The 11th Asian Licensing Conference (ALC), organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), ran successfully from 27 to 29 July. The three-day online event featured 22 thematic sessions where 34 industry experts from different sectors addressed participants. More than 25,000 viewers from 42 countries and regions joined the discussions alongside physical participation at five satellite conferences in Chongqing, Dalian, Hangzhou and Shenzhen in Mainland China and Jakarta in Indonesia. The three-day event generated nearly 140 one-on-one business matching meetings online, connecting global licensing players with potential partners to help them explore business opportunities.One-stop platform connects licensing partners to global opportunities
Hong Kong is maintaining its position as an international intellectual property (IP) and licensing hub that links international licensors and licensing agents. The ALC provides a one-stop platform where leading global brands and licensors can explore cross-sectoral cooperation and keep abreast of the latest market trends and opportunities. This year the conference addressed topical issues in such areas as non-fungible tokens (NFTs), the metaverse, brands crossover, arts and culture licensing, art technology, blockchain gaming, location-based entertainment (LBE) experiences, environmental, social and governance (ESG) in licensing and more.
Speaking at the conference, Maura Regan, President of Licensing International, said that following two years of unparalleled change brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, consumers put greater focus on life and cultural experiences. She said the global licensing community should capture opportunities arising from this consumer behaviour shift, expressing confidence that the licensing industry will continue to grow in line with consumer market trends in over the next two years.
Brand Forum builds business connections
The inaugural Brand Forum took place alongside the conference, featuring a number of established Asian brands such as BANDAI NAMCO, CAPCOM, DNP, Fuji Television, TV TOKYO Communication, Minto, San-Byte, Sony Creative, Poplar Publishing and Tsuburaya. Brand representatives shared their stories and were connected with other participants to explore potential partnerships. In addition, 45 Hong Kong homegrown brands under the DLAB banner presented their creative characters, animations, products and gaming designs. The online exhibition showcased more than 100 instances of IPs, fully demonstrating the power of licensing and creativity in the region.
TV TOKYO Communication shared that the event enabled them to connect with potential partners worldwide and explore business opportunities together. Yellow White Stone also said taking part in ALC helped them gain more experience and exposure.
At the "China Opportunity" session, one conference highlight, Gao Zheng, Director General, Bureau of International Exchange and Cooperation (Department of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs) of Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People's Republic of China, said Hong Kong has been playing an important role in the development of the country's cultural industry. The conference would further promote business collaboration between international and Mainland Chinese enterprises, and at the same time cement Hong Kong's unique role as an international licensing hub.
Click here to continue