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AI and machine learning will play a more significant role in content creation and curation, and micro-influencers will become more valuable for brands

Music to Clients’ Ears

Our journey begins in Sheung Wan, in the office of Rudi Leung (2005 MBA), Director and Founder of Hungry Digital, an agency that produces campaigns for the likes of Bank of China, Cigna, Fairwood, HSBC, L’Occitane, Standard Chartered Bank and Starbucks APAC. Rudi’s path to leading a creative agency happened with a large dash of serendipity and resulted from his endless curiosity. An award-winning advertising veteran, columnist, blogger, music critic, Rudi has also been a songwriter, trumpet player and part-time university lecturer, so wearing many hats is part of his nature.

Working as a reporter for the Hong Kong Economic Times （香港經濟日報）in the early 1990s, Rudi interviewed people from an ad agency and was offered a job there after the interview – “that's how I started my advertising career. The following year, I became a copywriter at the well-known ad agency, O&M (now known as Ogilvy). It was over 30 years ago, long before the digital era took hold. As the internet and social media emerged, I expanded my skill set from a creative director to become a digital and social media specialist.”

Social Media Conquers All

Before the advent of social media, advertising was incredibly top-down. We would see adverts on TV, hear them on radio, and see them on billboards. Great advertisements were the talk of the town, subjects of conversation at the work water cooler, and often became cultural milestones. Nowadays, with hyperinformation and a fragmented media environment, this is rarely the case. “When Facebook launched in 2004, I doubt many people would have imagined that it would become one of the largest media giants in the world. Social media was a thrilling new frontier in advertising. I saw it as an intimate channel to connect with like-minded audiences around the globe, contrasting traditional media's one-way communication.”

Responding to this new environment, Rudi founded Hungry Digital in 2016 to react to the increasing demand for personalized digital solutions, the rise of Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, and embrace the shift towards more immersive and interactive experiences. “Social media will continue evolving in the next decade, with a focus on visual content dominating platforms like Instagram and TikTok. Platforms come and go – remember MySpace? AI and machine learning will play a more significant role in content creation and curation, and micro-influencers will become more valuable for brands. Voice recognition systems and new emerging platforms will also impact social media behavior.”

As HKUST has many entrepreneurs, how can these budding business superstars leverage and thrive in this new environment? “Social media is an invaluable tool for entrepreneurs to build brand visibility and engagement. For aspiring entrepreneurs approaching social media, it's essential to understand each platform's unique dynamics. Instagram and TikTok thrive on creative, short-form content, while LinkedIn favors professional and thought leadership content.”

Content is King

It goes without saying that consistently high-quality content is paramount to gaining followers. “With the rise of short-form content such as Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts, creativity and authenticity are essential to gaining followers. Adaptability will be the key in navigating these changes. People might move to other platforms or formats, as social media is like a club where the cool kids join, and others follow. Over time, when too many uncool kids are in the club, the original cool kids will move to another club, and the cycle will repeat.”

Entrepreneurs must also consistently learn and improve, the reason why Rudi came to HKUST to study his MBA and expresses his gratitude for the many networking opportunities. After graduation, he joined fellow HKUST MBA alumni as a contributing writer for the Hong Kong Economic Journal（信報）column “經管錦言”, which was later turned into a book compilation - tenacity and networking was key to his success. Rudi says that those experiences at HKUST helped him change his career – as a classical music undergraduate – he knows the value of being further curious and flexible to new experiences. “I hold a profound appreciation for its complexity – from Bach, Beethoven, and Stravinsky to Miles Davis. I enjoy all sorts of music, from Baroque, Classical, and Avant-Garde to Jazz. Being an agency head of an international ad agency is like being a conductor of an orchestra. Running my boutique, however, is like being in an ensemble or jazz quartet. It requires more spontaneous and intimate cooperation with the other team members.”

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I make sure the quality is top-notch and encourage people to like, comment and share to boost views

Shooting to the Moon

Starting her career out is content creator and influencer Moon Cheung (2023 BBA Marketing). She has just graduated having served as a HKUST Student Ambassador, an orientation camp leader, and promoted HKUST Info Day on her YouTube channel. “I started YouTube in 2020 during my year one study, actually I was doing an internship at a local company and started it for fun. Although the focus is more on Instagram now, YouTube was the start of everything – I began buying all the gear to make videos, and also got through to the final of the campus king and queen contest on the local channel Trial and Error.”

Moon could be aptly described as fun, bubbly, and creative, someone who fits in the current zeitgeist of reels and is having her moment at completely the right time. Being part of the current generation, she is also a “slasher” who balances a part-time marketing job in an apparel company with her own video creation on Instagram (@moon.cytt) and has become an influencer for a wide range of brands while she was studying at HKUST. Moon has also collaborated with a range of KOLs (Key Opinion Leaders) and celebrities including Gin Lee and Ansonbean. “I have been working on Instagram Reels for the duration of 2023 and it’s been such a cool experience, much easier than YouTube, because their videos take more editing.”

Always on the Go

It’s exhausting being an influencer, but Moon takes it all in her stride. Her photoshoot in Shatin was a barrel of laughs, and lots of fun for the whole crew. You can see why her videos are so popular – many of which are about life at HKUST or feature her playing light-hearted jokes that involve elaborate camera angles and a large cast of extras. As an example, in one video Moon is featured with a birthday cake on campus. She asks students to hold it for her while she ties her shoelaces – suddenly one hundred extras with party embellishments run on the scene and sing songs for the unsuspecting bystander – the range of reactions goes from puzzled, to delighted and even slightly overwhelmed.

