Month: July 2026

Over 90% Take Punitive Action Against Brand Doubt, While 61% Have Walked Away

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 6 July 2026 – Hong Kong consumers have very low tolerance for brands and organisations that are deemed not believable, responding with rapid and decisive backlash when corporate promises trigger doubt. According to a new study on “The Believability Economy” by Ogilvy and YouGov, local residents quickly escalate from questioning claims to complaining on social media, switching to competitors, and fully disengaging. Part of a seven-market Asia Pacific initiative, the Hong Kong SAR edition of Ogilvy’s “Believability Index: The Power of Proof” reveals how critical proof has become to maintaining brand survival.

Silent Disengagement Directly Threatens Revenue

When believability falters, consumer action is almost universal. Of the 1,032 Hong Kong residents aged 18 and over surveyed between late April and early May 2026, 94% stated that they take punitive action once they harbour doubts about a brand or organisation, leaving only 6% with their behaviours unchanged. The local backlash is only slightly below the APAC average of 96%.

This belief-triggered disengagement also inflicts immediate financial consequences: 61% of Hong Kong respondents (70% in APAC) have stopped engaging with or purchasing from a brand or organisation over the past 12 months due to a lack of belief in its claims.

More importantly, silent forms of disengagement dominate the Hong Kong market. Nine in 10 Hongkongers (89%) opt for “silent disengagement”, walking away without saying a word. This quiet exit also carries a severe commercial penalty: it includes 46% who stop purchasing altogether and 32% who migrate to a competitor.

“The research findings are a stark wake-up call for brands and organisations, and show believability makes or breaks consumer decisions in immediate and severe ways,” said Clara Shek, President, Ogilvy Public Relations Hong Kong. “The Hong Kong findings reflect a broader trend in the Asia Pacific region: disengagement often combines quiet withdrawal with more visible signals. Brands and organisations must recognise that what they see publicly is only part of the picture — the quieter, unseen behaviours are dangerous and could be the silent killers of an organisation’s success.”

Vocal punishment is common. Over half (58%) of the respondents say they would take public or semi‑public action, such as:

• Telling friends, family or colleagues not to support the brand or organisation (30%)
• Reporting or flagging organisational content as misleading (17%)
• Leaving a negative review or public comment (15%)
• Actively and publicly avoid their content (14%)
• Contacting them directly to express concerns (12%)
• Posting personal experiences directly on social media (10%)

Lack of Competence and Ethics Triggers Consumer Disengagement

When consumers abandon a brand or organisation due to a breakdown of belief, the top reasons that prompted them to stop engaging or stop purchasing in the past 12 months tie directly to operational execution:

• Products and services didn’t deliver what was promised (34%)
• The brand or organisation handled an issue or mistake poorly (29%)
• Poor business ethics (27%)

Communication missteps also erode foundational belief. A quarter of consumers (25%) state that exaggerated or misleading communications have prompted them to disengage, and 24% disengage when a brand or organisation is unresponsive to issues they raise. In contrast, influencers and spokespeople play a smaller role in believability-driven disengagement — only 15% of respondents report that they would stop engaging with a brand or organisation because a spokesperson or influencer loses credibility.

Drivers of Believability

In Hong Kong, believability is driven far more by the credibility of the source than by the creative style of the content, and people rely primarily on their own judgement or official sources, rather than influencers or highly-polished content. Three quarters (76%) of Hong Kong residents rely on credibility-related influences (such as credible sources and multiple sources), 62% rely on personal perception (whether information aligns with existing knowledge), 59% turn to reviews, and 43% turn to peer validation.

Across all ages, the top drivers of belief are consistently rooted in familiarity and prior experience:

1. A source they already find credible (43%)
2. Information that aligns with their own knowledge or experience (34%)
3. Official or institutional sources (30%)

Conversely, the signals that dominate digital and social media culture — polished and professionally produced content (8%), the amount of people engaging with or sharing the information (16%), and “authentic” creator content (12%) — sit at the bottom of the list as factors that influence whether they believe new information about a brand or organisation.

