory.
The essence of marketing lies in nurturing brand trust and building the “reason to be chosen” over time. An approach that only values immediate reactions will fail to create differentiation in the market.
🧱 The “Wall” of Past Successes Behind the Lack of Strategy
So, why is there such a strong tendency in Hong Kong to prioritize short-term measures? One contributing factor is the reliance on past successes.
From the 1990s to the early 2000s, Hong Kong companies achieved results through speed and execution. There was indeed a time when formulas like “run an ad, and it will sell” or “lower the price, and customers will come” worked effectively.
🧭 Now is the Time to Shift from a “Harvesting” to a “Nurturing” Model
However, both the market environment and consumers have changed dramatically. Focusing only on immediate gains can no longer build customer trust or a strong brand presence.
What Hong Kong companies need now is a shift from “selling quickly” to “nurturing deliberately.” To redefine marketing as a core strategy, the first step is to establish a consistent purpose and clear evaluation criteria. (To be continued)