19 12 月, 2022

Music Licensing, Inc.（场外交易市场OTC代码：SONG）宣布投资者的重大更新：211 表备案、潜在的远期股票拆分或股息以及在纳斯达克上市的计划

NAPLES, FL, Dec 19, 2022 - (亚太商讯 via SEAPRWire.com) - Music Licensing, Inc.（场外交易市场OTC代码：SONG）是全球最大的音乐许可公司之一，Pro Music Rights 的所有者，很高兴地宣布已向 FINRA 提交新的 211 表，以恢复其专有报价资格。该公司现在正在等待 FINRA 处理该申请，并有信心完全恢复其资格。此外，一旦 FINRA 处理了新的 211 表，Music Licensing, Inc.（场外交易市场OTC代码：SONG）正在探索远期股票分割或基于股票的股息。该公司正在考虑 1:5 远期股票分割以增加流动性、收紧买卖差价，并增加交易量。它还正在探索以与当前类别具有相同权利的新类别普通股的形式向股东派发股息的可能性。 Music Licensing, Inc.（场外交易市场代码：SONG）计划向 FINRA 提交另一份 211 表，以允许两类普通股公开交易。Music Licensing, Inc.（场外交易市场OTC代码：SONG）一直在与纳斯达克位于瑞典的 First North Growth Market 就在该交易所上市进行沟通。 2022年12月15日，公司欧洲资本市场上市顾问DCM Asesores与纳斯达克First North Growth Market通话，成为认证顾问。 DCM Asesores 预计将接受培训，在 2023 年 2 月中下旬之前成为一名认证顾问，并指导 Music Licensing, Inc.（场外交易代码：SONG）完成在纳斯达克 First North Growth Market 的上市程序。纳斯达克已经确认保留代号 NASDAQ: MUSIC for Music Licensing, Inc. (OTC: SONG) 的上市。在其他新闻中，Music Licensing, Inc.（场外交易市场OTC代码：SONG）正在与其法律顾问合作，收集对 Ayujoy Herbals（场外交易市场代码：AJOY）的胜诉判决，并预计将收到 Pro Music 向 FINRA 提交的仲裁投诉的回复 Rights 和 Jake P. Noch 家族办公室在 2023 年 1 月 6 日之前向 OTC Link LLC 寻求 386,574,108.25 美元加上利息和费用。关于 Pro Music Rights, Inc. (ProMusicRights.com)Pro Music Rights 是美国有史以来成立的第五个公共表演权组织 (PRO)。它的被许可方包括 TikTok、iHeart Media、Triller、Napster、7Digital、Vevo 等数百家知名公司。 Pro Music Rights 在美国控制着 7.4% 的估计市场份额，代表超过 2,500,000 件作品，其中包括 A$AP Rocky、Wiz Khalifa、Pharrell、Young Jeezy、Juelz Santana、Lil Yachty、MoneyBaggYo、Larry June、 Trae Pound, Sause Walka, Trae Tha Truth, Sosamann, Soulja Boy, Lex Luger, Lud Foe, SlowBucks, Gunplay, OG Maco, Rich The Kid, Fat Trel, Young Scooter, Nipsey Hussle, Famous Dex, Boosie Badazz, Shy Glizzy, 2 Chainz、Migos、Gucci Mane、Young Dolph、Trinidad James、Fall Out Boy 以及无数其他人。如需更多信息，请访问 promusicrights.com。本新闻稿包含经修订的 1933 年证券法第 27A 条和 1934 年证券交易法第 21E 条含义内的某些前瞻性陈述，这些陈述旨在涵盖由此产生的安全港。请投资者注意，所有前瞻性陈述都涉及风险和不确定性，包括但不限于 Music Licensing, Inc. 和 Pro Music Rights, Inc. 完成其既定业务计划的能力。 Music Licensing, Inc. & Pro Music Rights, Inc. 认为此处包含的前瞻性陈述所依据的假设是合理的，任何假设都可能不准确，因此无法保证前瞻性陈述包含在本新闻稿中将被证明是准确的。鉴于此处包含的前瞻性陈述中固有的重大不确定性，包含此类信息不应被视为 Pro Music Rights, Inc.、Music Licensing, Inc. 或任何其他人的陈述。联系人：investors@ProMusicRights.com来源: Music Licensing, Inc Copyright 2022 亚太商讯. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