The Channel Paradox – Where Belief and Scepticism Collide

The Ogilvy Believability Index 2026 finds that mainstream media and official brand channels remain the most influential sources of increased belief in Hong Kong. Almost two-thirds (58%) of Hong Kong residents say information from mainstream media increases their belief in brands and organisations that matter to them, and half (50%) say official brand channels improve belief. Both sources were greeted with relatively minimal scepticism (7% and 8% respectively).

Influencer content and private messaging apps tell a more complex story. The study shows that 30% of Hong Kong consumers say information from social media influencers and KOLs increase their belief, but 26% express heightened scepticism. Private group chats such as WhatsApp show the same near‑equal split: 30% say these channels strengthen their belief, while 26% say they make them more doubtful. In these environments, brands and organisations aren’t generating belief alone — they’re generating belief and doubt in almost equal measure.

“Social media channels may be influential in reach and visibility for brands and organisations, but they are far less effective at strengthening belief,” Ms. Shek said. “In fact, they often create a mix of belief and doubt – a paradox that organisations need to navigate carefully. Traditional tracking tools can create a blind spot for senior leadership as organisations run the risk of over-indexing spending on the exact platforms that are triggering scepticism.”

The importance of mainstream media echoes the latest findings in South China Morning Post’s (SCMP) Intersection of Influence study released on June 24, 2026. The SCMP study shows news media commands the highest attention of any channel in Hong Kong, significantly outperforming other channels (such as social media) in terms of audience focus and staying power. Sixty-one percent (61%) say news reports stay with them long after reading, and 16% use the information to make important decisions. For believability, this shows that news environments don’t just attract attention; they generate intentional, lasting and active engagement in the content.

Negative Ripple Effect for Other Brands

When believability breaks, it spreads. A third (31% local; 36% in APAC) of consumers admit that when their belief in a brand or organisation is lost, they become more wary or suspicious, with 38% of Hong Kong consumers (29% in APAC) reporting that they will subsequently minimise their use of similar products or services from other brands and organisations.

Restoring Belief – Action is Louder Than Words in Hong Kong

On the bright side, 82% of Hong Kong residents (85% in APAC) say belief can be restored. Only 14% of Hong Kong residents (11% in APAC) say that once belief in a source is lost — whether an organisation, media outlet, or public figure — it can never be regained.

When it comes to restoring belief, Hong Kong consumers respond most positively to concrete action. Half (50%) say an organisation must “actively fix the issue” before they will believe them again – a requirement that ranks well above a “public acknowledgement” (40%). Furthermore, another 40% believe it is important to “demonstrate consistent accuracy.”

For Hongkongers, these concrete actions carry far more weight than shifts in communication style alone. Only 29% of respondents feel that being “more transparent or further evidence-based” in their communication helps restore belief, while only 13% say “endorsements from respected individuals” helps restore belief. In other words, accountability and follow‑through are the real drivers of believability.

“Consumers are open to brands and organisations that take actions to repair that credibility. The path to redemption clearly lies in tangible action – correcting problems, publicly acknowledging mistakes and demonstrating consistency. As the findings show, accountability is the ultimate currency of belief,” said Ms. Shek at Ogilvy.

“Despite the popularity of social media and digital channels, Ogilvy’s Hong Kong edition of the ‘Believability Index: The Power of Proof’ calls for a rethink on marketing and issue management approach,” Ms. Shek concluded. “To protect against silent disengagement, leaders must deliver on their core promise, tackle issues transparently, and anchor their communications in mainstream media and official channels, with mindful management of social media and influencer strategy recognising these channels’ belief-scepticism double-edged impact on consumers.”

