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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.
Believability Index HK Infographics
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:
A source they already find credible (43%)
Information that aligns with their own knowledge or experience (34%)
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.
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World Cup Fever Returns: Learning Emotional Management on the Pitch
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 30 June 2026 – The four-yearly World Cup is in full swing, and the football fever once again sweeps the globe. The pitch has long been known as a “proving ground” for heroes; even for world-class players with years of experience, the joy of scoring a goal is often balanced by the sight of others in tears, frustrated by a defeat. The prowess of these players will be etched into the hearts of countless children, inspiring a lifelong love for the sport.
Save the Children Hong Kong firmly believes that the football pitch is more than just a venue for competition—it is an ideal classroom for Social-emotional Learning. For eight-year-old Kai-long, the setbacks and failures experienced on the pitch have proven far more vital to his personal growth than mastering technical skills or perfecting “step-overs”.
The Play to Thrive programme empowers children to master emotional management and communication skills while staying active in sports. Compared to a “Zidane turn”, these are the skills that will truly serve them for a lifetime.
On the training ground, eight-year-old Kai-long’s skills are clearly “a cut above the rest”. From the way he carries the ball to the power of his strikes, he already carries himself like a mini professional. During internal matches, he frequently finds the back of the net, scoring multiple goals for his side.
However, the moments that truly bring a smile of approval to the coaches and teachers are not Kai-long’s technical displays, but his small yet heart-warming gestures. For instance, he is seen helping teammates by steadying the inflatable goalposts during shooting drills. Even when knocked down during a match, if the coach does not blow for a foul, Kai-long doesn’t complain; he simply brushes it off with a smile and gets straight back to chasing the ball.
When Excellence Becomes a Burden: Children Trapped by the Need to Win
“He has a personality that tends to be quite fixated on winning and losing. Because of his own performance, or because his classmates’ performance didn’t meet his expectations, he would sometimes experience emotional ups and downs,” explains Mr. Lui, the PE teacher. He admits that while Kai-long’s football skills are outstanding, his stubborn nature previously caused friction with teammates and classmates. Mr. Lui noted that since Kai-long was already a member of the school’s reserve team, he recommended him for the Play to Thrive programme not to “learn football”, but in the hope that he would learn how to get along with others.
Consequently, what moved Mr. Lui the most was not Kai-long’s “goal-scoring show”, but his reaction during a match when other students deliberately moved the inflatable goalposts. Instead of complaining or losing his temper as he might have done in the past, Kai-long continued to play with a smile on his face. “Previously, he might have called it unfair or had an emotional outburst, but today he didn’t complain; he even found it quite funny. He is no longer fixated on winning or losing.”
In the eyes of his father, Chung, Kai-long has been a child with extremely high expectations of himself and a drive for perfection since he was young. “Whether it is schoolwork or his behaviour, he hopes to be a good role model and be very well-behaved.” However, Chung also mentioned that this perfectionist streak serves as a source of pressure for Kai-long.
Interpersonal Skills Are More Important Than Footballing Ability
Chung admits that Kai-long used to be very fixated on winning and losing: “In the past, if he lost a game of football against his elder brother, he would be resentful; when he was younger, he even tried to hit him.” While it is natural to crave goals and seek victory on the pitch, Chung also believes that how one treats others and interacts with peers is a vital part of growing up, which is why he enrolled Kai-long in Play to Thrive.
“Football is a natural educational tool,” says Ms. Wong Shek Hung, Director of Hong Kong Programmes at Save the Children Hong Kong. She explains that experiencing victory, defeat, and frustration is inevitable in sports, providing the perfect opportunity for children to learn emotional management. She adds that Play to Thrive originated from a community football programme developed by Save the Children UK for children in Jordan and Indonesia.
The core of the programme lies in integrating Social-emotional Learning into football training to help children build five core competencies: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. Furthermore, the programme is open to all children regardless of gender, ethnicity, or background, allowing them to master self-awareness, emotional regulation, and team communication skills within a diverse and inclusive environment.
No Ordinary Football Training
As this is unlike conventional football training, every coach is required to undergo professional training covering “Child Safeguarding” and emotional support knowledge. Ms. Wong Shek Hung notes that during the “debriefing” session at the end of each practice, coaches guide the children to reflect on their experiences on the pitch, attempting to translate these moments into emotional literacy. The ultimate goal is “to let children learn how to become ‘masters of their own emotions’.”
Demonstrating Personal Growth and Cultivating Leadership Skills
Mr. Lui noticed that after joining the programme, Kai-long not only showed progress in his personal emotional management but also learned how to consider things from others’ perspectives. During PE lessons, Kai-long has become more willing to take the initiative to help his classmates and has learned to accept teammates with different abilities, even proactively coaching others. “He gets along with his classmates much more harmoniously now; the barriers that existed before have disappeared,” Mr. Lui remarked. He further revealed that Kai-long’s form teacher, having observed this growth, officially appointed him as a class monitor for the second term.