4 8 月, 2022

Asian Licensing Conference explores latest trends and forges new business opportunities

HONG KONG, Aug 4, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - 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.The 11th Asian Licensing Conference (ALC) online featured 34 industry speakers well versed in the industry and attracted more than 25,000 viewers from 42 countries and regions.Five satellite conferences were held in parallel with the ALC in Chongqing, Dalian, Hangzhou and Shenzhen in Mainland China and Jakarta in Indonesia.The inaugural Brand Forum took place alongside the conference, featuring a number of established Asian brands. Representatives from these brands shared their stories and connected with participants for potential business partnerships.One-stop platform connects licensing partners to global opportunitiesHong 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 connectionsThe 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. 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.He Yizan, Founder and CEO of ARTiSTORY, said technology would have a profound impact on people's lives, and many cultural and art institutions were now actively embracing new technologies. He believed the convergence of art and technology would become a new trend for cultural and art licensing in the future.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 Asian Licensing Conference (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 2022 through the conference website link [ https://alc.hktdc.com ], while subscription for video-on-demand is available for those who did not register for this year's event. Please email to: alc@hktdc.org for details of the subscription.Website- Asian Licensing Conference website: https://alc.hktdc.com- Photo download: https://bit.ly/3PXfC5iAbout HKTDCThe Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong's trade. With 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Twitter @hktdc and LinkedInMedia enquiriesPlease contact the HKTDC's Communications & Public Affairs Department:Kate Chan, Tel: +852 2584 4239, Email: kate.hy.chan@hktdc.orgSnowy Chan, Tel: +852 2584 4525, Email: snowy.sn.chan@hktdc.org Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

11 6 月, 2022

Distributed via NovationWire – ‘Insights of Digital Marketing Trends in Asia’

Hong Kong – NovationWire, the Asia based PR distribution newswire who is focusing on the fin-tech, AI, AR/VR/XR, digital marketing & blockchain industries, has released a report on ‘Insights of Digital Marketing Trends in Asia’. No wonder, as building one remains a significant challenge for many businesses. However, zooming out and looking at the overall picture will help users make customers’ content efforts less chaotic and more effective. Start by analyzing the performance of customers’ existing content and the impact of the organic traffic. Find out which content topics and formats generate the most results. Finally, assess the historical performance, establish benchmarks and primary goals, such as the revenue generated by content marketing. The entire world came to a halt in 2020 and 2021 with the pandemic hitting us, resulting in total lockdown of countries, widespread travel restrictions, and closure of numerous businesses. This also led to a drastic change in consumer behaviors as having to stay at home significantly impacted their spending habits due to rising unemployment and limited availability of essential and non – essential goods. The pandemic sent many sectors like hotels and airlines into survival mode, some of which lost up to 20% of their brand value. On the other hand, businesses in sectors like health, hygiene, e-commerce, OTT platforms, food delivery services, etc. have grown significantly. Brand and demand marketing requires a finely – tuned approach to balance, particularly in 2022. Brand marketing is often a distant – goal process, where incremental efforts over time build up the perception of a brand in a target audience’s eyes. Demand marketing, however, focuses much more narrowly on the short term – and finding an equilibrium between the two will be key in the next 12 months. Marketing teams will need to balance short – term activations with longer – term brand – building efforts to ensure they fulfill immediate needs, but also future ones. LinkedIn’s recent study indicated that both approaches don’t work well when siloed – so ensure customers’ teams are spreading their efforts evenly. Forward – looking businesses recognize that successfully navigating 2022 and beyond will require new marketing strategies like brand partnerships and brand licensing that they may not have considered previously. For example, several brands are partnering with other like – minded brands to help those who are in need during these difficult times. Several brands are also venturing into brand licensing as a way to launch new product categories not just to overcome the economic downturn but also to amplify the brand loyalty and trust among their consumers. However, to reap the benefits of brand licensing, brands must ensure that they choose their licensee partners thoughtfully and extend all support and guidance to them. About NovationWire NovationWire offers deep insight into industry trends in the financial market. NovationWire provides easy and quick solutions that allow customers to capture, monitor, and audit market data from a holistic view down to an individual task on market research and industry trend insights, especially in including Fin-tech, blockchain, NFT, Metaverse gaming, AR/VR/XR, AI learning and leading biotech industries. They also provide guidance to SMEs in PR distribution, Global News Release, Content Marketing in Southeast Asia. For a long time, NovationWire has based in East Asia and Southeast Asia (Japan, Korea, Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos, etc.). To date, the company has provided data and analytics services to more than 1,000 enterprise clients. For PR contact Brand: NovationWire Market Research Contact: Tony Lee, Press Release Distribution Head at NovationWire Address: Room C21, G-Floor Greenland Court, No. 88 Ma Tau Wai Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong Email: support@novwire.com Website: https://www.novationwire.com/ SOURCE: NovationWire Market Research

