The Hong Kong Tourism Board has faced the heat after launching a blind Covid campaign with former Australian rugby player Nick “Honey Badger” Cummins without face masks.
Also known as “Honey Badger x Hong Kong,” the three-part video series featuring Cummins visiting tourist attractions and trying his hand at the martial art Wing Chun, was not listed on YouTube. However, they were uploaded last Friday and have garnered several hundred views each.
“Do you want to travel like a local? Ride the Ding Ding,” Cummins said in one of the videos as he sat aboard the tram without wearing a mask. A MARKETING-INTERACTIVE check saw on Twitter that some netizens questioned why Cummins was not wearing a mask and why there is a photo of Cummins eating at Tung Po Kitchen, which he was previously forced to shut down.
In the same video, Cummins is seen hopping off the tram onto the Star Ferry before heading to Sham Shui Po, where he visited vinyl devotee Ah Paul, ordered cheung fan at Hop Yik Tai, and browsed electronics on offer on Apliu Street. as you described. the place as “where the locals go treasure hunting”.
However, the description below the videos states that the videos are for advertising and creative purposes only. “Wear a mask and comply with the latest regulations and guidelines issued by the HKSAR government,” he said.
Social listening firm CARMA saw a total of 74% negative mentions in coverage related to this story across different media channels over the past day. Most Hong Kong-based netizens criticized the intention of the video to create a false image that Hong Kong is still operating as usual, while in reality the city is still restricted by a set of quarantine measures, according to the manager. CARMA General Charles Cheung.
“Several netizens pointed out that Nick Cummins was last in Hong Kong in January 2020 and therefore the video must have been shot before the pandemic outbreak. On the other hand, the focus of overseas netizens seems to be more towards human rights issues and the reason behind Cummins’ decision to support the Hong Kong government,” added Cheung.
In a conversation with MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, a HKTB spokesperson said: “The social video series was launched by HKTB’s Sydney office on October 5. The series was first produced in late January 2020 with the aim of promoting Hong Kong’s diverse experience, including the city’s world-class sporting events such as the Hong Kong Sevens, featuring a local Australian rugby athlete to better engage consumers in the source market. at a time when anti-pandemic measures had not yet been implemented in Hong Kong.”
“When the global pandemic unfolded, HKTB shelved the promotional video as public health and hygiene concerns grew and travel restrictions began to be implemented in various destinations. As the HKSAR government recently announced the deal “0+3 In September and as a lead up to the Hong Kong Sevens (4-6 November), the HKTB Sydney office launched the video series with the aim of promoting Hong Kong as an international travel destination with a diverse offering of experiences. ,including our international sporting events.such, HKTB recently obtained the permission of the celebrity to release the previously produced video series.The content and performances of the video series are made for publicity and creative purposes only to provide viewers a general appearance of the excitement in the city and to present the general lifestyle of Hong Kong,” the spokesperson added.
The spokesperson also said that HKTB has included a disclaimer below the video player to remind viewers that the scenes and images in all promotional materials were made for advertising and creative purposes only. “For the avoidance of doubt, the disclaimer also reminds viewers to wear a mask and abide by the latest official regulations and guidelines when in the city,” the spokesperson added.
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