On December 10, Aks Co., Ltd., the operation and management company of the Japanese super popular idol girl group akb48, and the Chinese company announced the official establishment of the joint venture akb48 (China) Holding Limited in Shanghai. This move marks the official entry of akb48, an idol cultivation group that is popular throughout Japan and even Asia, into the Chinese market!
On the same day, the two sides jointly held an akb48 China meeting and press conference in Shanghai, and several members of akb48 also came to the scene to show the public the significance of the new concept of "idols that can meet".
In addition to Mayo Watanabe, Saya Kawamoto, and Rina Izuda, three akb48 members, Ms. Natsuko Yoshinori, President of Aks, Ms. Li Shaohong, President of the China Film Directors Association, Consul General of Japan in Shanghai Kazuyuki Katayama, and Mr. Zhou Jiamin, Chairman of Akb48 (China) Company, attended the press conference and placed high hopes on akb48's entry into China.
The organizers said that akb48 is newly built for the Chinese market, strives to be closer to the Chinese market, and will strive to become the most influential idol star in Asia!
The establishment of akb48 (China) company is not only a cross-border combination of music, but also a dream upgrade of high-quality idols. akb48 is Japan's most famous large-scale female idol group, since its inception in 2005, it has put forward the new concept of "cultivating + idols", and its training mechanism and process have formed a set of perfect star-making models, and civilian idols can gradually become stars that attract public attention through training. Through continuous team optimization and new entrants, akb48 group currently has more than 340 members, and was certified as "the world's most multi-member pop group" by Guinness World Records in 2010, forming a unique market positioning in the field of global pop music and business culture.
Idol cultivation used to be common in Japan and South Korea, the "trainee" system is the performance of this culture, it is a way to tap new artists in Japan and South Korea, almost every entertainment company has a rookie reserve, the company will regularly select the draft according to the plan, and then the outstanding trainees can get the debut opportunity. The process of cultivating newcomers and the debut link will be turned into a variety show.
"Participating in growth" and "visible idols" are two important factors in the cultivation of star idols. Fans believe that the labor, money, and time they put in can ultimately help their idols grow instantly, and the more they invest, the more they can establish a sense of connection with their idols.
In China, with the emergence of platforms and technologies such as live broadcasting, social networking, vr, and the maturity of the idol group and fan economy environment, Natsuko Yoshinari of akb48 Co., Ltd., the operation and management company of akb48, announced that the scope of cooperation between the two parties covers all the future business of akb48 group in China, including the online and offline promotion of its super girl idol group akb48 and the official affiliated sister group in China, record production, publication and distribution, touring, network live broadcast, audio and video copyright, film and television performance, All businesses, such as advertising endorsement, selection and cultivation of new idol groups, and development and sales of derivatives, as well as in-depth business synergy with many large comprehensive media groups in China. It is believed that through the integration of the superior resources of all parties and the synergy of the business, it will certainly have the advantages of China's music, live broadcasting, performing arts, endorsement and IP operations, and akb48 will create a real "pan-entertainment" layout in China.
It is reported that starting from 2017, akb48 China will create more opportunities to meet fans in China, such as large-scale concerts, theater performances and handshake activities, prompting akb48 to land and develop rapidly in China. In terms of pan-entertainment, it will cooperate with Shanghai Oriental Pearl Dierxi Culture Media Co., Ltd. to jointly create an official mobile game of akb48 and interact with Chinese akb48 fans in depth, and at the same time carry out in-depth cooperation with Rongxinda Company, founded by Ms. Li Shaohong, president of the China Film Directors Association, in the filming and production of movies and TV series.
In addition, akb48 China will select young and talented future stars in China to study and train in Japan. 2017 coincides with the 45th anniversary of the normalization of Sino-Japanese diplomatic relations, and 2018 marks the 40th anniversary of the conclusion of the Sino-Japanese Treaty of Peace and Friendship, and akb48 will continue to make its own contribution to Sino-Japanese friendly exchanges after becoming a goodwill ambassador for the 40th anniversary of the normalization of Sino-Japanese diplomatic relations in 2012. In the future, akb48 will also actively participate in charity activities such as school aid, medical assistance, environmental protection, and public welfare performances in China, exerting the good influence of public figures and contributing to China's public welfare undertakings.
Attached: Interview with Xie Yihua, Co-President of AKB48 China.
q1: Why did akb48 choose to enter the Chinese market during this period?
a: akb48 has a more successful operating model in Japan, the new concept of "idol + cultivation" is also put forward from their debut, from civilian idols to online and offline peripheral development, forming a powerful system, driving a series of economic operations; and in China, in recent years, a series of consumption behaviors derived from the fan effect has become a huge consumption system, akb48's operating model is very suitable for the Chinese entertainment consumer market, after we and the Japanese side of the agreement, After detailed market research, we decided to officially open the Chinese market.
q2: We all know that Japan's operating model is very successful, so will the establishment of the joint venture completely replicate the Japanese operating model?
a: It is true that Japan's operating model has been very mature, there are certainly many worth learning and developing, but China is a new market, we will consider different market needs based on the different entertainment and cultural environments of the two countries, invest in innovative thinking, reposition China's development through strong execution, focus on cultivating Chinese local artistic talents, and promote the local growth of akb48 in China, on the whole, we will carry out comprehensive and in-depth operations on the basis of the Japanese operating model.
q3: With the formal establishment of the Chinese joint venture, can you talk about the company's operation plan?
a: This is the scope of strategic cooperation covering all the future business scope of aks in China, including the online and offline promotion of its super girl idol group akb48 and the official affiliated sister groups in China, record production, publishing and distribution, tour performances, online live broadcasting, audio and video copyright, film and television performances, advertising endorsements, selection and training of new idol groups and the development and sales of derivatives, and will also carry out in-depth business synergy with a number of large domestic integrated media groups in the future.