If you have been in the digital marketing space long enough, you will start to realize that many of your digital marketing strategies are not as effective as 5-6 years ago. Conversion rates have gone down, media spending went up, while customers are drifting further and further away from your business and brand.

One big thing that’s missing for most of the businesses that we see in the market is that many of them are focusing on sales funneling, building segmentations and building automation. It doesn’t mean that these marketing tactics don’t work, but if everyone is doing the same thing, how would your customer feel?

Ask yourself and your team two core questions:  “Do we really understand the pain and desire of our customers?” “How can we make our customers happy and successful?” Instead of thinking about building marketing automation and marketing funnels, it’s time for you to focus on building and owning the entire customer journey as well as capturing the entire relationship with your customers. Marketing shouldn’t stop when sales are made, and a business should continue to scale through understanding the whole journey.

NDN Academy has trained over 2,800 individuals and 50 corporations about understanding empathy towards customers, developing strong customer engagement and offering a strategy for businesses to drive business growth. If you are tired of hundreds of thousands of fast marketing tactics that are not driving results, maybe it’s time to stop and think why you are doing what you are doing.

We are thrilled to announce NDN Group’s latest partnership with GELOS to introduce Douyin (抖音) TikTok marketing to Hong Kong. It is a short video app that has 500 million monthly active users and 250 million daily active users. Brands big or small are scaling fast and producing fun engaging content on their platform.

You are probably wondering what is the difference between Douyin and TikTok? In 2017, the apps’ parent company ByteDance brought TikTok’s competitor Musical.ly, merged the two together and became the app we know today. TikTok is the overseas name Douyin uses. ByteDance also owns Jinri Toutiao (今日頭條).

With the sophistication of the Internet environment in Mainland China, where businesses are fully immersed into the online to offline model, it makes perfect sense that Douyin is more e-commerce-focused and brands use it as a sales funnel. On the contrary, TikTok is more entertainment-focused, at least for now. It has plans to be more.

This short video app is gaining momentum globally because it fulfills people’s need for instant gratification in today’s fast-paced world. KOL or influencers who became popular on their platform are producing captivating content and bringing high conversion rate to brands.

Look at popular beauty KOL Austin Li (李佳琦). He is known for his record of selling out thousands of lipsticks in an instance his personal best was 14,000 pieces in a minute. The novel idea of a man reviewing lipstick color live and his comedic ways of reviewing products is why fans love him and why mega beauty brands like Chanel, MAC, Shiseido and Tom Ford love to work with him. When Li says “Oh my god, buy it!” that particular color will sell out.

Well-known hot pot chain Haidilao was able to increase 1,000% ordering on a single dish because they created a live stream video on how to cook that specific meat for hot pot.

 

Austin Li and Haidilao are selling two very different category of products, yet they both enjoy a high conversion rate because of a strategic usage of Douyin TikTok. There are many more showcases where brands achieved exponential growth within a short period of time regardless of their product. The market is so optimistic, they believe that any product will perform well on the platform.

With ByteDance behind Douyin TikTok using powerful algorithms with machine learning, to aggregate and distribute content, your brand message will be optimized with precise targeting. So rest assured your marketing budget won’t go to waste.

Are you a local brand in Hong Kong with no payment gateway or setup in Mainland China, but keen to enter the market? We can assist and offer advice. Get in touch with us to discover more and learn about our trial package.

This year’s Earth Hour, where individuals and companies are encouraged to switch off lights for one hour, fell on 30 March 2019. While Earth Hour is a worldwide conservation event launched by WWF to raise awareness of climate change, it has become a marketing opportunity in recent years. Among the companies that took advantage of this thoughtful event this year was Gallo Family Vineyards.

Award-winning Gallo Family Vineyards is one of the ranges offered by the family-owned Gallo brand and is one of the top 10 best-selling wine brands in the USA.

To celebrate and in a show of support for Earth Hour 2019, Gallo Family Vineyards, in partnership with NDN Group, launched a campaign themed around “Happy Together.”

The objectives were to attract more WeChat followers, maintain fans’ loyalty and highlight Gallo’s core value – having good times with families.

A video was made for the campaign. It begins with a zooming-in on the planet Earth — from outer space down to one particular household where two friends are spending time together. Gallo Family Vineyards wines can be seen on the table and also in photos on the wall. The left bottom corner shows a clock, emphasizing the passing of time.  As the time rolls over from 08:29 to 08:30, which is when Earth Hour begins, candles are lit as the two friends clink glasses and continue having a good time, and lights in the city begin to go off. The clip ends with the company logo and the slogan “Happy Together on Earth. Connect to Earth,” echoing with the theme of Earth Hour this year and Gallo’s core value.

