Design Commerce Week 2023＂ prominently features AI marketing as a leading force globally towards a future of circular sustainability

The premier annual event in Asia, "Design Commerce Week" (BODW) Summit, has grandly opened in Hong Kong. The event aims to explore trends in design, innovation, and branding, with a strong emphasis on promoting circular design and fostering cultural exchange between China and the world. Spanning three days, the summit, themed "Game Changers," features over 60 creative leaders, industry pioneers, and entrepreneurs. They will showcase the innovative power of design through keynote speeches and forums. Organized by the Hong Kong Design Centre (HKDC), the summit is presented in partnership with the Netherlands and its creative platform CreativeNL, primarily sponsored by CreateHK of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, and co-organized by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC).

The opening ceremony of "Design Commerce Week 2023" was inaugurated through a video by Mr. Chan Kwok-ki, GBS, IDSM, JP, Chief Secretary for Administration of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government. The event also welcomed distinguished guests including Mr. Kevin Yeung Yun-hung, GBS, JP, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism of the HKSAR Government; Ms. Barbera Wolfensberger, Director-General of Culture and Media, Ministry of Education, Culture and Science of the Netherlands; Mr. Remco van Wijngaarden, the Dutch Ambassador to China; and Professor Eric Yim, MH, JP, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Hong Kong Design Centre.

This year's summit focuses on advancing AI marketing and circular design, bringing together decision-makers, entrepreneurs, and creative leaders. It aims to address current challenges across various sectors while advocating for innovative concepts and design thinking to achieve a sustainable future. The summit explores three major themes: "Urban Planning and New Urban Models," "Brand Transformation and Consumer Experience," and "Artificial Intelligence, Marketing, and Future Trends." It seeks to discuss the integration of creativity with technology in shaping intelligent living environments and examines how businesses and governments can collaborate to revolutionize consumer experiences, moving towards a sustainable future.

Key highlights of the "Design Commerce Week 2023" summit include: a keynote speech on future urban visions by Ben van Berkel, founder and chief architect of UNStudio; an analysis of Japanese aesthetic principles by the President and Chief Designer of the Japan Design Center, Kenya Hara; a forum on sustainable luxury goods led by José Teunissen, Professor and Director at the Amsterdam Fashion Institute, and Cai Jinqing, President of Greater China for Kering Group; and a themed forum on AI in marketing by Mr. Xiao Jie, CEO of Hong Kong Chance-One Technology Group.

DFA Award recipient, President and Chief Designer of the Japan Design Center, Kenya Hara, shared his lifelong contributions to Japanese aesthetic design and innovation at the summit, along with his vision for a sustainable future. He emphasized breaking the boundaries of design, transcending local and global norms, and revealing the limitations of human design thinking with unparalleled insight, challenging the organic forms of nature. Hara highlighted an innovative industry born in Japan's evolving social atmosphere, underscoring the vital role of design in preserving cultural heritage and traditions.

Professor José Teunissen, Professor and Director at the Amsterdam Fashion Institute, and Cai Jinqing, President of Greater China for Kering Group, guided the audience in understanding sustainable luxury goods through the "3C1E" approach. The three Cs stand for Care (caring for the planet, surroundings, and the environment), Collaborate (joining sustainable practices upstream and downstream), and Create (innovation as the core of sustainability). Education is highlighted as a crucial factor in transforming luxury goods into sustainable development.

Mr. Xiao Jie, CEO of Hong Kong Chance-One Technology Group and a leader in Hong Kong's AI marketing industry, shared the remarkable achievements of artificial intelligence in marketing and his outlook for the future. He stated that the explosive growth of AI, especially in Hong Kong as a global creative hub, should be more broadly applied in marketing. He advocated transforming the traditional PR industry into a more technologically advanced sector. Xiao emphasized the benefits of AI in saving time and costs on repetitive tasks, utilizing data analysis and AI algorithms to predict market trends, which he sees as the future development goal of AI in marketing.

Looking ahead, the Hong Kong Design Centre announced that France will be the partner country for 2024. France will contribute to next year's "Knowledge of Design Week" (KODW) and "Design Commerce Week" with renowned speakers, creative leaders, and a series of design activities. These contributions are aimed at fostering mutual learning and establishing a year-long collaborative design community for exchange between the two regions.