31 3 月, 2022

SEMK (2250.HK) Announces 2021 Adjusted Net Profit Increases by Nearly 30% to HK$77 million, Becomes the Largest Domestic Character IP Company In China

HONG KONG, Mar 30, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - SEMK Holdings International Limited ("SEMK", together with its subsidiaries, the "Group", stock code: 2250.HK), the largest domestic character Intellectual Property (IP) company* engaged in the provision of licensing services, design consultation services and retail of licensed brand products of its self-created B.Duck family characters, announced today the first annual results after its listing on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited on 17 January 2022. Mr. Eddie Hui, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of SEMK.Together with its licensee, MADworld, SEMK launched its first drop of B. Duck NFT - 4,000 unique and original design 3D B.Duck NFTs as collectibles and potential future gaming celebrities.Despite the unprecedented challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic (the "Pandemic"), SEMK's business remains resilient. The Group's total revenue for the year ended 31 December 2021 ("FY2021" or the "Year") was approximately HK$290.0 million (FY2020: HK$233.5 million), representing a year-on-year growth of 24.2%. Excluding listing-expenses, the adjusted net profit for the Year was HK$77.3 million (FY2020: HK$59.8 million), representing a significant increase of 29.1% from the previous year.The Board has resolved to declare a final dividend of HK$4.8 cents per ordinary share issued for the year ended 31 December 2021.Mr. Eddie Hui, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of SEMK, said, "It is an honor for me, for the first time as Chairman of SEMK, to relate to you our first annual results after listing. I am thrilled to announce that SEMK has become the largest domestic character IP company and ranked the fourth among all character IP companies in China, in terms of character licensing revenue in 2021*. It is our mission to be one of the pioneer Chinese character IP to expand in overseas so that can bring happiness and "Playful" lifestyle worldwide and empower soft power in Chinese cultural style. Indeed, the global licensing market is dominated by American and Japanese IPs, more than 60% of global retail sales of licensed goods attributable to North America. China only occupied less than 4% of global retail value of licensed products in 2021, which is not in same pace of global GDP sharing for China, this implies that the licensing market in China is in a very high growth potential. Our historical pace of growth is much faster than the overall growth rate of licensing market in China. Among other top 10 largest licensors in China, B.Duck is the youngest one and has demonstrated its high growth track records in the past years.The listing of SEMK on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in early 2022 is undoubtedly an important milestone for us. Looking forward, we will continue to adhere to our product-oriented development strategy, draw on our strong design capabilities and extensive licensees' network to bring more high-quality products to our fans."Resilient Business PerformanceThe Group are principally engaged in two major businesses - character licensing business, as well as e-commerce and other business. Character Licensing Business The Group's character licensing business can be broadly divided into five service types, namely (i) merchandise licensing; (ii) location-based entertainment ("LBE") licensing; (iii) content and media licensing; (iv) promotion licensing; and (v) design consultation, which are interrelated and complementary to each other, with each of them being provided on a single, multi-service or integrated basis.The Group's revenue from character licensing business increased by 69.9% to HK$166.6 million during the Year (FY2020: HK$98.0 million), mainly driven by the increase in excess royalties charged from the Group's licencees as a result of their increased sales of goods or services featuring the Group's IP characters. This segment accounted for 57.4% of the Group's total revenue in FY2021. The number of licencees (exclusive of licensing agents) the Group had increased to 385 as at the end of FY2021 (FY2020: 315). E-commerce and Other BusinessThe Group' s e-commerce