Steve R Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 I thought RMWeb members might be intrigued by these. They are adverts for bank accounts/wealth management products in Hong Kong, both featuring model railways. The first is from DBS bank, photographed in 2007, but was used for about two years. The second, from Bank of Communications is more recent. The implication seems to be that model railways are a 'luxury' item/symbol of affluence. What amuses me is the different 'image' of the hobby - I can't imagine model railways being used in advertsing in the UK this way. Also interesting that both depict German models. A positive sign for the hobby though? Steve R. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Kris Posted January 27, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 27, 2013 More a case that the space required to have a railway is the aspiration rather than the railway itself. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cromptonnut Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 Indeed, they both look "HO" to me whereas most Japanese model in N, as it's much smaller hence the ability to get a layout in the average sized Japanese home, which is fairly small considering what we're used to over here. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatB Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 I think there may also be an element of it being rather more socially acceptable in Asia to be a bit nerdy and cerebral than it is in the Anglosphere. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Ian J. Posted January 27, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 27, 2013 Actually, thinking on the recent BBC4 programme on model railways (with a thread of its own here), model railways in this country started out as a rich man's 'plaything' made by Bassett-Lowke (from Germany), and took a much longer time to become a child's toy made in this country. Maybe the Asian experience is just following the same pattern? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium New Haven Neil Posted January 27, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 27, 2013 Indeed, they both look "HO" to me whereas most Japanese model in N, as it's much smaller hence the ability to get a layout in the average sized Japanese home, which is fairly small considering what we're used to over here. Chinese, not Japanese....Hong Kong. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigMal Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 No direct experience, but, apparently space in Hong Kong is VERY expensive. If you have the space to "waste" on a model railway you are probably well heeled. Mal Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted January 28, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 28, 2013 My brother is out in Hong Kong and the price he paid for a terraced house is extortionate compared to even in the South East except for some places in Central London and he isn't even in a central location. No chance of him ever having model railways though! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozexpatriate Posted January 29, 2013 Share Posted January 29, 2013 I thought RMWeb members might be intrigued by these. They are adverts for bank accounts/wealth management products in Hong Kong, both featuring model railways.Steve, that's very interesting. Thanks for sharing.A positive sign for the hobby though?More of a cross-cultural thing I suspect. A combination of the prestige associated with having a home large enough to accomodate a model railway with some post-empire nostalgia for old Hong Kong in the association with the very British love of railways. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve R Posted January 29, 2013 Author Share Posted January 29, 2013 As some have mentioned, space is definitely an issue in Hong Kong. Although they are both quite compact layouts, the space implication might be there. I just find it surprising that the ad agency or whoever created these campaigns, considers their target customers would perceive model railways in the same realm as more obvious things like sports cars, fine wines and yachts. Proving the point, today I noticed Bank of Communications has taken the billboards at the entrance to Western Harbour Tunnel. The model railway ad is on one panel, and their ad featuring a happy family aboard a yacht on the other. Without wishing to over-analyse things, model railways don't have the scope for entertaining/impressing your friends and associates that cars, wine and yachts have. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
burgundy Posted January 29, 2013 Share Posted January 29, 2013 Proving the point, today I noticed Bank of Communications has taken the billboards at the entrance to Western Harbour Tunnel. The model railway ad is on one panel, and their ad featuring a happy family aboard a yacht on the other. Without wishing to over-analyse things, model railways don't have the scope for entertaining/impressing your friends and associates that cars, wine and yachts have. Interesting, though, that the second ad. plays up the "father and son" thing, very like the old Hornby ads. Best wishes Eric Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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