FIC Aims High To Build "Chinese HBO"

Hong Kong – Fox International Channels (FIC) is hoping to build its Star Chinese Movies channel into "the HBO of Chinese movies" with a major rebranding campaign.

Starting from this Saturday in Hong Kong, Star Chinese Movies will be renamed as SCM, branded with a new crown logo that seeks to position the channel as the "emperor of Chinese entertainment".

An integrated campaign will also roll out across out-of-home, print and online to support the revamp.

Joon Lee, senior vice president of programming, creative and channel operations of FIC in Asia, told Marketing that the move is part of the company's strategy to promote SCM globally.

"We want to make SCM the HBO of Chinese movies," he said.

Lee said FIC will leverage its global network to increase SCM's presence beyond Hong Kong and Taiwan to markets outside Asia such as Australia, the Middle East and the U.S.

"By making it into a prestige channel, we are talking to the Chinese population all over the world."

However, Lee said Chinese movie channels in general do not get the respect they deserved.

"Regardless of the significant amount of subscribers that a Chinese movie channel is pulling in, we have to face up to the fact that Hollywood movie channels are still more recognised.

"We hope to put SCM back into the limelight for a delayed justice."

In addition to pulling in subscribers, Lee said the rebranding also aims to attract advertisers in the lifestyle and luxury categories as SCM will be positioned as a premium platform.

The rebranding will first launch in Hong Kong and later across Southeast Asia in the next few months. 

Zubin Gandevia, chief operating officer, Asia Pacific and Middle East of FIC added that this is the start of the company's plans for SCM and its Chinese-language channels.

"FIC will be blazing the trail in redefining the whole Chinese entertainment genre," Gandevia said.