Situation: The 11th Gay Games held in Hong Kong, an international event promoting inclusivity and diversity through sports and culture, has never been held in Asia before, a region with traditionally low acceptance levels of LGBTQ+ communities. Previous host cities included Sydney, Paris, San Francisco, and Amsterdam.

Brief: GGHK2023's mission was to launch a large-scale, impactful campaign to raise awareness, educate, and build support for the Gay Games in Hong Kong, Asia's first host city, despite geopolitics and cultural resistance.

Objectives: The primary objectives were to increase awareness of the event, engage and expand the Gay Games audience in Asia, and most importantly, champion and educate the public about the importance of diversity and inclusion. Additionally, the campaign aimed to foster community support and participation from diverse demographics, including LGBTQ+ individuals, allies, and the public.

Creative Idea: Blending Tradition with Colorful Diversity

The campaign artfully wove local cultural elements with global LGBTQ+ narratives to create a cohesive and powerful message of inclusion and empowerment. The innovative and colorful "Pride Lions" of the Opening Ceremony challenged traditional norms with a modern twist on the lion dance – a powerful emblem of respect in Chinese culture. Dancing lions in all colors of the rainbow represented diversity, contrasted within an Asian heritage context. This compelling visual metaphor carried through the entire campaign, featured in videos, podcasts, social posts, and media libraries. Alongside heartwarming coming out stories like Hong Kong singer Terence Siufay and out Scottish footballer (both GGHK Ambassadors) Zander Murray's personal journeys, the narrative resonated universally. Ambassadors such as Silvy of Thailand and Jason Dhakal of Philippines made it clear: no matter who you are or where you come from, unity and diversity are co-dependent and celebrated.

The strategy was insight-led, relying on the key message that sports and culture transcend boundaries and bring people together. The target audience was as diverse as the participants, ranging from local supporters to the global LGBTQ+ community and allies. The campaign used local cultural symbols to earn authentic attention from the target audience. Assets were distributed through a multi-channel approach, including visually impactful promo videos and podcasts, to maximize reach and engagement. The strategy was to create a ripple effect, starting from local communities and expanding to a global stage, earning the event the attention it deserved.

Across social media, especially X (Twitter), GGHK organisers were ruthlessly attacked by both ends of the political spectrum. Against opposing voices, GGHK's response was balanced, respectful and objective, employing a triage process that ignored trolls while actively engaging neutral parties seeking to understand and not undermine. We lived our values of acceptance.

Execution: Multi-Channel Phased Approach

The execution was a multifaceted, multi-year campaign that culminated in November 2023. Global media outreach was attained on an NGO budget, with outbound events such as a GGHK float at the 2023 Sydney Mardi Gras, and popup booths across Pride events in Tokyo, Bangkok, Birmingham, New York, Singapore, Amsterdam, and more. Promotional videos, such as "The Ambassadors," "Come Out for the Games," and athlete shorts on social media, were tailored to showcase different facets of the event and its values. The implementation was scaled to utilize both traditional media and digital platforms, maximizing visibility and engagement. KOLs engaged as Ambassadors included out athlete Zander Murray, and entertainers Terence Siufay (HK), Silvy (Thailand), and Jason Dhakal (Philippines). The campaign also leveraged key moments, such as the unveiling of the "Sunny the Lion" mascot during Pride month June 2023, to capitalize on global conversations around LGBTQ+ rights.

A post-event study by Kent State University Department of Economics calculated that GGHK contributed HK$200M in economic impact to HK, with over 40 multinationals supporting, and 5600 visitors representing over 40 nationalities entering HK over 9 days.

GGHK has helped raise awareness and promote inclusivity and acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community, and provided a platform for athletes and participants to showcase their talents and challenge stereotypes.

Media output in 2023 featured 1585 unique press stories in 2023 that carried narratives of triumph and acceptance, creating a positive tone that resonated globally. Global mainstream media profile stories included: BBC, CNN, NBC, Fox, SCMP, Financial Times, The Economist, The Globe and Sun, The Independent, and major newswires including Reuters, Bloomberg, AFP, and more. The campaign's social media reach was substantial as well, with 8.8M reached on Facebook and 623K on Instagram, significantly amplifying digital engagement.