Hashtag: #Ogilvy

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About Ogilvy’s 2026 Believability Index: Power of Proof

The Hong Kong edition of “Believability Index: The Power of Proof” was conducted online between 22nd April – 4th May 2026. The sample comprised an online representative sample of 1,032 Hong Kong adults aged 18 years and older. Total sample size for Ogilvy’s seven-market Asia Pacific Believability Index 2026 was 7,176 adults in Australia, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Mainland China and Hong Kong SAR (1,032). All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all respective market adults (aged 18+). Ogilvy designed the questionnaire in collaboration with YouGov.

About Ogilvy PR

Ogilvy PR and Influence is a global creative communications agency that partners with organisations to drive value and growth. We build brands, protect reputations, and earn attention and influence through creative storytelling informed by data, and fuelled by technology. Our specialist practice areas offer media relations, social and digital communications, external and internal stakeholder communications, issues and crisis management, and stakeholder engagement. We are the region’s largest and most specialised public relations and public affairs consultancy.

Memperkuat Strategi di Asia Tenggara

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 6 Juli 2026 – Baru-baru ini, XTransfer, platform pembayaran perdagangan lintas-batas B2B terkemuka di dunia, membuka kantor barunya secara resmi di Malaysia. Peresmian ini menandai kelanjutan investasi XTransfer dalam operasi yang berfokus pada kebutuhan lokal di seluruh Asia Tenggara serta menjadi landasan yang kokoh untuk memperkuat layanan pembiayaan perdagangan regional lebih lanjut.

Para pemimpin dan mitra dari sejumlah bank serta lembaga keuangan utama di Malaysia menghadiri acara tersebut untuk menyaksikan tonggak penting ini. Upacara peresmian diawali dengan pertunjukan barongsai yang meriah, kemudian dilanjutkan dengan prosesi pengguntingan pita yang dipimpin oleh para tamu kehormatan dalam suasana penuh perayaan. Tamu yang melakukan pengguntingan pita antara lain Ms Winnie Wong, Direktur Grup Lembaga Keuangan di Maybank; Ms Sylvia Wong, Pimpinan Regional di CIMB; Ms Daphne Yoo, Direktur di OCBC; bersama para perwakilan dari berbagai lembaga dan asosiasi, serta pimpinan tim XTransfer Malaysia.

Para tamu menyampaikan ucapan selamat atas pembukaan kantor baru XTransfer dan berharap perusahaan tersebut akan terus mendukung perkembangan perdagangan lokal dengan menyediakan solusi pembayaran lintas-batas yang lebih efisien dan aman bagi usaha mikro, kecil, dan menengah (UMKM) di Malaysia. Perwakilan dari berbagai bank juga menyampaikan harapan untuk mempererat kerja sama dengan XTransfer, menyempurnakan jaringan penyelesaian transaksi lokal lebih lanjut, serta bersama-sama mendorong perkembangan ekosistem pembayaran lintas-batas.

Sebagai perusahaan teknologi keuangan yang berfokus pada pembiayaan perdagangan global, XTransfer mengedepankan pendekatan yang didorong oleh teknologi dan mengutamakan kepatuhan terhadap peraturan secara konsisten. Perusahaan ini berkomitmen untuk menyediakan solusi pembayaran dan penerimaan dana lintas-batas yang aman, mudah, dan hemat biaya bagi pelaku perdagangan global. Dengan dibukanya kantor baru di Malaysia, XTransfer akan menjadikan Malaysia sebagai pusat strategis untuk kegiatan operasionalnya di Asia Tenggara, memperluas jangkauannya di pasar Asia Pasifik, sekaligus mempercepat ekspansi bisnis regional. Di masa yang akan datang, XTransfer akan terus memajukan strategi internasionalisasinya untuk memberikan layanan yang lebih baik kepada perusahaan perdagangan global.