The campaign was a success, with the video garnering 3,000 views since its launch on WeChat and numerous positive comments.

Since 2017, NDN Group has been managing the WeChat accounts of Gallo Family Vineyards and Carlo Rossi for Gallo, and has boosted their number of followers by 8 and 17 times respectively.

Looking for creative ideas on your next campaign? Drop us a line and we’d be in touch soon.

WeChat Pay is already a part of everyday life in China, a popular payment gateway supported almost everywhere – taxis, supermarkets, hospitals and even as a way to facilitate communication between judges and litigants in court cases. Following the launch of the Chinese official website with UX/UI design for our client AJ Hackett in 2018, the international bungee jump business, we introduced WeChat Pay for their online ticket reservations in early May this year to streamline sales transactions for Chinese tourists.

Showcase

With abundant local knowledge about the app and the Chinese market, our team in Shanghai was invited to work closely with our Hong Kong team in this project, with the former responsible for setting up payment process and the latter for website interface and program design. Customers can now proceed to WeChat Pay from the booking page directly by simply scanning a QR code, achieving a seamless customer experience for Chinese tourists.

Why WeChat Pay?  

– Able to handle multiple payment methods including Quick Pay, QR code, In-App Web-Based or Native In-App payments

– Supports cross-border settlements in all major foreign currencies and is available in over 20 countries

– Allows foreign businesses to engage with customers in- and outside of China via their all-in-one services, reaching out to larger audiences

On-going development for AJ Jackett is underway to cater for the footprints from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau. The website will be further revamped to include JETCO pay (credit card payment) and improve search engine optimization (SEO).

Outlook on WeChat Pay

Today, there are reportedly more than 900 million active WeChat Pay users on a monthly basis; by 2021, it is estimated that the number of Chinese users will increase up to 675 million while WeChat’s penetration rate of smartphone users and messaging app users will rise up to 82% and 89% respectively, according to eMarketer. It’s impossible to neglect the growing business opportunities on WeChat.

Speak to our specialists today to learn more about WeChat marketing and e-Commerce landscape.

F8, Facebook’s developer conference, took place on April 30 – May 1, 2019.  During the keynote speech, CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced a number of updates to Facebook, Messenger, and Instagram, three of the world’s biggest social media platforms.

Facebook

• New design

Facebook will have a new, simpler design, highlighting groups and events.  The Groups tab will introduce a more prominent design and a personalized feed from groups, as opposed to just a general update feed from friends, making it easier to connect with people who share the same interests.  With this new emphasis on groups, even business Pages can now join groups and take part in group discussions where they can engage with target customers and share content and events.

• Facebook dating

Facebook Dating is currently only available in Colombia, Thailand, Canada, Argentina, and Mexico. Although Facebook is expanding it to 14 new countries, Hong Kong has yet to make the list. At this stage, businesses won’t be able to take part or place ads in Facebook Dating, but Facebook is not ruling out introducing monetization opportunities for businesses in the future.

Messenger

• New business solutions

Messenger will be launching a number of business solutions designed to help businesses generate leads, drive in-store traffic and provide customer care. Among these solutions is lead generation template in Ads Manager.  Businesses can create an ad that triggers an automated question-and-answer flow in Messenger to generate leads. In addition to the lead generation templates, Messenger will also launch an appointment booking interface which businesses can opt to integrate with their existing calendaring system. This functionality is still in beta and will be more widely available later this year.

Instagram

• Shopping tags

Businesses in the US currently with in-app checkout on Instagram (still in beta) will be able to approve individuals, e.g. influencers, artists and celebrities, to tag checkout-enabled products from their shops and let followers purchase the items within the app. This new functionality will extend businesses’ reach to potential customers and facilitate the shopping experience for customers.

• Improved camera

Instagram will be updating its camera interface and offer “Create Mode” which allows users to share a post without having to upload an existing photo or video. This feature, as Facebook stated, will benefit all accounts, business or personal.

Businesses can expect to be that much closer to their customers as Facebook rolls out all these exciting new features gradually in more countries.

Every day, a staggering 500 million Instagram accounts use Instagram Stories.  Businesses are seeing positive results from their stories ads, so much so that according to figures provided by Instagram, 96% of US marketers planned to continue using them in the next six months, and half of the businesses around the world on Instagram created at least one story every month.

Instagram Stories provides a spacious platform for businesses to tell their brand stories with minimal distractions. Now with interactive elements added, Instagram Stories is becoming an even-stronger marketing tool.