His father, Chung, observed that since joining the programme, Kai-long has demonstrated a level of resilience rarely seen before. He recalled a match where Kai-long served as both captain and goalkeeper; even when facing conceded goals and falling behind, “his first instinct wasn’t to feel discouraged, but rather to keep encouraging his teammates from the back to keep running and keep attacking.”
Ms. Wong Shek Hung reaffirmed that this is precisely the philosophy of Play to Thrive: “We emphasise ‘Football Second, Growth First’, ensuring that even if children lose a match, they learn to handle their emotions, communicate, and cooperate throughout the process.”
Building Resilience: Transforming Lives Through Football
Ms. Kalina Tsang, CEO of Save the Children Hong Kong, stated that she has always believed football is a powerful tool for building resilience in children: “We have always been concerned about children’s physical and mental well-being. Football is more than just a sport; beyond honing technical skills, it can be used to build a child’s resilience. By combining football training with Social-emotional Learning, and under the guidance of professionally trained coaches, Play to Thrive ensures that the sweat shed by children on the pitch is transformed into self-awareness and emotional management skills.” Ms. Tsang also noted that Kai-long’s growth perfectly embodies the programme’s success. She said, “We are deeply gratified to see Kai-long progress from initial emotional fluctuations to confidently cooperating with teammates and facing victory or defeat positively—improving both on a personal level and in his interactions with peers.”
As for Kai-long himself, it is difficult for an eight-year-old to describe his transformation in detail. But when asked what was different about him, he said with an innocent smile, “I used to blame my teammates for not passing the ball, but now I’ve learned not to. I tell them: ‘It’s okay, pass it again next time. We’ll win the ball back together.'”
Launched in Hong Kong in 2023, the Play to Thrive programme is a service that integrates Social-emotional Learning with football training. It aims to create a safe and supportive space for schoolchildren, promoting their physical, social, and mental health through sport. The programme currently operates across various districts in Hong Kong, including community teams in areas such as Sham Shui Po and Tin Shui Wai. The school-based project collaborates with over 30 primary schools across the territory, integrating football training into school life to help students recognise and manage their emotions, build healthy interpersonal relationships, and enhance their confidence and resilience. In response to the current situation where up to 39% of primary and secondary students in Hong Kong face mental health challenges, the programme places special emphasis on SEL to help children master effective communication and emotional management both on and off the pitch.
In 2025 alone, the community and school projects of Play to Thrive held a total of 744 training sessions, with total service hours exceeding 1,000 hours. The programme reached 1,120 children and their families across Hong Kong, establishing close partnerships with 32 schools and 4 non-profit organisations. In terms of impact assessment, participant satisfaction was high, with satisfaction rates for the community and school projects reaching 80% and 75%, respectively.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Save the Children Hong Kong
Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. In Hong Kong and around the world, we do whatever it takes – every day and in times of crisis – so children can fulfil their rights to a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. With over 100 years of expertise, we are the world’s first and leading independent children’s organisation – transforming lives and future.
Established in 2009, Save the Children Hong Kong is part of the global movement which operates in around 100 countries. We work with children, families, schools, communities and our supporters to deliver lasting change for children in Hong Kong and around the world.
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Oman and Sri Lanka have opened a new channel of investment cooperation centred on special economic zones, free zones and industrial cities, adding momentum to efforts by both countries to attract long-term capital into logistics, real estate, services and manufacturing.
Qais Mohammed Al Yousef, Chairman of the Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones, held talks in Muscat with Harsha Amarasekera, Chairman of the Colombo Port City Economic Commission, on opportunities to link the two countries’ zone-development strategies. The discussions covered commercial and real estate development, mechanisms to improve the business environment, and ways to draw high-quality investments into projects designed to support sustainable growth.
The meeting marks a targeted attempt to move bilateral economic ties beyond conventional trade into the management, promotion and regulation of investment destinations. Both sides reviewed experience in developing and administering special economic zones and examined international practices that could raise operational efficiency, improve investor services and strengthen competitiveness.
For Oman, the engagement fits a wider policy push to make economic zones central to diversification under Vision 2040. OPAZ, established in 2020, supervises key destinations including the Special Economic Zone at Duqm, Sohar Free Zone, Salalah Free Zone and Al Mazunah Free Zone, while promoting a network of industrial estates and logistics-led investment sites. The zones offer incentives such as full foreign ownership, capital and profit repatriation, customs advantages and tax exemptions that can run up to 30 years for qualifying projects.
The policy framework was reinforced by Royal Decree 38/2025, which brought special economic zones and free zones under a unified law that took effect in April 2025. The legislation replaced separate legal regimes for free zones and Duqm, introduced clearer provisions for foreign ownership and licensing, and strengthened the case for a one-stop system to cut procedural delays for investors.
Duqm has become the most visible test of that strategy. Oman signed ten agreements and memoranda this month for projects in the zone with estimated investments of $7.5 billion, including a $4.2 billion green hydrogen development by ACME Group. The package underlines how Muscat is using zone-based infrastructure to capture capital in clean energy, downstream industry, logistics and export-linked production.
