From June 28 to 30, LIVeNT 2023 and Content Tokyo 2023 were held at the Tokyo Big Sight.
LIVeNT consisted of 3 specialized shows: Events Expo Tokyo, Live Entertainment Expo Tokyo, and eSports Tokyo.
From the moment I set foot into the exhibition hall, the energy in the room was palpable. My line of sight was dominated by a nearly life-sized decorative giraffe, and excited screams from visitors enjoying a human-powered swing ride carried over the bustle of the crowd. It felt more like I was at an amusement park rather than a business trade fair.
Making my way down the aisles, I discovered more eye-catching exhibits, including a mist screen for projections by Seiko-Giken, a rotating VR 360 cinema by LEKE VR, and even a revolutionary pinsetter for “string bowling” by Funk Bowling, many booths offering hands-on experiences.
In the Promotional Product Zone, there was a noticeable trend towards goods for “Oshi-katsu,” meaning active support for one’s favorite character, actor, idol, etc., which has been gaining mainstream popularity in recent years. Products included customizable penlights and glow sticks, custom-designable acrylic keychains, and DIY accessories in every imaginable color.
I spoke to representatives of several companies at LIVeNT 2023 to learn more about what products and services they were promoting.
First, I met with Kiyomi Aizawa from grabss Inc. Grabss Inc. may be best known for running Tiget, an online platform for concert ticket sales. Aizawa was helping to promote the company’s THISIS service, which she explained helps users create a business profile that allows for telephone communication and Line messaging without the need to give out contact information.
Aizawa demonstrated how Tiget uses THISIS for customer inquiries. When she initiated a call from the app, several employees’ smartphones rang in unison. She explained that THISIS helps protect employees’ personal information, since Tiget does not issue company phones to its staff.
Next, I headed to the TCC booth, where I had the opportunity to speak briefly with Keigo Kodera, who works in the event division. At LIVeNT, TCC was promoting their live animal events, which consist of temporary zoo and aquarium exhibits, petting zoos, and educational animal shows. At these events, the company also offers options for guided tours and animal feeding.
At their exhibit, TCC showcased their life-sized stuffed animals, which can be rented for photo shoots at events, and there was even a touch tank with fish and sharks available for petting.
Lastly, I was drawn in by an array of rotating color-changing LED tubes to the Shenzhen Clen Optoelectronics Co Ltd. exhibit. Clen spokesperson Alice presented their wide variety of LED products, including video pixel bars, LED 360 tubes, and full-color LED strips, all of which are customizable and programmable to align with the user’s desired outcome. She also explained how Clen’s LED products have been applied to concert stage building and exhibition booth set up.
After fully exploring LIVeNT, I headed across the hall to the Content Tokyo exhibition.
Content Tokyo consisted of 5 sections: Licensing Japan, Creators’ Expo, Production / Studio Expo, Advanced Digital Technology Expo, and Ad Creative & Marketing Expo.
The Content Tokyo Expo hall had an entirely different atmosphere. Impressive booths with costumed mascots and moving displays from world-famous brands such as Sanrio, Bandai Namco, and Sony Creative in Licensing Japan were lined up next to the Creators’ Expo’s individual artists, game developers, and writers appealing their work to publishers and sales promoters.
The first exhibit I visited at Content Tokyo was that of Parnonym Inc., which was promoting their next-generation interactive technology, Tig. Yuri Nomura of the Paronym sales department showcased Tig’s e-commerce function. Tig Commerce allows users to select fashion items from images and videos and directs them to where these products can be purchased, revolutionizing the future of online shopping.
Continuing onward, I had the pleasure to speak with the CEO of ASAGI Inc., Atsuto Nishio. ASAGI Inc. is a video production and media consulting company based out of Tottori Prefecture. They offer video production services, all the way from planning to filming and editing, in addition to consulting for promotion of videos to increase viewership, support for livestreaming as a business, and assistance with Youtube and SNS marketing.
CEO Nishio expressed his fondness for travel and learning about various cultures, as well as his desire to expand his business to areas outside of Japan.
Finally, at Kyoda Creation Co. Ltd.’s exhibit, I had the opportunity to learn about the company’s business model from Planner / Director Erika Okada. She explained that Kyoda Creation employs individual illustrators and artists and connects them with commissions from publishers for original character design work. The company’s works cover a wide variety of media, including company mascots, picture books, advertisements, and board and card games.
Next year’s LIVeNT 2024 and Content Tokyo 2024 are scheduled to be held at the Tokyo Big Sight from July 3 to 5.
