K11 snags Digital Initiative of the Year - Hong Kong 

What started as a crisis management initiative turned into an opportunity to entertain with 11 robots.

Amidst concerns arising from a case cluster at cultural-retail destination K11 MUSEA during the pandemic’s fourth wave in Hong Kong, K11 was able to push through and quell public safety concerns thanks to the help of 11 smart robots.

The sanitisation robots became K11 MUSEA’s main touchpoint in regaining customer confidence, starring in a light-hearted 1 minute, 12-second video wherein not only did they sterilise every nook and cranny of the premises, but also got into some harmless mischief as they strolled — or rather waltzed through — stores and K11 MUSEA’s other highlight offerings. From appreciating fine art, admiring shoes, lining up for croissants, and gawking at the height of K11 MUSEA’s multi-storey kids’ slide, K11 ensured that the landmark remains to be the safest place in town.

Each robot is equipped with up to 10 litres of sterilising solution certified to eliminate 99.99% of germs and viruses including COVID-19. Each huff and puff of the robot sprays the disinfectant into the air and floor, covering a 4.5-metre radius. The droids are also able to zip their way through all levels of K11 MUSEA thanks to the SLAM navigation system and are also equipped with three types of anti-collision sensors, similar to those found in automated parking systems.

The fun-loving robots are also named after well-known artists and robots from popular films, further giving each autonomous droid a friendly and approachable personality. 

It is no wonder that the short videos went viral on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook, garnering close to 2 million global views, with exposure from over 30 local and international media titles that generated over 750,000 aggregate views.

What started as a crisis management initiative morphed into the perfect opportunity for K11 to not only reassure the public of their safety measures but also showcase what K11 MUSEA had to offer to the wider community. When K11 MUSEA reopened on March 6, 2021, footfall soared 54.23%, from 50,116 to 77,293 week-on-week, recovering a similar level to its peak during the previous Chinese New Year weekend (13-15 Feb 2021).

It is for this unique solution that K11 received the Digital Initiative of the Year - Hong Kong award at the recently concluded Retail Asia Awards, presented by Retail Asia. Now in its 16th year, the awards event lauds exceptional retailers, projects, and executives who have introduced remarkable initiatives and solutions that have further changed the retail industry. 

Having the robots performed a waltz in the atrium of K11 MUSEA proved to have brought a whole other meaning to ‘waltzing through’ what would otherwise be considered a difficult and worrying time. In the face of crisis, K11 sees strength and opportunities, conveying the message of resilience that is core to the brand. 

Thanks to their successful campaign and the droids’ star status, the firm also developed a content plan surrounding the story of their beloved robot squad, for instance with Certificates of Appreciation for our robots posted on social media, a Q&A feature with our star robot, ‘Leonardo’, as well as an Easter campaign featuring two custom-skinned robots, designed after the Easter Bunny and baby chick.