HOP Vietnamese — King’s Cross Opening Campaign

Integrated launch campaign combining PR, experiential stunts, ambassador activity and CRM to open a flagship venue, drive trial, and build long-term brand momentum — without discounting.

Campaign strategy • Paid social • Email marketing Website optimisation • Organic social support

2,745

NEW DATABASE MEMBERS

543

HOP BOXES GIVEN AWAY

20.5M

ONLINE COVERAGE REACH

HOP Vietnamese opened its new King’s Cross venue in November, marking a major milestone in the brand’s London expansion. Positioned directly outside one of the capital’s busiest transport hubs, the opening needed to cut through intense competition, reach a broad commuter audience, and immediately establish HOP as a go-to destination for fast, nourishing Vietnamese food. Rather than relying on heavy discounting, the launch focused on a brand-led, value-driven approach, combining PR, experiential activity, ambassadors and CRM-led acquisition to deliver both immediate impact and long-term growth.

THE CHALLENGE

King’s Cross is one of London’s busiest commuter hubs — high footfall, intense competition, and an audience that decides fast.

The opening needed to cut through at street level, drive immediate trial, and capture long-term value without relying on discounting.

OUR APPROACH

We built a joined-up launch across PR, experiential and ambassadors to generate awareness at scale, then converted that attention into sign-ups and opening-week visits.

A limited “Food’s on us” mechanic offered free HOP Boxes during opening week, gated via sign-up to ensure the campaign delivered both footfall and CRM growth.

Messaging stayed intentionally simple: new venue, fixed opening date, limited boxes, sign up to get access.

RESULTS

The campaign outperformed opening targets across awareness, acquisition and trial.

2,745 new database members were acquired through the opening campaign.

543 free HOP Boxes were redeemed during opening week, exceeding the original giveaway target.

PR and ambassador activity generated 20,504,126 in online coverage reach.

King’s Cross launched with momentum already in place and established itself immediately as a high-performing flagship venue.

HOW WE DID IT

PR-led launch to build scale and credibility

The opening was supported by a targeted PR campaign, positioning HOP as a fast-growing Vietnamese brand landing in the heart of London. Coverage focused on the new venue, HOP’s Vietnamese roots, and the brand’s wider growth story — delivering over 20.5 million in online reach ahead of and during opening week.

Experiential activation to cut through at street level

To bring the energy of Vietnam directly to King’s Cross, the launch featured a moped-led street stunt, stopping commuters in their tracks and creating highly shareable moments. This activation drove organic social content, press interest, and real-world buzz in one of London’s busiest locations.

Ambassador amplification

The campaign was amplified by the Bunch of Bananas ambassador network, extending reach beyond HOP’s owned channels. Ambassadors captured the opening atmosphere, venue experience, and food, helping to translate awareness into intent and credibility.

Value-led acquisition, not discounting

Instead of percentage-off offers, the campaign centred on “Food’s on us” — giving away a limited number of free HOP Boxes during opening week. Access was gated via sign-up, ensuring the giveaway drove meaningful CRM growth rather than one-off redemptions.

Simple, consistent messaging

Across PR, social, email, Google Business and onsite signage, the message remained simple and repeatable — clearly communicating the new King’s Cross venue, the fixed opening date, the limited free HOP Boxes, and the need to sign up to gain access.