Sri Lanka approaches the talks from a different but complementary position. The island’s post-crisis recovery has made investment promotion a policy priority, with foreign direct investment crossing $1 billion in 2025. The Board of Investment approved 146 projects worth about $1.9 billion during the year, with manufacturing, port development and tourism accounting for the largest shares of inflows.
Colombo Port City gives Sri Lanka a flagship platform for the dialogue with Oman. Built on 269 hectares of reclaimed land next to Colombo’s central business district, the project is structured as an international service-oriented special economic zone, with an initial investment of $1.4 billion and expected overall investment of about $20 billion when fully developed. Its commission acts as a single-window facilitator for investors and grants incentives for businesses of strategic importance.
The Omani-Sri Lankan conversation also highlighted small and medium-sized enterprises, an area where both economies are seeking wider participation in export growth and innovation. Sri Lanka’s SME base is tied to apparel, services, technology, tourism and light manufacturing, while Oman is trying to deepen local supply chains around ports, industrial estates and energy projects. Collaboration could extend from investor promotion to training, supplier development and zone management systems.
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Freight costs on key Asia-UAE routes have surged from about $1,000 to as much as $7,000 per container, intensifying pressure on importers, retailers, manufacturers and re-exporters that rely on Dubai and other UAE hubs for supplies moving across the Gulf, Africa and South Asia.
The jump, flagged at an IBPC Dubai logistics session, reflects a wider disruption in maritime corridors linked to Middle East tensions, fuel-cost volatility, security-risk surcharges and capacity constraints. Paras Shahdadpuri, Governor of IBPC Dubai and Chairman of Nikai Group, said the disruption had tested businesses while reinforcing confidence in the UAE’s ability to respond effectively. “Freight rates have risen from $1,000 to $7,000, putting pressure on businesses, but the speed of response here has helped maintain confidence in uncertain times,” he said.
The impact is being felt most sharply by businesses with thin margins or long replenishment cycles. Consumer electronics, appliances, automotive parts, food products, textiles, building materials and pharmaceutical consignments are among the categories most exposed to higher freight, delayed vessel schedules and tighter booking windows. Importers face a difficult choice: absorb added costs, renegotiate supply contracts, delay shipments or pass part of the burden to consumers.
Dubai’s response has centred on route diversification, customs facilitation and closer coordination among ports, logistics operators, carriers and government agencies. The Green Corridor linking Dubai and Oman has become a critical pressure valve, allowing cargo arriving through Omani ports and airports to move overland through streamlined procedures. Customs declarations through the corridor rose from about 12,000 in March to nearly 100,000 in April, while the value of goods moved increased from Dh1 billion to more than Dh8 billion.
The corridor has helped sustain flows for containers destined for Jebel Ali, goods entering the local market and re-export cargo bound for other destinations. More than 100,000 TEUs have already moved through Green Corridor initiatives, underlining how quickly shippers have adapted to alternative supply routes. Food security shipments and refrigerated cargo movements have remained stable, a key benchmark for a market dependent on uninterrupted imports.
Freight inflation is not confined to the UAE lane. Global container benchmarks have moved higher as peak-season demand started earlier than usual and conflict risk reshaped vessel deployment. The World Container Index climbed to $3,549 per 40ft container in mid-June, while Asia-Europe and transpacific routes also recorded rate increases. Fuel costs, insurance premiums and route deviations have widened the gap between contracted and spot-market pricing.
The UAE’s logistics model has so far avoided the deeper breakdown seen during earlier global supply-chain shocks. Jebel Ali remains central to regional trade, while Fujairah, Khor Fakkan and Omani gateways have gained strategic importance as alternative access points. Cargo owners are mixing sea, land and air solutions to balance cost against reliability, making multimodal logistics a boardroom issue rather than a back-office procurement function.
The pressure comes at a sensitive time for India-UAE trade, which has expanded under the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement that entered into force in 2022. Bilateral trade reached $101.25 billion in FY2025-26, with the UAE ranking as India’s third-largest trading partner and second-largest export destination. Higher freight costs risk eroding some of the tariff and market-access gains achieved through the pact, particularly for mid-sized exporters and distributors operating on fixed price commitments.
Business groups say the crisis is accelerating changes that were already under way. Importers are adding supplier options in Southeast Asia and the GCC, splitting shipments across ports, increasing buffer stocks for critical items and using digital tracking tools to manage delays. Logistics providers are offering blended products that combine ocean freight, bonded trucking and air cargo, while retailers are reviewing inventory cycles before the next seasonal demand peak.
The strain is also prompting fresh attention to contract design. More companies are inserting freight-adjustment clauses, separating shipping costs from product pricing and seeking clearer force-majeure language for geopolitical disruption. For smaller traders, the biggest challenge is cash flow: a container that once required a modest upfront freight payment can now tie up several times more capital before goods even reach the warehouse.
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