Hong Kong
Branding the pearl of the Orient
Overview
In 2001 we began the initiative to brand Hong Kong in response
to a government recommendation. It stated, “Hong Kong needs to
promote its unique position...a successful external promotion
program can have a significant positive impact on Hong Kong’s
ability to achieve a number of key economic, social, and cultural
objectives.”
Challenge
Mr. Tung Chee-hwa, the chief executive of the Hong Kong Special
Administrative Region explained that his goal was to make Hong Kong
the most cosmopolitan city in Asia. Landor’s challenge was to
define, leverage, and promote Hong Kong’s unique strengths and
characteristics to a wide range of international audiences. To
solve this challenge, Landor evaluated extensive research in an
effort to fully understand multiple audiences’ perceptions of Hong
Kong.
Solution
The visual brand expression we created was a contemporary
rendering of the powerful and energetic dragon. The brandmark was
composed of four distinct elements depicting the Chinese characters
for Hong Kong and the letters HK. This symbolized a blend of
eastern and western influences in a style suggestive of Chinese
calligraphy. The brandline Asia’s world city complimented
the identity and underscored Hong Kong’s role as an international
hub for business, arts, and culture. Landor’s design system has
been a part of Hong Kong life since its launch, appearing on
regional venues, communications, and transportation. In 2010 the
identity was updated slightly by a local firm but the core essence
of the original concept continues to celebrate this city.