Pok?mon Occupies Jamsil... Lotte's First Content Business Project

Lotte Strengthens Content Business Strategy with Participation from 10 Affiliates
Pok?mon Town 2024 Runs from April 26 to May 19
Chairman Shin Dong-bin Orders "Strengthen Business through Collaboration with Content IP Companies"

Lotte announced on the 8th that it will hold "Pokemon Town 2024 with Lotte" at Lotte World Tower and Mall from the 26th of this month until the 19th of next month.

This event is the first content business project conducted at the group-wide level, involving 10 affiliates including Lotte Holdings, Lotte Property & Development, Lotte Wellfood, Lotte GRS, Lotte Department Store, and Hotel Lotte.

Content business refers to a business that plans products, services, and spaces linked to intellectual property (IP) to provide customers with content experiences. Major distribution industries regard content IP as a key factor to attract customers through their own channels and are strengthening related businesses. Lotte is also expanding its business by utilizing content IP owned by its affiliates, such as Lotte Wellfood’s Ghana Chocolate House and Lotte Department Store’s Christmas Market.

Content business is a field that Shin Dong-bin, Chairman of Lotte Group, watches with great interest. Recently, at a meeting related to content business, Chairman Shin emphasized, “Please strengthen content business by collaborating with leading global content IP companies,” and “Please strive to develop a mid- to long-term sustainable model that can increase Lotte’s asset value.”

To strengthen content business, Lotte has established a dedicated organization within Lotte Holdings. The content business team, under the ESG Management Innovation Office of Lotte Holdings, is responsible for designing large-scale campaigns that are difficult for each affiliate to execute, forming partnerships with global content companies, and discovering new content business models. The goal is to create synergy among various affiliates using content and to conceive new business models that are not confined to existing business areas.

The Pokemon Town 2024 event collaborates with the Pokemon IP, which has been loved worldwide for the past 27 years. Large art balloons of Lapras and Pikachu will be displayed at Seokchon Lake in Jamsil, and Pokemon-related mini-games and parade events will be held at the grassy plaza of Lotte World Tower Arena, decorating the Jamsil area with Pokemon content.

Lotte Wellfood, Lotte Chilsung Beverage, Lotte GRS, and Hotel Lotte will also exclusively release licensed products using various Pokemon IPs. Lotte Cultureworks and Lotte Concert Hall have prepared various group-level events, including the theatrical release of the Pokemon 25th anniversary animation film "Pokemon: The Story of the Sinnoh Region, The Final Chapter" and a Pokemon animation concert. The company expects a significant customer influx effect as Pokemon is loved by all age groups.

From the perspective of IP-owning companies, collaboration with Lotte can be expected to diversify revenue through content utilization. Based on Lotte’s wide-ranging businesses in food, distribution, culture, and services, integrated marketing strategies covering various products and services such as character collaboration food and beverage products, pop-up stores, and performances are possible.

Lotte plans to promote businesses using various IPs within the group, including new IP development and steady seller brands, based on accumulated know-how with domestic and international IP-owning companies. A Lotte official said, “We will provide customers with new and beneficial experiences through more creative content in the future,” and added, “We will discover differentiated content business opportunities based on Lotte’s unique strengths, which include various customer contact channels such as food, distribution, and services.”