Page 53 - MA2022-Souvenir-Programme

Excellence Award

“The Tuen Ma Line Opening”
MTR Corporation

MTR’s brand reputation faced severe attack due to construction scandals and delays in the Shatin to Central Link project. The social
unrest and the COVID-19 pandemic which followed posed further challenges. The public’s distrust of the brand was reflected in a
drastic drop in MTR’s overall corporate image index in 2019 and 2020.
MTR proactively leveraged on the golden opportunity of the Tuen Ma Line Opening Campaign to inject positivity into local
communities and revive businesses. MTR demonstrated great determination and dedication to reconnect with Hongkongers and
rejuvenate the city.

A customer-centric and societal approach was developed by carefully mapping out the unique needs of 3 major user segments,
namely local communities, interest groups as well as the general public & commuters. The Corporation deployed a brand new
bottom-up communication and marketing strategy in positioning and publicising the Tuen Ma Line as a “Community Railway”,
with an aim to make different groups of people well informed and improve business transparency by delivering the right message
to the right targets.

The Corporation was extremely mindful of relevancy, authenticity, and originality in delivering social media contents and offline
programs about the cultural and historical assets of both the stations and nearby communities, as well as the revitalized living styles
facilitated by the Tuen Ma Line. The “Live More” campaign conveyed the new line as offering a respite from the dreadful pandemic
for Hongkongers to re-explore the city and its captivating blend of cultures, traditions, and cuisines, motivating Hongkongers to
enjoy more novel experiences. A series of lifestyle-themed online contents with a wide spectrum, such as travelogue, outfit of
the day (OOTD) and photography, were created to share leisure tips. Alongside the campaign, The Corporation also launched
promotional offers, including 100,000 free MTR tickets, to facilitate people to “Live More” and further drive the patronage.

The Tuen Ma Line Opening was not merely a campaign to promote a new railway line; it was also a campaign to resonate and
rebuild affinity with Hongkongers through a city-wide celebration. MTR indeed won back the citizens’ hearts with a revitalized
reputation, which can be proven by the positive media coverage and social performance, and the satisfactory patronage and
customer feedback. A reassuring reception of the new railway line’s launch and the corporate image was achieved.

Comments from the Judges:
This was commended as a customer-centric and all-rounded campaign which had successfully restored the image of MTR through
a city-wide celebration on the launch of a new train line by bringing long-term benefits to stakeholders and the general public.
In view of the challenges arising from recent project delay, social unrests and COVID-19, a carefully planned and integrated
campaign was thus launched building the vibes and excitement of Hong Kong people towards the Tuen Ma Line opening and
mobilizing bravely a myriad of communication and promotional channels. The community-first communications strategy with
segmented targeting was well-crafted and well-executed using travelogue videos, neighbourhood theme stories and lifestyle
themed eAdvertorials to attract Hong Kong people to explore the city with Tuen Ma Line amid the pandemic fatigue.
The campaign achieved tremendous success in generating massive media coverage that led to positive reception from the public.
The campaign proved that the Tuen Ma Line Opening was more than a railway construction project revitalizing the old districts and
providing transportation convenience to the customers. It also re-connected MTR, Hong Kong people and community.

Parties to be Recognized for Contributing to the Success of the Programme:
1. OMD Hong Kong

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HKMA/VIUTV & NOW TV AWARDS FOR MARKETING EXCELLENCE 2022