Welcome Clockenflap back to Hong Kong with Live! Matters

In partnership with Live! Matters

The last time Clockenflap took over Hong Kong’s Central Harbourfront was 2018 – which feels like a lifetime ago. The music and arts festival isn’t pulling any punches for its grand return this March, booking heavy-hitters like Arctic Monkeys and Wu-Tang Clan and a slew of international, regional and local talent.

Also staging its comeback is Live! Matters. Produced by Branded and presented by the Hong Kong Jockey Club, the industry conference will take place March 2, the eve of Clockenflap’s festivities from March 3-5. With China finally relaxing its pandemic restrictions in December and welcoming travelers back, it’s a prime time for the industry to convene to envision the future of events and live entertainment both online and off.

A myriad of topics will be up for discussion at Live! Matters this year – when you’re not taking meetings on the Hong Kong Observation Wheel (yes, on the ferris wheel!) here are the conversations you shouldn’t miss at the AIA Vitality Park.

Focus on Hong Kong and China

There was a rush to get back to ‘normal’ post-COVID – but the pandemic’s impact on the event and entertainment business worldwide cannot be underestimated, nor its lessons for professionals dismissed. Expect lively discussions of the long-awaited reopening of Hong Kong and China at Live! Matters – not least at the panels “Hello, Hong Kong!” and “A Spotlight on China”.

Both will be opportunities to take stock of the current landscape and get caught up on the latest news, trends and insights on events and entertainment. What regulations have changed? What kind of localised marketing strategies can ensure success in a resurgent industry full of planners eager to stage splashy comebacks? Hear from professionals in varying industries, from finance to media to sport to tourism – including Clockenflap’s managing director Mike Hill.

“Hello, Hong Kong!”, presented by Invest HK, takes place 10.10am and “A Spotlight on China” takes place 11.45am. More info here

All things event-related

Now’s the time to get into the weeds of event planning with these three short and sweet post-lunch panels. “Sustainability Matters” will address the entertainment industry’s obligations to the planet in an age of climate crisis and explore how planners can minimise their environmental impact so we can keep enjoying events for years and decades to come.

The wonks and futurists should not miss “Production and Tech Matters”, which will dig into technological advancements in event production – you’ll no doubt come away with some new ideas on how to set your events apart from the crowd. But even the most tech-savvy, jaw-dropping event needs marketing, which is where “Event Marketing Matters” comes into play. After years of hibernation, the events industry is more saturated than ever – with consumers seemingly siloed into different social media bubbles. How do you get the word out there? Pick the brains of panelists from Tencent and Live! Matters presenter Hong Kong Jockey Club, among others.

“Sustainability Matters” takes place 2pm, “Production and Tech Matters” takes place 2.30pm and “Event Marketing Matters” takes place 3pm. More info here

What lies in the metaverse

The world went online during self-isolation – and though we can all go outside again, the metaverse isn’t going anywhere. Web3 is arguably going to become an even more interesting space as it evolves to compete in a more substantial way with the ‘real world’. What lies ahead in the metaverse for event planners beyond Minecraft concerts and Fortnite collaborations? Find out at “Into The Metaverse”, the last panel of the day at Live! Matters.

“Into The Metaverse” takes place 3.30pm. More info here

Live! Matters takes place March 2 at AIA Vitality Park on the Hong Kong harbourfront. It kicks off with a VIP Opening Party on March 1 at the Happy Valley Racecourse for ‘Happy Wednesday’, joining a night under a special ‘Women in Art’ theme courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club. Interested to attend? Sign up here to join the waitlist and for Live! Matters updates

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