Perlu diketahui pula bahwa pada bulan Februari tahun ini, XTransfer memperoleh persetujuan bersyarat dari Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) untuk memperoleh izin utama di bidang pembayaran. Setelah seluruh persyaratan sebelum penerbitan izin dipenuhi dan perusahaan memperoleh izin untuk mulai beroperasi, XTransfer akan menghadirkan layanan pembayaran digital guna mendukung dunia usaha, khususnya UMKM yang bergerak dalam perdagangan internasional. Dengan pembukaan kantor baru tersebut secara resmi, XTransfer akan mendayagunakan kapabilitas layanan lokal yang makin kuat, dipadukan dengan jaringan global yang dimiliki olehnya, untuk terus membantu pelaku perdagangan di kawasan meraih peluang global serta memperluas jangkauan ke pasar internasional yang lebih luas.

Hashtag: #XTransfer #Crossborder #Payment #SMEs #Malaysia

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

ANNECY, FRANCE – Media OutReach Newswire – 5 July 2026 – XPPen, a global leading brand in digital art innovation, continues its support for the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in 2026 through its partnership with the Annecy Festival Residency, while showcasing its latest product lineup at MIFA 2026. Together, these initiatives reflect XPPen’s long-term commitment to empowering animation creators, from nurturing emerging talent to equipping professionals with tools for evolving production workflows.

Supporting the Next Generation of Animation Storytellers

Building on its support for emerging animation talent through the inaugural XPPen Award for Graduation Films at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in 2025, XPPen deepens its commitment to the animation community through the 2026 Annecy Festival Residency. The initiative provides selected animation feature film projects with studio space, tailor-made professional mentorship and opportunities to engage with the global animation community.

This year’s residency selected three animation projects from 52 submissions across 29 countries: All the Heaven’s Doors, Condenaditos, and Todo viene del agua. These projects boldly reflect on social issues, refuse fatalism, and revisit fragments of life and history with exceptional artistic courage and creative vision. As the residency’s official partner, XPPen provides its flagship Artist Pro 27 (Gen 2) drawing displays to support artists throughout the creative development process, from concept sketching and storyboarding to visual refinement.

“We contribute more than hardware, but also our deep respect for artistic souls who refuse to follow the crowd—those committed to using animation to probe the depths of human nature,” said Brian Huang, Marketing Director at XPPen. “We admire creators who challenge the world through storytelling, and we’re honored to walk alongside such creative spirits with tools they can trust throughout their journey.”

Featuring professional-grade color performance, a 27-inch 4K 120Hz display, and X-Touch technology, the Artist Pro 27 (Gen 2) enables artists to remain fully immersed in art creation. By seamlessly supporting technical demands, the tool fades into the background and becomes an extension of the creator, freeing artists to focus on what matters most: telling compelling stories.

Showcasing Professional Innovation at MIFA 2026

At MIFA 2026, the world’s leading animation industry marketplace held alongside the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, XPPen presented its latest creative product lineup, demonstrating how its expanding ecosystem supports creators at every stage of their creative journey.

The lineup spans entry-level standalone tablets for aspiring artists, the Magic Drawing Pad for everyday digital creation, the Artist 16 3rd portable pen display for professional creators, the flagship Artist Pro 27 (Gen 2) for high-end creative production, and the newly launched Pilot Pro, a productivity-focused editing console designed to streamline editing workflows, marking XPPen’s first foray into the professional editing console category.

Beyond product demonstrations, XPPen invited artists to share their creative process on site. Illustrator and animator Julie Roulet demonstrated how professional pen displays can support efficient animation workflows, while 2D/3D artist Benjamin Cerbai explored hybrid digital creation using the Magic Drawing Pad, giving visitors first-hand insight into how the device supports diverse creative scenarios.

By continuing its presence at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival and MIFA, XPPen reaffirms its long-term commitment to supporting creators through both technological innovation and meaningful engagement with the animation industry. Guided by its belief in empowering bold self-expression, XPPen is dedicated to developing tools that enable creators to turn ideas into reality. The company continues to build a creative ecosystem that supports artists at every stage of their journey, growing alongside them from their first ideas to professional creative production.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.