The recent run of CONTENT Tokyo was one for the books, proving to be a successful chapter in the development of the creative industry. Its exciting three-day run from July 3 to 5 was hosted at Japan’s largest convention centre, Tokyo Big Sight. The event gathered like-minded individuals and key decision makers seeking the next big thing in content creation, production, expression technology, and licensing—and CONTENT Tokyo definitely delivered.
Organised by RX Japan Ltd., the exhibition’s 15th edition garnered an impressive visitor count of 46,177* and 833* exhibitors across all concurrent events. It continuously boasted of its trademark specialised shows: Licensing Japan, Video & CG Production Expo, Creators’ Expo, Advanced Digital Technology Expo, and the Ad Creative & Marketing Expo.
With the rapid influx of entertainment media and content in this highly digital era, industry players and creators are constantly on the hunt for what keeps their brands fresh and relevant. Not to mention, with the proliferation of AI and generative technology, more and more businesses are trying to find their footing in using such tools to their advantage. And CONTENT Tokyo rises to this challenge.
The premier expo has solidified itself as a truly reliable platform for generating leads, sales, and connections within the content community. Show attendees had invaluable opportunities to discover new talents and businesses to partner with, and new technology to leverage for production and advertising. With tons to offer visitors and exhibitors alike, it has enticed individuals from more than 36 countries and regions, including Thailand, the Philippines, Korea, China, Mexico, the United States, Finland, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom.
CONTENT Tokyo’s resounding success shows the continuous fulfilment of its goal: revitalising the entertainment industry and promoting the use of content in marketing by bringing the people, the technology, and the services under one roof. This, coupled with concurrent shows, XR Fair Tokyo and Metaverse Expo Tokyo (currently combined as XR & Metaverse Expo Tokyo) revealed the greater heights that content production and entertainment can achieve with the use of emerging technologies, especially at the onset of generative AI.
The exhibition’s dedicated conference also supports this, with select thought leaders and creators sharing their insights on the current trends and challenges of the industry. Some of the notable speakers that graced the CONTENT Tokyo stage were Yamada, Kenji, producer of Godzilla 1.0 and Monster, Tonokami, Mayako, AI Creative Planner of CyberAgent Inc., and Tezuka, Chihiro, the General Manager of PARCO’s Advertising Department. Topics covered include leveraging content for business growth, creating hit content, diversifying media, and adapting to AI-driven changes in creation, production, and advertising.
Exhibitors felt positive about the support that CONTENT Tokyo offers for their industry, expressing the advantageous and successful run that the expo has given them this year. Aside from making industry trends more apparent and discussing what the future has in store for brands in the fields of content, production, and licensing, the show floor served as a place for the generation of new connections and the strengthening of past partnerships.
Tokidoki, a renowned brand for its trademark characters, participated as a returning exhibitor on July 3–5. In addition to following up with past clients and business partners, they also had the chance to acquire new leads to distribute their iconic art and figures.
On the other hand, premier businesses like ICONIX and Supertone exhibited this past edition with the goal of expanding into the Japanese market, bringing signature brands (Ed Hardy, Mudd, PONY, and more) for the former and AI-supercharged solutions for the latter. Exceeding the expectation of establishing themselves in the minds of Asia’s industry professionals, they also successfully partnered with companies from Europe and other sectors like toy makers and apparel producers.
And since the creative landscape is ever evolving, the CONTENT Tokyo show management eagerly invites industry stakeholders to the exhibition’s next edition, happening on November 20–22, 2024, at Makuhari Messe, Japan. The show’s 16th run will continue to uphold its successful streak and, equally, its commitment to champion the content and entertainment industries no matter the changes and innovations.
To know more about the show’s latest news, announcements, and updates, visit the official website at www.content-tokyo.jp/hub/en-gb.html.