“Instagram is easier from an SEO (search engine optimization) point of view. If you have good content, you can reach hundreds or even thousands of followers quickly, but YouTube looks at your history, keyword use and more, there are a lot of things to take in. Instagram also has lots of templates to follow as well.” With Moon’s bold videos, which also include asking random people out on a date, Instagram Reels work perfectly. “Very few people do these types of videos in Hong Kong, so I have my niche, but often people look at me strangely, or don’t want to be in my videos. Times are changing, but I still get rejected a lot, maybe 40% of the time. And that’s not to mention the security guards that always question me.”

Looking for a New Spin

It’s the reason why Moon has also considered other markets, such as Taiwan, where people are more receptive to her types of videos. One gets the feeling that times are also changing in Hong Kong, especially with the younger generation. “I always need to be flexible, and nowadays I’m much more open to collaborations. Partners bring a unique spin, fresh perspectives and generate new audiences.” Some of her video series have been turned into collaborations, including “Sorry I have a Boyfriend”, in which Moon rejects a series of well-meaning gentlemen. The concept was turned into a partnership with Casetify that included an LGBT angle.

Being part of the new vanguard of social stars, does Moon have any advice on how often one should post? “The rule used to be post every day, but if you want to do great content, it doesn’t have to be as much. I roughly post three times a week, whereas creators in other countries might post several times a day. In Hong Kong it shouldn’t be as much – and I make sure the quality is top-notch and encourage people to like, comment and share to boost views.” From shooting videos herself, Moon now uses three cameramen, and a number of extras, often asking for favors to get the job done. “This is how we must do it in this industry – working hard and striving for the best. If you have a company and want to leverage social media, remember to consider your branding and customers. You must be clear and stick to your values. Know your audience.”

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Do what you think is impossible, making it possible is at the core of social media, it charms others and inspires my journey

Sunglasses and Success

While the platforms are different, youth in Hong Kong and Mainland China share the same love of social media. Hailing from Beijing is Li Chenyang (2016 MA Social Science) also known as “Up主”. Famous for always wearing sunglasses, his journey on social media began while studying at HKUST as a way to relax after class. “To be honest, the reason I started making videos in the first place was quite simple: to kill time. Ironically I'm quite introverted – Every day I watched videos, and suddenly thought that these videos didn't look that hard to make, why couldn't I upload my own?”

From humble beginnings in 2015, the video creator with an account name “LKs” has more than 3.5 million fans on Mainland Chinese platform Bilibili, and has become well-known in the industry, especially for his signature look that features aviator sunglasses. “I chose to wear sunglasses at first as I was nervous and uncomfortable in front of the camera. It's actually quite convenient as I never needed to do make-up before shooting!” The video creator covers a diverse range of topics that include technology, electronic devices, video games, photo-shooting, filming, music, and food, while frequently sharing tips. Videos about auctions on Monet paintings, casino trickery, cancer research and whiskey tasting are of wide interest and often feature singers or KOLs. “I think my videos are always fresh and relevant to real life. I never try to perform a little skit or talk about something unreal. Instead, I buy things that viewers can also buy, and go to places they can also go. My videos are always tied tightly with real life and are meaningful sociologically. I think that's what makes me stand out.”

The Path Unfollowed

Social media and fame weren’t even on the cards in the past, and it has been a long journey since his beginnings in Beijing. “During my college years, I majored in public administration, and the probability was that after graduation I would enter the government and become a civil servant, just like many of my classmates. However, I was a bit confused about my future life and applied to go to Hong Kong for postgraduate studies. I chose HKUST because I was personally interested in social sciences, and thought the campus was quite beautiful.”

The time at HKUST would later prove to be influential for him as a social media influencer.“I learned how to observe and analyze things from a sociological point of view, to systematically comprehend and present knowledge, and look at problems dialectically. I can say that what I learned at HKUST has been helping me in my social media career subconsciously, and this is where I have an advantage over many other influencers,” he says. There were also the practical elements of learning social media, from editing to camera and microphone use, and that’s just the start. “In addition to these skills, the operation of the channel is also very important, and it took me years to accumulate experience of how to be a KOL, managing relationships with fans, understanding platform policies, along with learning finances and taxes,” he says.

Dreaming Big

As always, quality content is king. “The only important thing is to provide quality content for the viewers. If the video is good enough, everything you want will follow. Trust your own judgment, don’t blindly follow advice. Always keep learning and getting in touch with new things, this will provide you with a constant source of inspiration. Do not rely on occasional bursts of energy, uploading videos regularly is a fundamental requirement of becoming a pro content creator.”

At the moment, projects such as “Drifting Camera”, in which he sent a 60,000 yuan camera around Mainland China for 300 days, recording lives all over the country, take up his time, and provide inspiration. “The significance for me is that it has achieved something that many people think is impossible, and it is also unprecedented. The millions of views on the internet also show that people are willing to see challenges to the impossible. It also marks an important milestone in my media career,” he says. Next up, the Tu Yile Original Music Competition, an ambitious project that aims to be the world's largest individual original music competition. Does he think he has gone a little too far?

“Do what you think is impossible, making it possible is at the core of social media, it charms others and inspires my journey”.