The 18th "MTR advertising The Best of the Best Awards" Winners Announced

MTR and Airport Express advertisements incorporate more creativity and digital interactive elements to enhance the impact of advertising and achieve new successes

Hong Kong Disneyland's "World of Frozen – Admiralty and Central Take Over" Campaign crowned
"Best of the Best – Creative"  Platinum Award

Hong Kong Tourism Board's "Hallo Hong Kong Halloween" Campaign clinched 
"Best of the Best – Use of Media" Platinum Award

HONG KONG, Sept. 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- JCDecaux Transport, the advertising agent of MTR Corporation's urban lines * and Airport Express, announced the winners of the 18^th "MTR advertising The Best of the Best Awards" on August 27^th at the Hong Kong Palace Museum. The Best of the Best Awards honored advertising clients, creative agencies and media planning agencies for their creative excellence that have been widely acknowledged by the industry and the public on the MTR* and Airport Express advertising platform from 2022 to 2023, encouraging the advertising industry to push the limits of creativity and welcome more outstanding advertisements. There were over 130 outstanding nominated campaigns selected from more than 1,000 advertising works, evaluated by a judging panel of industry professionals and chosen by the public through online voting for 15 major categories and a total of 23 awards.

The "World of Frozen – Admiralty and Central Take Over" Campaign by Hong Kong Disneyland clinched two prestigious accolades, "Best of the Best – Creative" Platinum Award, and the Gold Award of "Best Use of Ambience Media". This immersive campaign transformed Admiralty and Central stations into a winter wonderland of Arendelle. Apart from the glass canopy of beloved character Olaf from Frozen and the company of Olaf throughout Admiralty station, a Frozen-themed train was also decorated for the Disneyland Resort Line, meticulously recreated the vibrant culture and enchanting scenery of Arendelle, giving passengers and tourists a taste of magical experience of the frozen kingdom prior to the grand opening.

Hong Kong Tourism Board's "Hallo Hong Kong Halloween" Campaign also triumphed in securing two prestigious awards, "Best of the Best – Use of Media" Platinum Award and the Gold Award of "Best Use of Airport Express Advertising Campaign". This citywide campaign seamlessly integrated the Airport Express and MTR stations, incorporating the unique designs of spooky characters with local characteristics and landmarks at 10 stations, allowing passengers and tourists to "collect" and take photos of these adorable spirits during their journeys.  With over 40 touchpoints and prominent OOH in-town visibility, 14 popular photo spots, and "trick or treat" activities, the winning advertisement delivered a joyful Halloween experience for passengers.  The Campaign also leveraged MTR Corporation's app, MTR Mobile, for an engaging Halloween experience throughout the display banner or in-app icons, sharing the spooktacular fun with travellers.

The song The Irregulars by Keung To featured in a wall sticker advertisement in a walkway in Causeway Bay Station and an advertisement of FWD participated by boy band MIRROR garnered most votes from the public, winning the "My Favorite Campaign" and "Youth's Favorite Campaign" awards.

The winning campaigns of the 18^th "MTR advertising The Best of the Best Awards" have uniquely showcased the cultural charm and dynamics of Hong Kong, painting a new chapter in the MTR advertising artistry, successfully capturing the core theme of this year's awards, "Embrace the Legend. Envision the Future". It is believed that advertisers, media agencies and creative agencies will continue to narrate stories through advertisements and move forward hand in hand with MTR Corporation and JCDecaux Transport.

Speaking at the Award Presentation Ceremony, Mr. Stephen Wong, CEO of JCDecaux Greater China, said, "Five years ago, we, together with MTR, announced the 4D strategy for digital transformation. Since then, we've made significant developments and huge progress in deploying up to 775 digital media units in MTR and Airport Express, utilizing audience and geolocational data, implementing a Digital Automation platform, and enabling the use of Dynamic content. These advancements aim to deliver optimal targeting, maximize media usage, enhance campaign efficiency, and are supported by our new programmatic trading platform, which offers maximum speed and flexibility. These aren't just technological upgrades – they represent our commitment to creating more impactful, relevant, and sustainable advertising solutions.''

