A Hong Kong studio is taking the first key step into the panda economy by creating a suite of characters based on the city’s six bears and is planning to push the figures at exhibitions and carnivals, as well as through merchandise, but will allow the government to use the intellectual property for free.
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In an exclusive interview with the Post, local art studio AllRightsReserved founder Lam Shu-kam revealed that the intellectual property (IP) of the new characters, collectively known as “Panda Friends and Family” under an umbrella project called “Panda Go! Fest HK”, could be used at no charge by the government and Ocean Park – the pandas’ home.
But other companies or individuals would have to apply for permission to use the copyrighted material owned by AllRightsReserved and be subject to an annual royalty fee of about 6 per cent of retail prices derived from commercial use of the IP, he said.
AllRightsReserved would in turn donate royalties to the park to sustain its operations of raising the giant pandas, Lam said.
“Giant pandas are many people’s favourite [animals] around the world,” he said last week on the sidelines of an art event in Le Brassus, Switzerland.
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“We created the IP and welcome everyone to use it to push its development and promote the sustainability of the animals.”