and other business mainly involve the sale of B.Duck family characters-featured products on e-commerce platforms of third parties and through offline sales channels. Seeing the potential synergies to be generated from the character licensing business, the Group began to explore the possibility of designing and selling its own products on e-commerce platforms. In 2015, SEMK launched its first online flagship store on Tmall, a well-known business to customer online shopping platform in China. Following the success in the opening of such flagship store, the Group subsequently expanded onto other e-commerce platforms, such as JD.com, VIP.com and HKTVmall, to offer its products and allow customers to pay online with products directly shipped to the customers. During the Year, revenue from e-commerce and other business was approximately HK$123.4 million. Launch of B. Duck NFTs and MOU with MADworldWith robust design capabilities and creativity, over the decades, the Group was able to ride on its self-create characters to launch various kind of licensed products in order to cope with changing consumption habits of B.Duck's fans. Recently, SEMK deployed a globalized business blueprint with an NFT "Non-fungible token" market. Joining hands with MADworld, the launch of B.Duck NFTs was a three-part series. The first drop, which was already launched, included 4,000 unique and original design 3D B.Duck NFTs as collectibles and potential future gaming celebrities. It was well received by the market and was sold out in 5 hours during the public session. To facilitate strategic moves in this field in the future, SEMK has also entered into a memorandum of understanding (the "MOU") with MADworld Advisory Limited ("MADworld"), which specializes in development of licensed or licensable IPs into NFTs and other digital creatives, and marketing and offering to sell the same on platforms to be developed and/or accessed by such company. Pursuant to the MOU, SEMK and MADworld shall within two (2) months from the date of the MOU, enter into a joint venture agreement to establish a joint venture entity intended to be principally engaged in, amongst others, development of artworks and IPs owned by the Group into NFTs Mr. Eddie Hui, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of SEMK, concluded, "2021 was a peculiar year for us. Against the backdrop of the pandemic, thanks to the robust commitment of our team in delivering the strategic plans, we managed to sustain a resilient performance albeit the market challenges. The opportunities presented by the pandemic prompted us to make sufficient progress in online commercial operations, product flexibility, and B.Duck community online and offline digitalization integration. Looking forward, through our strong fan base and coverage on social media-and e-commerce platforms, we will continue to accelerate the development of our product design capabilities in different territory, so as to expand to different variety licensing categories, including but not limited to LBE and digital assets projects. We will also proactively look for opportunities of strategic partnerships, alliances and acquisitions to facilitate sustainable business development." About SEMK Holdings International LimitedSEMK Holdings International Limited (stock code: 2250.HK) is the largest domestic character IP company engaged in the provision of licensing services, design consultation services and retail of brand products of its self-created B.Duck family characters. With strong in-house artistic design capabilities, SEMK has developed and nurtured a proprietary portfolio of approximately 26 self-created characters created under the motto of "Be Playful". As at 31 December 2021, B.Duck family characters had recorded in aggregate more than 10.5 million subscriptions or follows by B.Duck fans on various e-commerce platforms and social networking platforms, with in aggregate, over 740 million views of various types of content in relation to the elements of B.Duck family characters along with our "Be playful" motto.Media Enquiries:Strategic Financial Relations LimitedHeidi So Tel: (852) 2864 4826 Email: heidi.so@sprg.com.hkRachel Ko Tel: (852) 2114 2370 Email: rachel.ko@sprg.com.hkIvy Chan Tel: (852) 2864 4890 Email: ivy.chan@sprg.com.hkWebsite: www.sprg.com.hk Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

