Many have heard of Casetify, but few know that its roots lie in Hong Kong. I discovered that Casetify is deeply passionate about the integration of arts, culture, and the expression of everyone’s true individuality through product.
Co-founder and CEO Wes Ng shared a few tips on how a Hong Kong product startup can find global success like Casetify.
Focus on a target demographic profile
Co-founder and CEO Wes Ng started Casetify in Hong Kong to give people the power to express themselves through unique and customizable products.
They began in Hong Kong in 2011. Wes was himself an Instagram addict and noticed that after posting interesting pictures, he would receive some engagement but that was the end of it. He then thought, “wouldn’t it be great if we could turn these great photos into real products?” That’s how Casetify (then called Casetigram) was born.
The decision to start in Hong Kong wasn’t a conscious choice for him. He is from Hong Kong, so it was quite natural to start there. Hong Kong is also at the forefront for phones in Asia, because they’re cheaper to purchase here, so everyone is hyper connected, it’s a picture and selfie capital, and most people do require a phone case. Hong Kong made as much sense as a place to start as anywhere else for Casetify, in that regard.
Benefits of a product company working in Hong Kong
Because of its proximity to China, having a headquarters in Hong Kong definitely has its perks for physical product-focused companies. They’ve capitalized on Hong Kong’s unique balance and blend of centralized international Asia talent and connections to manufacturing, which is just a short MTR ride across the border.
Casetify considers itself a “full stack” company, building, branding, manufacturing and shipping its own products. These important business aspects wouldn’t cut and paste as neatly into other countries.
Leveraging on the power of social media and influencers
They are currently working with many big brands like Colette, BBC ICECREAM, Lane Crawford, Hillary Duff, Karen Mok, and Fiona Sit – but how did that happen? With Casetify, it’s because many of the celebrities were already using their products and they discovered their product through social media. Fans or the celebrities themselves might tag them, in turn allowing them to locate social media savvy celebrities and influencers.
Their first customer ever was actually from Spain, most likely from a Twitter referral. Because of their focus on building a fan base on social media, and their instinctively social savvy audience, Casetify is used and commented on in social media by people like Lionel Messi, Kobe Bryant and Snoop Dogg.
Differences in founders from East and West
Co-founder and CEO Wes Ng has had much experience working in many different places and cultures. In fact, Casetify probably has more brand recognition in the United States than in Asia. I asked him – can the West, Hong Kong, and Asia learn anything from each other?
He says, in terms of startups outside of Asia, it’s very different. With many friends and frequent visits to Silicon Valley, he still sees gaps in terms of execution and the openness to discuss ideas. He feels this is especially true in some industries, especially when compared to China where ecommerce is mature and there is a widespread use of mobile payments.
Awareness and business growth through niche social media networks
The future of product startups?
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