SOHO’S GURU GOES FOR RIDE WITH HKJC’S HAPPY WEDNESDAYS

IT’S ALL ABOUT CROSS-PROMOTING BRANDS, PEOPLE!

It’s still all about location, location, location. It’s also today about social media and cross-promotion, cross-promotion and cross-promotion- meaning no brand – other than, perhaps, Apple- can go out there on its own and think they can do it successfully- and from a long term point of view. This would be as silly as Don Quixote fighting his windmills.

It doesn’t happen often, but the Hong Kong Jockey Club- yes, a racing club- actually now has a brand in what is known as Happy Wednesday. Happy Wednesday evolved from a “mere” Beer Garden- a great idea- to the daft idea of naming these Wednesday night race days Sassy Wednesdays, the obscure and misunderstood “Happy Weds”- which had many Googling for wedding marriages- and today’s Happy Wednesday. It’s not the most original name/theme in the world as Happy Wednesdays are also known as Happy Hump Days, but, hey, perhaps there is a way for the two to meet half-way?

A Happy Wednesday in Hong Kong- and at Happy Valley Racecourse- brings together a VERY International group of people- mostly young people from around 26-35- racing, inter-acting, ‘live’ music, beer, wine, food, fashion- and all for just HK$10.It’s inter-activity at it’s best and something which has found its way onto Facebook, YouTube, blogs and Twitter. As we love to say, attending a Happy Wednesday event beats the hell outta hitting any club in Hong Kong, standing in a queue for no real reason and trying to get laid by making yourself heard over a David Guetta Remix. Everything is so much easier- and more- making it to the track and taking in the great outdoors and see what the night holds. It could be a very pretty sight- and this girl is the prettiest sight we have seen in Hong Kong for ages.

So, as a bona fide brand, how can Happy Wednesday evolve? Cross-marketing its nights with brands and products to do with nights and this consumer base. Led by Guru on Lower Elgin Street and 4-5 more bars and restaurants in Soho to follow, the strategy is simple: I scratch your back and you scratch mine.  For example, Guru will soon hold Guru-fic Tuesday evenings. Those coming to Guru on any of these Guruific Tuesdays will have a free beer with their meal, a pass to attend Happy Wednesday at Happy Valley Racecourse the next evening and advice- he hates calling it “tipping”- by Fast Track’s Racing Guru.

Then, AFTER the races, bring your badge/pass to any of the bars/restaurants, apart from Guru, which we will name here- and have a free beer on us. And them. But this is only the start. Just as Happy Wednesday has evolved from the daft “Sassy Wednesday,” this cross-promotion will bring in more brands, more sponsors and make Wednesdays the Happy Hump Days they should always be.