Adland Veteran Chris Kyme Teams Up With Tommy Cheng On 'Made in Hong Kong'

Kymechow CEO and creative director Chris Kyme has recently published Made in Hong Kong, a book on the evolution of Hong Kong creative advertising, and how it developed from its early more Western-inspired influences to finding its own unique and very local style of creativity.

It’s about the pioneers of the local industry, the foundations which they set in place and the core period which followed when creative competition, and standards, were at their peak.

The early chapters set the scene from the 1950s through 1960s and how Hong Kong first developed as an advertising market thanks to the post-war boom years, paving the way for the big international brands looking to cash in on the emerging middle class, and the big name advertising agencies which were hot on their heels.

This book features interviews with key creative leaders from the Hong Kong scene during the past 30 years, and explores some of the greatest campaigns that the territory has seen, pre and post-1997.

It traces the evolution in style of creativity from the earlier, western-influenced, and expatriate-driven creativity of the 1970s and 80s, through to the emergence of a more unique, local and very Cantonese voice which preceded and followed the handover.

Finally, Made in Hong Kong looks to the future, to China and to the role that Hong Kong might play in the bigger scheme of things.

"This is a tribute to all those who built the industry, and features samples of long forgotten campaigns which many people had grown up with," said author Kyme.

Kyme has spent over 25 years in Asia with multi-national agencies including Leo Burnett, Grey and FCB. He was the regional creative director and a member of the worldwide creative board at FCB.