The Hong Kong International Licensing Show and the Asian Licensing Conference, organized by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), concluded successfully on April 29 after a three-day run. The events attracted more than 330 exhibitors and showcased over 600 brands and licensing projects, serving as a cross-regional and cross-sectoral platform for the licensing trade. The Asian Licensing Conference featured approximately 20 international experts discussing global licensing trends, IP strategies for overseas expansion, sports licensing, location-based entertainment, food and beverage licensing, and creative marketing.
Jenny Koo, Deputy Executive Director of the HKTDC, emphasized Hong Kong's deepening role as a regional IP trading hub under the national 15th Five-Year Plan. She noted that licensing applications are expanding from traditional character merchandising to include location-based entertainment, food and beverage, and e-commerce, forming a complete licensing industry chain that creates global business opportunities.
A key highlight was the introduction of the new IP and e-Commerce Support Services Zone, which hosted workshops on building online shops, digital marketing, and livestream commerce. This zone, developed with the E-commerce Association of Hong Kong and other bodies, aimed to help SMEs capitalize on e-commerce to sell IP products globally. Kay Leung from Digitify Online Growth highlighted the zone's value in promoting and educating SMEs on leveraging e-commerce. Prof. Charles Ng from StarLite IPC Limited praised the show as an "all-rounded accelerator" that provided an efficient business matchmaking platform during the Asian market's economic recovery.
The DLAB Hong Kong Pavilion featured nearly 40 exhibitors showcasing original brands and IPs. Local designer Kirsten Lie secured collaboration opportunities with overseas shopping malls, while another designer, James Ho, noted the show's role as an excellent brand promotion platform. The Hong Kong Licensing Force Showcase included universities such as The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong and Hong Kong Design Institute, highlighting emerging local talent.
Key topics at the Asian Licensing Conference included the emotional economy and location-based entertainment. George Wood of The Luna Entertainment Group shared that transforming entertainment brands into experiences offers long-term value. Mark Kingston of Libertas Brands Ltd discussed the rise of non-traditional toys like Fugglers, whose "ugly-cute" design aligns with the emotion economy.
The Chinese Mainland Pavilion brought together over 150 institutions, including cultural and museum institutions like Guangdong Museum and Nanjing Museum, showcasing IPs such as Nailoong and Tang Fugui. The Beijing Museums brand made its first overseas appearance, presenting world heritage sites like the Great Wall.
Several memoranda of understanding were signed, including one between the Beijing Municipal Cultural Heritage Bureau and the HKTDC to deepen cultural and economic exchange. Another MoU between the Innovative Entrepreneur Association and the Shantou Cultural and Creative Tourism Industry Association aimed to strengthen cultural and creative collaboration between Hong Kong and Shantou.
For more information, visit the Hong Kong International Licensing Show and Asian Licensing Conference websites.