20 1 月, 2021

Licensing Show and Conference draw to a close

HONG KONG, Jan 20, 2021 - (ACN Newswire) - The 19th HKTDC Hong Kong International Licensing Show (HKILS), organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), drew to a successful close last Friday. The five-day online event (11 to 15 January) attracted over 250 exhibitors from around the globe and drew an attendance of more than 6,200 buyers from 47 countries and regions. In addition to buyers from Hong Kong and Mainland China, strong participation from key Asia markets including Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam was recorded. About 1,200 online business matching meetings were arranged during the show to connect global licensing players with new business opportunities.The 19th HKTDC Hong Kong International Licensing Show (HKILS) drew an attendance of more than 6,200 buyers from 47 countries and regions. About 1,200 virtual business matching meetings were arranged to connect global licensing players with new business opportunities.The 10th Asian Licensing Conference (ALC) featured some 40 speakers from top global brands along with renowned industry elites, attracting more than 20,000 viewers to join.Art-Zoo is developing content and animations to expand his licensing portfolio and the online platform allowed them to effectively explore licensing opportunities amid the pandemic.The 10th Asian Licensing Conference (ALC), which ran concurrently with the HKILS, featured some 40 speakers from top global brands along with renowned industry elites. The conference attracted more than 20,000 viewers to join the event, highlighting how the online format was able to offer networking opportunities spanning the globe. Licensing Academy was among the most popular programme channel in the conference, and participants who were interested in learning the know-how and practical tips in managing IPs and licensing business shared very positive feedback of the programme.HKTDC Executive Director Margaret Fong said: "Under the impact of the pandemic, the business environment in 2021 remains very challenging. Nevertheless, the Hong Kong International Licensing Show and Asian Licensing Conference were able to attract a wide range of leading international brands and licensing industry elites to participate and explore licensing opportunities with brands, including personal protective equipment (PPE), cleaning and hygiene products, and stay-at-home products and services, to help create new licensing opportunities amid the current volatility."Ms Fong explained that the licensing business can bring high-end value to companies and boost their competitiveness. Global retail sales of licensed merchandise reached US$293 billion in 2019, showing annual growth of 4.4%, and it is expected that the Asian and mainland markets will continue to be growth engines for the licensing industry. She added that the online business matching service offered through HKILS digital platform successfully connected buyers and intellectual property (IP) owners to help forge valuable partnerships.Hong Kong's homegrown IPs strive for growth amid pandemicExhibitors at HKILS Online were pleased to get the chance to reach out to international buyers during the pandemic through the show's virtual platform. Many individual artists and young brands in Hong Kong who exhibited at the Show managed to meet both local and international buyers and solicit promising leads.Stella Cheung, General Manager of Art Cycle Group, said she had met a mega retail group and a famous fast-food chain from Hong Kong during the show and hoped to explore further cooperation with both companies. Ms Cheung realised the good potential of her IP, Robot Nick, to be licensed to dramas and musicals for children to cultivate positive values among the new generation. Wing Y. Li, founder of SHIBAINC, was thrilled to meet licensees and licensing agents from various countries including Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and Australia at the Show this time. She also met a number of Hong Kong buyers, including a famous Hong Kong F&B brand, and she expected potential partnership to be concluded after the show.Among the international participants, Perfect Drink Sdn Bhd, a Malaysian fast-food restaurant, was impressed by Hong Kong's creativity and had positive discussions with numerous Hong Kong companies exhibited under the Design Licensing and Business (DLAB HK) pavilion to develop its souvenirs and gifts for its customers.Digital becomes the growth engine for lP licensingDigital IPs were a popular category sought after during the show despite the ongoing global pandemic. Quillo Entertainment, a first-time DLAB HK exhibitor focusing on gaming production and animation, has recently ventured into licensing to extend its animated adventure game character, Apopia. The company met numerous international licensees at the show and decided to develop more animation content to cater for its expansion of the company's licensing portfolio sought by the market.Art and creative IPs show versatility on licensing cooperationArt licensing remained a hot area for licensing buyers who attended the HKILS this year. Jackson Tan, founder of Art-Zoo, shared that the pandemic had disruptive impact on its fast-growing creative art business. While Art-Zoo Inflatable Parks launched in Singapore, Mainland China, UAE and Taiwan were hit with a significant drop in the number of visitors, Jackson made the best out of the year in developing content and animations to expand his licensing portfolio. It was the second time for Art-Zoo to join HKILS and Jackson remarked that the online platform allowed them to effectively explore licensing opportunities amid the pandemic.Another exhibitor, Japan's CATART, used HKILS Online to arrange fruitful meetings with buyers from Hong Kong, Mainland China and Taiwan. The company had already engaged its Taiwan partner to follow up with those buyers interested in merchandising and licensing its art exhibitions and campaigns.Conference examines market trends and industry outlookA total of 40 heavyweight speakers addressed viewers during the Asian Licensing Conference. ALC Online offered four video-on-demand viewing channels including "Expert Sharing: Culture and Arts", "Expert Sharing: Digital Entertainment", "Entrepreneur Dialogue" and "Licensing Academy", with participants able to view the full conference programme at their own convenience.Photo download: https://bit.ly/3oZP4TfAbout HKTDCThe Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong's trade. With 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via trade publications, research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Twitter @hktdc and LinkedInMedia enquiries:HKTDC's Communications & Public Affairs DepartmentChristine Kam, Tel: +852 2584 4514, Email: christine.kam@hktdc.orgJanet Chan, Tel: +852 2584 4369, Email: janet.ch.chan@hktdc.org Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com

