A bright yellow cartoon “Little Yellow Duck” holding flowers and smiling became the focus of the 52nd Hong Kong Toy Show held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Visitors competed to take photos with it. This “Little Yellow Duck” is called “B. Duck”. Created by Hong Kong designer Xu Xialin, it is deeply popular among the public. It is an original cartoon IP (intellectual property) that went from Hong Kong to the international market.
“At first, we only did export trade, distributing products around the world, but not including Mainland China and Hong Kong. The transformation began with the role of ‘B. Duck’. Around 2010, we saw people buying ‘B. Duck’ from overseas and returning to Hong Kong to sell it on the streets of Hong Kong. We discovered that everyone liked it, so we decided to build our own retail system and brand.” Zhang Zhanyao, authorized general manager of Little Yellow Duck Deying Holdings International Company Limited, described the growth trajectory of this Hong Kong original IP during an interview with the China News Agency at the venue.
“The original design philosophy of ‘B.Duck’ was ‘BE PLAYFUL,’ conveying joy and warmth, and it hasn‘t changed until now,” Zhang Zhanyao said. By promoting interactions on social platforms, “B.Duck”‘s core audience expanded from children to young people, and the accompanying scenes extended to fashion clothing, household appliances, themed food and beverages, and digital products, driving the brand‘s transformation from a “product manufacturer” to an “IP operator,” raising the value of individual toy products to the brand ecosystem level.
For example, the company will help overseas partners design products that integrate with local culture, launching linked themes with gaming, food and beverage brands. Currently, “B.Duck” owns more than 400 licensed products in and around the world.
On January 12, the 52nd Hong Kong Toy Exhibition held by the Hong Kong Trade and Development Bureau opened at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Photograph: A spectator with a doll.
If “B. Duck” represents the path of cultivating original IP from scratch, then 30 (Hong Kong) Limited shows how Hong Kong toy manufacturers extend IP life through second creation. At the company‘s booth, reporters saw character models familiar to drama fans such as “Iron Man”.
“Our strengths are design and craftsmanship, which can materialize virtual characters in movies; and ‘re-design,’ such as adding more mechanical details to a simple-line animation racing car to make it look more like a racing car in reality,” said Wang Tinghao, Executive President of 30 (Hong Kong) Co., Ltd.
This “IP+ process” model is precisely the embodiment of the advantages of the Hong Kong toy industry. The Hong Kong toy industry has always been known for its exquisite processes, with strict control over quality control, safety standards, and production processes. These capabilities, when combined with IP, translate into differentiating competitive advantages.
To balance business development, the company will also develop original IP. Wang Tinghao particularly emphasized the importance of “emotional resonance” in design. Hong Kong original IP will incorporate elements of local culture or youth culture to give consumers a sense of closeness. “I believe that local IP has the potential to go to the world,” he said.
Hong Kong‘s toy and design industry is well established, and in recent years, world-renowned trendy IPs such as “Little Yellow Duck” and “LABUBU” have been born. Industry figures point out that as the target consumer population continues to expand, products are deeply integrated with daily life products, plus technologies such as AI (artificial intelligence) and AR (Augmented Reality) are applied to provide interactive and personalized experiences, and the industry continues to deeply explore local IPs, Hong Kong can take a place in the global trendy IP development with its well-established intellectual property protection system, sophisticated processes, and efficient connection of the Mainland supply chain to global markets.
On January 15th, the 52nd Hong Kong Toy Exhibition closed its curtains. For several days, manufacturers from around the world were seeking partners at the exhibition, and toy enthusiasts were exploring new toys. Gu Jingmin, Vice President of the Hong Kong Trade and Development Bureau, believes that trendy toys combine design, animation, art and culture, and are widely popular. The global trendy toy market is growing rapidly, and there are huge business opportunities in the trendy play and collection markets. (End)