Creative Works Showcase for Cross-Over Partnership

To facilitate businesses to leverage local creativity in developing cross-over opportunities, the “Cross Industry Matching Showcase 2013” opens today (9 May 2013) at the InnoCentre in Kowloon Tong.

Organized by the Innovative Entrepreneur Association (IEA) and co-organized by the Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC), the Showcase features the creative works of 80 local cartoon characters illustrators, licensors, multimedia, graphic and product designers, and local design institutes. The three-day event will present a matching platform for businesses seeking cross industry partners.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mr Albert Cheung, President of IEA, said, “Cross sector collaboration enables businesses to apply local cartoon characters and creative designs in new product and service development, and craft a more salient brand image. The past events have matched up more than 20 successful partnership in value creation for products or services.”

The Showcase is a highlight of the Project “Showcasing Creative Works to Inspire Cross Industry Matching in Commercial Applications 2013”, which has been sponsored by Create Hong Kong (CreateHK) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government for three consecutive years since 2011. Mr Jerry Liu, Head of CreateHK, attended the opening ceremony to show the Government support to the promotion of cross industry collaboration with creative industries. CreateHK is a dedicated office established by the HKSAR Government in 2009 to spearhead the development of local creative industries.

Mr Tony Lam, Acting Executive Director of HKPC, said, “Business survival relies heavily on well-defined brand positioning and strategies in product or service innovation. To support local enterprises in business transformation, HKPC will continue to foster synergy building between the creative industries and other sectors in Hong Kong.”

In view that multimedia promotion is a recent trend, this year’s Showcase newly adds the “Multimedia Designers” category. Also new to the event are ‘speed matching’ sessions. Both new items aim to facilitate match-ups. The Organizer will line up meetings for interested enterprises who are looking for collaboration opportunities with designers, so as to facilitate successful matching. The mentorship programme will continue with creative heavyweights sharing advice on business development to selected Showcase exhibitors.

In addition, there are concurrent exchange forums and on-site consultation service on intellectual property management. Other programmes under the project included business skills workshops. About 40 organizations from the creative and business sectors have supported the project this year.

For more information, please visit the project website: www.crossmatchingshowcase.com, or contact Ms Rebecca Kwok, Senior Consultant (IT & Business Management) of HKPC, at tel.: (852) 2788 6236 or email: rebeccak@hkpc.org.

For other media enquiries, please contact HKPC’s Justina Shum at tel.: (852) 2788 5895 or email: justina@hkpc.org.

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Mr Jonathan Ho
General Manager
Corporate Communications
Hong Kong Productivity Council
Tel: (852) 2788 6390
Fax: (852) 2788 5056
Email: jonathanho@hkpc.org
Website: www.hkpc.org

9 May 2013

Mr Jerry Liu, Head of CreateHK (second from right); Mr Tony Lam, Acting Executive Director of HKPC (right); Mr Albert Cheung, President of IEA (second from left); and Dr Edwin Lee, Organizing Committee Chairman of the programme, open the ‘Cross Matching Showcase 2013’

(From left) Mr Jerry Liu, Head of CreateHK; Mr Albert Cheung, President of IEA; and Mr Tony Lam, Acting Executive Director of HKPC, take a close look at the products of success match-ups from past Showcase projects