8 1 月, 2021

Licensing Show and Conference held online next week

HONG KONG, Jan 8, 2021 - (ACN Newswire) - In light of the continuing global pandemic, the 19th HKTDC Hong Kong International Licensing Show (HKILS) and 10th Asian Licensing Conference (ALC), both organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), will run as online events from 11 to 15 January 2021. The two events will feature representatives from top global brands and renowned industry elites, sharing their insights on linking creativity with businesses during a time of pandemic, discovering business opportunities through licensed properties and brand partnerships, and showcasing licensed products and services to encourage creativity amid the current challenges.The 19th HKTDC Hong Kong International Licensing Show (HKILS) and 10th Asian Licensing Conference (ALC), both organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), will run from 11 to 15 January 2021 in a brand-new online format.Stephen Liang, HKTDC Assistant Executive Director, said the virtual Licensing Show has attracted 250 exhibitors from around the globe, including top global licensors/agents, renowned brands and intellectual properties (IPs) from Hong Kong and Asia.At a press conference to introduce the events, Paul Tai, Regional Director of Mainetti Group, explained that the company has partnered with B.Duck and Astro Boy to launch licensed masks during the pandemic.Speaking at a press conference held today to introduce the two events, Stephen Liang, HKTDC Assistant Executive Director, said: "Global retail sales of licensed merchandise reached US$293 billion in 2019, showing annual growth of 4.4%. As the world's third-largest licensing market, Asia accounted for 12% of the global share of sales. Mainland China, with a 9.6% year-on-year increase, was the second largest market in Asia. We expect that the Asian and mainland markets will continue to be growth engines for the licensing industry."Mr Liang said the virtual Licensing Show has attracted 250 exhibitors from around the globe, including top global licensors/agents, renowned brands, and IPs from Hong Kong and Asia. He added that the Virtual Business Matching Service offered through HKILS Online will be in high demand by companies from various sectors that are keen to explore cooperation through suitable intellectual properties (IPs). "The licensing industry has shown great flexibility in operations and forged partnerships that have enabled companies to stand out during the pandemic. The Licensing Show has attracted participants from a broad range of industries, including companies producing personal protective equipment (PPE), cleaning and hygiene products, online shopping and retailing kitchenware, gaming and furniture, helping them to capture licensing opportunities amid the current volatility," he said.PPE opens up new avenues for companiesThough the pandemic has affected almost all industries, numerous business opportunities have been created under the "new normal", including using IPs for products such as masks and protective materials. The Mainetti Group, an Italian manufacturer and supplier of garment hangers and product packaging, has launched MainettiCare, a new range of personal protective equipment (PPE) to help mitigate risks associated with COVID-19. At the press conference, Paul Tai, Regional Director of Mainetti Group, showcased the company's "Made in Hong Kong" disposable masks, produced in collaboration with local manufacturers, and highlighted its partnerships with B.Duck and Astro Boy to launch licensed masks.Matrix, a corporate and promotion gift supplier, has been working closely with international brands on licensed products and services, including partnerships with Barbie and Peanuts to launch branded gifts. Ray Leung, Managing Director of Matrix, said the company has designed exclusive PPE gifts for corporations during the pandemic, selling almost 2.7 million units of hand sanitiser to local customers. Through its website, GiftU, the company has become an e-commerce pioneer in the gift sector. Its "Funhub" service allows corporations to customise their gifts using IPs created by local illustrators. "During the pandemic, numerous markets and fairs go online, people start using e-commerce under the new normal; Funhub has thus been launched, allowing clients and cartoon fans to customise their products. This is the first time Matrix participates in the Licensing Show, we hope to build partnership with local illustrators, designing more customised gifts for different corporates," he said.Cultural and creative IPs create business opportunitiesCultural and creative products are becoming increasingly popular, and numerous