Interactive features, such as polls and questions, allow direct participation which brings users closer together.  In one of these Instagram polls, users were asked “Do you think clothes should be gendered?” Almost two-thirds of those who interacted with the story voted that clothes should not be gendered.  Another example of interactive stories ads is from Dunkin’. The ad asked “What’s your favorite American classic?” with a polling sticker offering two choices: “Donuts” and “Fries.” The next screen showed “You don’t have to choose anymore!  Try Donut Fries!” showcasing the new Dunkin’ product, which was donuts in the shape of french fries.

Interactivity provides an opportunity to engage users and allows businesses to be playful and creative. Result? Deeper insights into customer preference and behaviour, and better connections with customers.

In 9 out of 10 beta campaigns involving polling stickers, Instagram found that there was an increase in the number of three-second video views. Meanwhile, thanks to the polling sticker feature, Dunkin’ saw a 20% lower cost-per-video-view. Next Games also enjoyed a 40% surge in app installations after taking advantage of the interactive stories ads.

Now, YOU can have a piece of that pie too! Simply go to Ads Manager, select Instagram Stories as your only ad placement. Upload your creative and edit the text. Check the box to “Add an interactive poll.”  And … voilà!

Make your ads more impactful by making your audience feel they are part of your brand. Utilize interactive features on Instagram Stories and find out more about what your target customers want.

In the cutthroat business world, companies that do not catch up with the latest trends often find themselves left behind or even end up vanishing without a trace.  In order to stay ahead of the game, it is imperative for companies to realize the importance of digital transformation and reshape their businesses accordingly.

Apart from merely adding technology, part of digital transformation involves changing how employees think. Without the support from human resources, even if the best technological tools are set in place, companies would more than likely give up on them eventually and move on to other alternative tools and then repeat the same cycle. Thus, driving behavioural change and the way employees collaborate with each other is another major component in digital transformation.

We bring Digital Transformation in Motion (DTM) to businesses that are interested in growth through expanding their understanding of the digital landscape. DTM offers training, workshops, consultation, guidance and mentorship.

The key objectives of DTM training and workshops are to raise awareness of the rapidly changing world of technology, empower team members to discover new opportunities through mindset transformation, and to support teams in delivering their ideas to reality. Some of the notable DTM clients include HSBC, Broadway, Samsonite, Richemont Group, The Hong Kong Jockey Club and LVMH Moët Hennessy.

DTM training and workshops are divided into three perspectives:

1. Visionary and leadership

Designed to develop a growth mindset, create visions, and incite breakthrough ideas. Topics include Tech Mega Trends, Thought Leadership and Agile Thinking. There are four modules conducted in presentation and workshop formats: Innovation, Digitalization, Leadership and Growth Mindset, and Change and Community Impact. Ideal for top management, C-suites, and emerging leaders.

2. Strategy and essentials

Participants are guided to explore new technologies and apply them in strategy development in order to reach business goals. Modules include Customer Journey and Design Thinking, Digital 360, Strategic Planning, and Digitalization Process. Suitable for middle management and project managers.

3. Focused disciplines and applications

Through lectures, goal-oriented exercises and discussions, participants experience and learn the exact workflow on how to perform certain tasks, understand the process and the best practices. Applications covered include User Experience Design, Blockchain, and Data Analytics. Ideal for working teams and project managers.

The saying “if you snooze, you lose” has never been truer in the business world.  Speak to us now about digital transformation and don’t fall behind your competitors.

Rigid system, working in silos, going by the book used to be our impression of a typical workplace. Not anymore. In today’s world, you have to be agile, collaborative and operate like a Decentralised Autonomous Organisation in order to scale your business and truly optimize. Increased interconnectivity means that we increasingly have the technological means to create organizations that are truly distributed, which potential is only limited by one’s imagination.

Digital technology has paved the way for the rise of the gig economy and consequently empowered the modern workplace. It is granting the workforce a new set of values. Talents and skilled professionals move around to contribute where they are most needed to drive real change. Flexibility has become one of the top qualities the market expects from businesses, which reinvent themselves to meet demands. Referencing a pop culture phrase meaning “a job for a specified period of time”, a gig economy has opened up opportunities to talents globally so companies can mobilize resources better.

Who says you can’t run a food company during the morning, be a UX designer in the afternoon, drive an Uber at night? The old economy has led us to believe that we should seek a job for life. Now, the new economy offers more flexibility and autonomy. The more diverse your skill set, the more opportunities come your way.

 

A study by Intuit predicted that 40 percent of American workers would be independent contractors of some kind by 2020. This trend is gaining momentum not just among millennials, but also professionals with many years of experience.

As the gig economy flourishes, we need to evaluate what is work and how we work as a business. The workforce is increasingly seeking meaning and communities that resonate with them. We need to think beyond P&L and focus on purpose and impact for healthy and sustainable growth. We need to ensure that time is better used and reduce burn out. Therefore, we are challenging the status quo and innovating from within.

