Quick answer: Mainland Chinese companies are now the largest group setting up in Hong Kong: 298 of the record 560 companies InvestHK helped in 2025 came from the mainland. In retail, JLL counts mainland brands as about 30% of all new entrants in 2025. For a brand opening in Hong Kong, outdoor advertising in the right district is the fastest way to be seen by locals and by the 49.9 million visitors who came in 2025. XGD Media’s standard billboard and LED sites start from HK$30,000 per week.

The numbers behind the wave

  • Companies InvestHK helped set up or expand in Hong Kong, 2025: 560 (a record) (InvestHK, Jan 2026)
  • …of which from the Chinese mainland: 298 (53%) (InvestHK, Jan 2026)
  • Next-largest source, the United States: 42 (InvestHK, Jan 2026)
  • Mainland brands’ share of new retail entrants, 2025: About 30% (JLL, May 2026)
  • Mainland brands’ share of new retail entrants, Jan–Apr 2026: Over 20% (JLL, May 2026)
  • Visitor arrivals to Hong Kong, 2025: 49.9 million, about three in four from the mainland (Hong Kong Tourism Board, Jan 2026)

No other source comes close. The next-largest group in InvestHK’s 2025 figures, the United States, accounted for 42 companies. Consumer products was one of the five busiest sectors, with 54 companies.

From milk tea to make-up: who is arriving

The first wave was food and drink: tea chains, hotpot and fast casual dining. Since the second half of 2025, JLL has seen more openings in fashion, skincare and beauty, with brands such as Guanxia, HLA and Mao Geping taking space. Gold jewellery, cosmetics, leather goods and fragrance are expected to follow.

Many of these brands treat Hong Kong as a showroom. It is an international, bilingual market where a brand can build a global image before expanding overseas, and the credibility earned here also helps back home.

Not every opening lasts

Arriving is not the same as being noticed. In October 2026, Sing Tao reported that 13 mainland food and drink brands had closed or shrunk in Hong Kong since 2024. Mixue went from about nine stores to three. Rent and location matter, but so does awareness. Hong Kong shoppers have more choice per street than almost anywhere, and a new name has only a few weeks to become familiar.

What works differently in Hong Kong

  • Language. Locals read Traditional Chinese and English and speak Cantonese. Creative written only in Simplified Chinese reads as aimed at tourists. For local reach, adapt the headline and call to action into Traditional Chinese, ideally with a Cantonese touch.
  • Audience mix. In Causeway Bay and Tsim Sha Tsui, mainland visitors and local shoppers share the same pavement, so one LED screen can reach both.
  • Social amplification. A striking 3D or live-data billboard gets filmed and shared on Instagram, Threads and Xiaohongshu, where many mainland consumers check a brand before they visit.
  • Short decision windows. Store openings, pop-ups and festive campaigns run on tight timelines. Check availability as soon as your opening date is fixed.

A launch timeline that works

  • 6–8 weeks before opening: Shortlist districts and sites, check availability, brief the creative
  • 2–3 weeks before: Teaser on LED screens near the store, artwork in Traditional Chinese and English
  • Opening week: Peak weight: a landmark LED screen plus nearby static billboards
  • Weeks 2–8: Keep presence with static billboards or programmatic DOOH by time of day; refresh the creative
  • After the campaign: Compare store footfall, social mentions and search interest with the weeks before

Most XGD Media campaigns run for 2 weeks or more; 1-week bookings are possible at some sites, depending on availability.

Matching the district to the brand

Causeway Bay

  • Who you reach: Hong Kong’s heaviest shopping footfall; locals and visitors
  • XGD Media sites: SOGO TV (Hong Kong’s largest LED screen), LFR (6.2M monthly pedestrians), Times Square, Hysan Place
  • Good for: Fashion, beauty, tea and snacks, consumer tech

Central / Lan Kwai Fong

  • Who you reach: Office workers, affluent residents, nightlife
  • XGD Media sites: 26W (Hong Kong’s first live-feed programmatic LED billboard), Central Tower
  • Good for: Premium drinks, jewellery, finance, lifestyle

Tsim Sha Tsui

  • Who you reach: Tourists and shoppers
  • XGD Media sites: Mirador Mansion LED, Fontaine Building
  • Good for: Beauty, jewellery, travel retail

Mong Kok

  • Who you reach: Young locals, evening crowds
  • XGD Media sites: 598S LED, Grand Plaza
  • Good for: Gaming, tea, youth fashion

Mainland brands we have launched in Hong Kong

XGD Media has run Hong Kong campaigns for mainland brands across retail, gaming, drinks and entertainment, including Pop Mart, Genshin Impact, Punishing: Gray Raven, Moutai, Bigo Live and Yum China.

What it costs

Standard static and LED sites start from HK$30,000 per week. Landmark screens such as SOGO TV are quoted individually, depending on dates, slot frequency and campaign length. See our billboard cost guide for how pricing works, or browse all 40+ locations.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a billboard launch campaign in Hong Kong cost?

With XGD Media, standard static and LED sites start from HK$30,000 per week, and most campaigns run for 2 weeks or more (1 week is possible at some sites, depending on availability). Landmark screens such as SOGO TV in Causeway Bay are quoted individually.

Should our billboard be in Simplified or Traditional Chinese?

For Hong Kong residents, use Traditional Chinese and English. Simplified Chinese can work where most of the audience is mainland visitors, but a bilingual Traditional Chinese and English layout is the safest choice.

How far ahead should we book?

As soon as your opening date is fixed. Six to eight weeks gives time to choose sites and adapt creative. Festive periods such as Christmas and Chinese New Year fill first.

Can you adapt our mainland creative for Hong Kong?

Yes. XGD Media’s in-house creative team adapts artwork for Hong Kong billboards and produces motion, 3D anamorphic and live-data content.

Can the message change by time of day?

Yes, on digital screens. Programmatic DOOH lets you change creative by daypart, weather or audience, for example a lunchtime offer and an evening launch message.

Planning a Hong Kong opening?

Tell us your opening date, district and budget. We will shortlist sites from 40+ Hong Kong locations and reply with availability and rates within one business day. Get rates and availability.

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