individual artists have boosted their popularity by designing licensed properties. This year's Licensing Show will showcase numerous original creations, such as Mr.Giraff, Happy Gappy and Sing Sing Rabbit (a music IP from Hong Kong), CATART (a painting IP from Japan) and Shaogao (a comic IP from Taiwan). Sing Sing Rabbit is a local singer-songwriter whose songs were licensed to the famous Japanese music mobile game "Cytus II". Her new single, My Happy Pancake Shop, will premiere on the "IP Discovery" Channel during HKILS Online.Sing Sing Rabbit has worked with different international brands, aiming to enter the designer toy sector. Her work includes a partnership with six local and Japanese artists to produce characters for The Seven Bubbles series created by Inscape Studio. "Character licensing can be a huge international business. Apart from cartoon characters, our special IP also consists of musical elements and has been licensed to world-famous music mobile games such as Cytus II, Deemo and VOEZ. This gives me the opportunity to meet with local fans, as well as fans from other parts of the world including Taiwan and Japan," she said.The DLAB Hong Kong Pavilion at HKILS Online will feature a number of other original local brands, including SHIBAINC and Squly & Friends, helping to showcase local creativity. Several governments - including from Mainland China, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Thailand and Taiwan - will be promoting their own unique homegrown IPs at the event.Pinkoi helps to promote cultural and creative brandsOriginating from Taiwan, Pinkoi is a leading e-commerce platform that focuses on the sale of original design goods from Asia. It has attracted more than 20,000 regional designers and sells to 93 countries and regions, including Mainland China, Hong Kong and Thailand. In 2019, Pinkoi launched crossover projects with Hong Kong heritage brands and opened the Pinkoi SPACE in The Mills in Tsuen Wan, which provides a new online-to-offline retail business model. At the press conference, Cathy Tang, Pinkoi's Deputy General Manager - Hong Kong and Macau, shared how cultural and creative brands are able to capture licensing opportunities through its e-tailing platform.Conference examines market trends and industry outlookALC Online will offer four video-on-demand viewing channels, including "Expert Sharing: Culture and Arts", "Expert Sharing: Digital Entertainment", "Entrepreneur Dialogue" and "Licensing Academy", allowing participants to view the full conference programme at their own convenience. Among the total of 40 speakers, representatives from The Andy Warhol Foundation and Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) will share on how they incorporate arts and culture IPs into lifestyle merchandise that permeates people's everyday lives. Meanwhile, representatives from Activision Blizzard, the BBC, Banijay, BuzzFeed, KAKAO Friends and United Talent Agency will unveil the immense growth prospects and future development of licensing in areas such as gaming, e-sports, digital/social media, influencers and digital entertainment.The "Entrepreneur Dialogue" Channel will present a new theme for the ALC programme. Six Asian entrepreneurs, engaged in sectors including digital entertainment, gaming/retail, designer toys, gifts and e-commerce, will share their success stories in making creative use of IPs to invent new businesses. The "Licensing Academy" Channel will provide eight online workshop episodes targeting newcomers to the licensing field, covering some of the basic concepts of licensing such as IP protection and royalty fee management.Members of the media wishing to interview speakers, exhibitors or buyers can email interview requests to christine.kam@hktdc.org or janet.ch.chan@hktdc.org. For more details of both events, please visit www.licensing.hktdc.com.Media registrationTo attend the above events, media representatives are required to pre-register to receive a confirmation email for accessing the fair and conference by completing the following registration form and emailing it to cathy.wk.lee@hktdc.org.Media Online Registration Form: http://mediaroom.hktdc.com/en/pressrelease/detail/20240/About HKTDC The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong's trade. With 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via trade publications, research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Twitter @hktdc and LinkedInMedia enquiries:HKTDC's Communications & Public Affairs DepartmentChristine Kam, Tel: +852 2584 4514, Email: christine.kam@hktdc.orgJanet Chan, Tel: +852 2584 4369, Email: janet.ch.chan@hktdc.org Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com

