BEIJING--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Second Annual Mcon, the official film merchandising convention of Mtime, China’s leading movie portal and film e-commerce destination, is taking place in Sanya, in the Hainan province of China on December 11-12. The convention, which gathers 800 of China’s top theater owners and general managers, is focused on new merchandise from some of the most anticipated films of 2016, including STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS, KUNG FU PANDA 3 and WARCRAFT. Keynote speakers will be Walt Disney International Chairman Andy Bird and DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg. Simultaneously, Mtime has launched China’s first ever movie merchandising B-to-B mobile solution and box office tool.
In addition to keynote addresses, the convention will include several presentations and sessions covering various aspects of the movie merchandising industry. STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS, WARCRAFT and KUNG FU PANDA 3 will be highlighted within the conversations, which will cover topics including:
- The history and evolution of movie merchandising
- Movie merchandising design
- Artistic development of merchandise
- Localizing movie merchandise
- 2016 market outlook for the merchandise business
Previews of merchandise for other highly anticipated upcoming titles with strong merchandising components will also be presented during the convention. Merchandise from MTime’s exclusive designs and a wide range of international licensees from all upcoming films will be available for order and pre-order onsite via the newly launched Mtime PRO application.
“Movie merchandising has truly evolved from the days of keychains and postcards into a true lifestyle industry,” said Kelvin Hou, Mtime’s founder and CEO. “Along with the support of over 800 theater owners, we are thrilled to have the opportunity to show the movie industry across the globe China’s unlimited growth potential in the merchandising business.”
Said Su Ming, GM of the Jinyi Theater Chain (second largest chain in China): “What Mtime has done by gathering so many of my colleagues in the theater business together along with the best-in-the-business merchandise in one place is nothing short of amazing. We cannot deny the power of movie merchandise and this summit is a prime example of Mtime’s continued innovation and contribution to the film business.”
The just-launched Mtime PRO serves three primary functions. First, the application will allow theater owners and general managers to review upcoming movie merchandise, select the items for purchase, pay via mobile and then have the merchandise shipped directly to their theater locations. Beginning today, from the convention floor of Mcon, theater owners are able to download this free application and place movie merchandising orders and pre-orders on the spot.
Another key to Mtime PRO’s unique offering is the app will also provide invaluable nationwide, same-day box office analyses, screen allocation information and competitive comparisons which provide critical information for theater owners, filmmakers and studio executives alike. This exclusive MTime innovation is in stark contrast to less than 10 years ago, when box office receipts were gathered by bicycle messenger.
Lastly, Mtime PRO will be home to up-to-the-minute movie trade news. The app is expected to be downloaded and used by at least 70% of China’s theater owners in the first quarter.
Mtime launched its merchandising portal online in January 2015. In just eleven months, Mtime has established 55 brick and mortar stores in 10 major box office cities, laying the groundwork for a one-stop online-to-offline service. In partnership with the biggest film studios worldwide, Mtime has developed high-end merchandise for film consumers, enriching the film industry and promoting film culture. In July, Mtime partnered with Wanda Cinemas to co-brand their in-theater stores.
The film market in China is the fastest growing in the world, with this year marking another robust year with potential to maintain another 30%+ growth year-over-year for the past five years. Industry estimates project that China will become the world’s largest box office market in the next three years.
About Mtime:
Mtime is China's #1 movie portal with 170 million unique visitors per month and one of the largest online ticketing and movie merchandising companies in the country. It is also the only independent, integrated film marketing and media platform in China. Additionally, Mtime designs, manufactures and sells high-end movie merchandise derived from one of the largest licensed movie IP portfolios in the world. A partner to all of the top US film studios, Mtime is the premiere e-commerce, in-theater retail and entertainment news destination for filmgoers across China. Mtime is also the #1 movie ticket-seller and film database in the country, representing 90% of the movie theaters in 500 Chinese cities. For more information, please visit http://en.mtime.com/
