Is the Dragon Breathing Fire or Is That Just Bad Breath? 

 Unveiling AI’s Impact, Event Evolution, and Marketing Trends

As we gear up for the Year of the Dragon, it’s time to join the chorus of voices making predictions for the upcoming year. At Current Asia, we’ve been closely observing our clients as they revamp their teams, devise new strategies, and allocate fresh budgets to kick off exciting initiatives. But here’s the burning question: Is the new Wood Dragon year truly ablaze with post-COVID confidence, or are we just witnessing a lot of hot air?

Here are a couple of ways we’ve seen our clients responding to the shifting marketing landscape:

1. Artificial Intelligence Finds Its Sweet Spot

Yes, it’s true that talking about the impact of AI has become a bit of a cliché However, what’s intriguing is how clients are still seeking out agencies for content services. Gone are the days of paying a hefty sum for a USD 800 LinkedIn post. Thanks to the power of ChatGPT 4, most everyday social content can now be created in-house. So, what are clients looking for from content specialists?

• Strategic Lateral Thinking: While any bot can scrape the web and regurgitate concepts and copy from other brands, the art of devising distinctive “1 + 1 = 3” campaign ideas and content remains a distinctly human endeavor—for now.

• Eagle Eye Editing: AI-generated content may be fast and typo-free, but it’s far from perfect. ChatGPT4 tends to hallucinate and fabricate information that fits the format but lacks truth. Moreover, its style often falls flat and resembles a dull high school essay. That’s where human editors with a keen sense of style and a commitment to factual accuracy come in—they can elevate AI’s initial drafts into something truly valuable.

In 2024, expect the rise of “Burger AI”:

*Even this image couldn’t be completely designed by AI. It needed human intervention.

2. The Resurgence of Events with an Exciting Twist

During the COVID era, much speculation revolved around the future of events—would they be strictly in-person, predominantly online, or a hybrid of the two? But it turns out that the most fascinating development isn’t about the format.

The real game-changer is how events have refocused on content. A truly impactful event now revolves around a compelling point of view, serving as a platform for engaging discussions, debates, and demonstrations. Whether these interactions unfold on a physical stage, or a digital screen is less important than ensuring that the right people are involved in sufficient numbers to make the event captivating and financially viable.  

At Current Asia, we experienced this firsthand with the success of the Business of Design Week (BODW) and Hong Kong FinTech Week (HKFTW). Both events made a triumphant return after scaled-down versions in the previous year. As BODW’s Strategic Digital Marketing Partner and media partnership handlers for HKFTW, we witnessed the evolution of events and marketing firsthand.

BODW exemplified this evolution, with a narrative arc extending over six months of captivating storytelling. It all began with the announcement of the event theme and the cultivation of partnerships, speakers, and potential sponsors. As the event details took shape, the focus shifted to positioning the HK Design Centre (and Hong Kong) as an Asian and regional design hub. A series of “Game Changers”—individuals and projects—were showcased, highlighting the transformative power of design in business, quality of life, and sustainability.  

As the event approached, the agenda topics and speakers were featured to boost ticket sales. The event itself was transformed into a television program on ViuTV, generating significant social media buzz with tens of thousands joining the conversation. In this new events paradigm, the event content seamlessly merges with the marketing content, creating a holistic branded event experience. Organic promotion through social media blends with sponsored content, paid search, and media outreach to reach the right audiences at scale.

HKFTW followed a similar path, expertly merging InvestHK’s objective of positioning Hong Kong as a regional and global digital assets hub with opportunities for industry discussions, technology showcases, regulatory debates, and business networking. The event’s content and personalities became both the essence of the experience and the driving force behind marketing and communications efforts.  

Digital platforms and integrated messaging allowed for bold online and in-person event experiences that captivated participants, influencers, and sponsors alike. We anticipate this trend will accelerate, with authentic experiences becoming both the foundation and the marketing catalyst for future events.

We’re eager to hear your thoughts and projections for the year ahead! Drop us an email and share your insights with us. Let’s make 2024 more fiery and a year to remember!

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