18 11 月, 2020

Trade show on franchising opens on Nov 18 with 53 exhibitors and 77 international brands

SINGAPORE - An annual trade show that brings together the franchising and licensing community kicked off on Wednesday (Nov 18), going virtual for the first time in its 15-year history. Organised by Sphere Exhibits, the Franchising and Licensing Asia (FLA) exhibition will bring businesses, entrepreneurs and investors from countries such as China, South Korea, Japan and the United States. President of FLA Singapore Andrew Khoo said: "Having a virtual show opens up possibilities that never existed before. "We are no longer restricted by geography as the entire world is now the target audience." Some brands looking to expand their franchise network include European yogurt brand Yole, French contemporary furniture manufacturer Gautier and Singapore restaurant operator Tung Lok Group. This year's iteration has 53 exhibitors and 77 international brands participating. Businesses hail from the food and beverage, beauty and wellness and health and fitness sectors, among others. "Franchising and licensing are key modes of internationalisation that can help companies capture growth opportunities, expand and diversify revenue streams. "This is critical in making businesses more resilient to the unforeseen uncertainties caused by the pandemic," said Minister of State for Trade and Industry Low Yen Ling. Noting that the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership signed on Nov 15 will smoothen the trade in good of services and the flow of foreign investments, she hoped that these advantages would usher in more franchising and licensing opportunities for homegrown companies. During the three-day trade show, participants will be able to attend webinars on intellectual property and the legal aspects of franchising. Other topics that will be discussed include food and beverage trends, pitfalls to avoid when signing a franchise contract and reasons for investing in a franchise during a pandemic. More on this topic Related Story November trade show on franchises to go virtual with online exhibition Related Story Singapore to allow bigger Mice events with up to 250 attendees, application to start from Oct 1 Attendees who have queries about franchising and licensing can pose them to brand representatives via live text and video chats during the virtual event. Attendance is free. After the event, webinars will be recorded and available to attendees on the event's website until Dec 20. Sphere Exhibits is a wholly owned subsidiary of Singapore Press Holdings.