Exploring growing licensing opportunities

More than 25,000 viewers from 42 countries and regions joined the discussions alongside physical participation at five satellite conferences in four cities in Mainland China – Chongqing, Dalian, Hangzhou and Shenzhen – as well as 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.

Speaking at the conference, Maura Regan, President of Licensing International, said the COVID-19 pandemic brought two years of unparalleled change, leading consumers to put greater focus on life and cultural experiences. The global licensing community should capture opportunities arising from this consumer behaviour shift, she said, expressing confidence that the licensing industry will continue to grow in line with consumer market trends over the next two years.

Brand representatives shared their stories at the forum 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 said the event enabled them to connect with potential partners worldwide and explore business opportunities together. Yellow White Stone said that taking part in ALC helped them gain more experience and exposure.

At the China Opportunity session, one of the conference highlights, Gao Zheng, Director General, Bureau of International Exchange and Cooperation (Department of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs) of China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism, said Hong Kong had played an important role in the development of the country's cultural industry. The conference would further promote business collaboration between international and mainland enterprises, he said, and at the same time cement Hong Kong's unique role as an international licensing hub.

Jacky Chung, HKTDC Director, Mainland, said the National 14th Five-Year Plan supported Hong Kong's development into an arts and cultural exchange hub that connects the mainland to the rest of the world. This will further enhance the city’s function as a trade centre for international IP and a globally recognised licensing hub.

Over three event-packed days, the ALC addressed numerous topical issues, offered fruitful content to participants and generated business opportunities for industry players. The event served as a prelude to the 20th HKTDC Hong Kong International Licensing Show (HKILS) and the 12th ALC to be held from 27 to 29 April 2023. More details of these events will be announced in due course.

All ALC sessions were broadcast via the event’s online platform. Complimentary playback is available for registered participants until 29 August through the conference website link, while subscription for video-on-demand is available for those who did not register for this year’s event. Please email: alc@hktdc.org for details of the subscription.