Beyond a One-Way Communication: The Future of Performing Arts Marketing in the Digital Age - a Hong Kong Perspective 29th January 2016; Chulalongkorn University Speaker: Benny Lim (Ph.D.) Assistant Professor, Department of Cultural and Religious Studies | Fellow, Morningside College Chinese University of Hong Kong

Overview of the Presentation Hong Kong in the Digital Age Marketing in the Digital Age Hong Kong’s Performing Arts in the Digital Age Possibilities in Performing Arts Marketing

Hong Kong in the Digital Age

Hong Kong has Everything

Some Statistics 2nd fastest internet speed in the world (Akamai, 2015) 73% of the population has internet access (GO- Globe, 2014) 83.2% households with broadband (GO-Globe, 2014) 63% of population has smartphones – ranked 7th in the world (Google, 2013) 4.4 million Facebook users (GO-Globe, 2015)

Manuel Castells’ Network Society Contemporary social, political and economic practices, institutions and relationships are organized around the network Several key characteristics

Characteristics of Network Society Hong Kong is a Knowledge Economy (considering ICT Development; HR Development; Level of Innovation; Business Environment) Hong Kong is also a Global Economy (International Financial Centre; Highly urbanized society) ‘Network Enterprise’ in Hong Kong and it’s impact on Labor > Space of Flows and Timeless Time

Characteristics of Network Society “In a society whose principal economic, political and social activities are organized as – or mediated by - networks, access to those networks constitutes an important threshold of inclusion and exclusion, a condition of power and powerlessness, a source of dominance and subjugation.” Barney, D. (2013). The Network Society. Polarization (between those with access and those without) Hong Kong, a Culture of Real Virtuality (Impacts/ effects of the media)

Looking into Hong Kong’s Culture and Technology Social Homogeneity in Hong Kong (+) International migration in Hong Kong (+) Hong Kong is a Hierarchical Society (-) High literacy and English educated (+) Subjective Experience of Time > Fast and Efficient (+) Communication Pattern (+) Spatial Layout > Urban concept (+) Material Culture (+) (+) for technological development/ influence (SCOT)

Technological Determinism

Marketing in the Digital Age

Definition of Marketing

Trends Creation of Online Personalities (an image portray to the public) Blurring between marketing (advertising) and e- commerce Targets customers’ discretionary income Allocation of digital marketing budget (on the rise)

Trends Shift towards of Customer Centric (from an online perspective) Timely, real time marketing Voice of customers need to be heard Usage of specific functions of online/ web applications

Issues Young and Volatile (Continual discussions if e- marketing can replace traditional marketing) Hard to predict future trends > linked to training of digital marketing experts

Hong Kong’s Performing Arts in the Digital Age

What Have We Established So Far? Hong Kong is technologically developed Digital marketing is a forward trend Assumption: Hong Kong should have fully embraced digital marketing True, but not for the performing arts!

From a Production Perspective In Hong Kong’s performing arts, technology serves mainly in documentation (recording) and support (such as video projection/ multimedia) Time delay / Live Projection / Interactivity are seldom seen

From A Marketing Perspective The trend is to print Common form of Digital Marketing Promotions – e-posters, e-brochures, e-mailers Company webpage Social Media promotions – posting of e-posters etc. / setting up an event page Social Media advertising ONE WAY COMMUNICATION

Possibilities in Performing Arts Marketing

Product

Venue

Price Prediction

Training

Thank You Email: bennylim@cuhk.edu.hk