How? We are building a community that embraces flexibility and openness. A community that encourages dialogue, creativity and entrepreneurial spirit. To achieve this we need to reinvent the way we work. We are leveraging the power of co-working culture, relocating to Central where we facilitate a community that embodies all these values.

“Innovation has to come from within, you can’t continue to operate on a 20th-century model to achieve that.” said Andy Ann, CEO of NDN Group. When asked if he would have done this 5 years ago. He answered “5 years ago, I will say no. If you ask me 5 years from now, everyone will be doing it. The timing is now,” Andy adds. “Not just our Hong Kong office, we are mobilising our workforce in Shanghai, Ho Chi Minh City and New York City in line with this strategy so that we can be more agile in serving our clients, honing our entrepreneurial culture across all offices.”

We will miss our Kwun Tong office where many fond memories were created. Meanwhile, we are looking forward to this new change and reaching more milestones. Last but not least, we are opening in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. More details to come. Exciting times we are living in!

Online advertising in China has recorded revenue of close to US$21,921 million in 2019, according to Statista. With the demise of print media seeming inevitable, the popularity of online advertising shows no sign of stopping.

Splash ads are a type of streaming advertising — currently the most popular form of online advertising. A splash ad often comes in the format of a picture, video or Flash, appears on screen for three to five seconds when an app is launched.

Over the past Chinese New Year, we met with great success in our campaign for Meraas, a Dubai-based conglomerate that seeks to promote the United Arab Emirates as a country to live and work in, as well as for holidays. One of our strategies to drive web traffic and gain exposure for Meraas was splash ads on a variety of apps. Targeting customers in China, the online event invited the audience to register for a chance to win return air-tickets to Dubai and hotel accommodation among many other prizes. We came up with a range of impactful splash ads with enticing slogans to encourage the audience to click on the ads and register for the event. Over 60 online platforms participated in the campaign, including Toutiao, Tik-Tok, Baidu, WPS and SelfieCity.

The campaign has generated over 10 million impressions and 2 million click-through rates, along with meaningful data on gender, geographical location and user behavior patterns useful for future targeting.

A splash ad appears only for seconds upon the opening of an app, when the user is expecting to reach a certain page. The “surprise” element captures the user’s attention and gives the ad an exciting visual effect without being too aggravating. A frequency cap can also be put in to minimize annoyance. Although splash ads are relatively costly, most believe the positive impacts and effectiveness are more than enough to justify the price difference.

Itching to give splash ads a try? Here are a few tips:

1. Optimal length: three to five seconds

2. Usual sizes: 720×1280, 640×960

3. Conduct offline review two or three days in advance as review standards surrounding splash ads are comparatively stringent.

Have a question in mind? Feel free to consult our specialists regarding ad strategies and optimization.

Advertising is more than how much money you spent; it’s about reaching out to the right audience at the right time. Earlier in March, McCafé owned by Mcdonald’s piloted coffee delivery service in Hong Kong, exclusively available on the McCafé App. We’ve helped our client to launch a large-scale advertising campaign on social media with geo-targeting, an advertising effort combining online and offline technology based on geographic location.

Case study

The campaign is divided into two phases, first to activate seamless touch points in specific areas in Hong Kong to identify our target audience. Three core business districts were targeted: Central, Causeway Bay, and Quarry Bay. Seamless touch points were placed at all the McCafé branches in the above locations, plus some of the nearby commercial buildings and competitor stores. Whenever someone carrying a mobile device passes by one of the touchpoints, anonymized data of that device will be captured instantly. In total, we’ve captured over 500,000 device ID to proceed to the next phase.

For the second phase, we pushed an offer “Buy 4 coffee, get 2 free” via Facebook to our target audience, i.e. the captured ID. In order to maximize click-through rates and ROI, we also conducted A/B testing to refine our creative designs and improve user experience. In addition, the customers are required to use the McCafé app to enjoy the offer, thereby promoting the app downloads. The mobile app has been listed on the “trending” searches on the App Store for at least 2 days.

More about geo-targeting

Geo-targeting offers a personalized customer experience, delivering ads, offers and shopping information to a large number of high-potential, relevant customers. The technology monetizes online social networks and offline location data to drive brand engagement and actual sales at the same time.

With the massive amount of customer data collected, geo-targeting also provides valuable insights for market research on shopping patterns, e.g. the best time to push an ad and the popularity of physical stores.

We’d love to hear your creative thoughts on how to make use of the location-based technology. Let’s get inspired together and see how our team can help to transform your business.