Dr Jacob Kam, Chief Executive Officer of MTR Corporation, said, "This year marks the 45th anniversary of the first commencement of MTR metro services. Over 5 million MTR passengers trust us with their journeys daily, and this trust drives us forward. Our 45 years of growth have been guided by a focus on sustainability and community engagement, aligning our operations with local needs while incorporating international best practices. As the backbone of low-carbon transportation services in Hong Kong, we are fully committed to continuing the enhancement of our railway network, providing the public with superior connections, more comprehensive facilities, and a smarter service."

Ms Jeny Yeung, Managing Director – Hong Kong Transport Services of MTR Corporation, said, "Over the years, our advertising media has undergone many rounds of transformation, establishing ourselves as the most extensive and diverse outdoor digital media network platform in Hong Kong. In 2022, MTR became Asia's first underground railway to offer programmatic digital out-of-home advertising, providing clients with flexible and efficient ad placements based on real-time data. All MTR digital advertising screens can now utilize dynamic content, delivering real-time information relevant to our passengers and reinforcing our commitment to pushing the boundaries of digital media."

For the full lists of Award winners of the 18^th "MTR advertising The Best of the Best Awards" event photos, please refer to the appendices.

*MTR urban lines refer to Kwun Tong Line, Tsuen Wan Line, Island Line, South Island Line, Tung Chung Line, Tseung Kwan O Line, Disneyland Resort Line and Airport Express Line.

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About MTR advertising The Best of the Best Awards

MTR advertising The Best of the Best Awards has been held annually since 2002, it has come to the 18^th anniversary with the theme "Embrace the Legend. Envision the Future." This year. To celebrate distinguished achievements and creative excellence in MTR advertising and recognize the outstanding contributions made by advertisers, creative agencies and media agencies, the Best of the Best Awards aims to encourage the advertising industry to exploit new ideas and produce more creative executions in the future. For more information: www.TheBestoftheBestAwards.com.hk.

About MTR Corporation

To Keep Cities Moving, MTR makes encounters happen and rendezvous for a more connected tomorrow. As a recognised worldclass operator of sustainable rail transport services, we are a leader in safety, reliability, customer service and efficiency. MTR has extensive end-to-end railway expertise with 45 years of railway projects experience from design to planning and construction through to commissioning, maintenance and operations. Going beyond railway delivery and operation, MTR also creates and manages dynamic communities around its network through seamless integration of rail, commercial and property development. With more than 50,000 dedicated staff*, MTR carries over 10 million passenger journeys worldwide every weekday in Hong Kong, Mainland China, Australia, the United Kingdom and Sweden. Together, we Go Smart and Go Beyond. For more information about MTR Corporation, please visit www.mtr.com.hk.

*includes our subsidiaries, associates and joint ventures in Hong Kong and worldwide.

About JCDecaux Transport

JCDecaux Transport is the main subsidiary of the JCDecaux Group, the number one outdoor advertising company worldwide. Established since 1976, JCDecaux Transport is the market leader in outdoor advertising in Hong Kong and manages the advertising sales concessions of MTR* and Airport Express for up to 45 years. Currently, the company also operates the advertising concessions for Hong Kong International Airport, Macau International Airport and Pacific Place Passages. For more information about JCDecaux Transport, visit www.jcdecaux-transport.com.hk

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/jcdecaux-transport-hong-kong/

*MTR refers to Kwun Tong Line, Tsuen Wan Line, Island Line, South Island Line, Tung Chung Line, Tseung Kwan O Line, Disneyland Resort Line and Airport Express.

Appendix

1) List of Winners of "MTR advertising The Best of the Best Awards 2023"

2) Photos & Captions of "MTR advertising The Best of the Best Awards 2023"

Appendix 1: List of Winners of "MTR advertising The Best of the Best Awards 2023"

Appendix 2: Event Photos (https://bit.ly/JCDBoB_PRphoto)