Date: July 26, 2006
Location: Japanese American National Museum, Downtown Los Angeles
http://www.imprint-life.com
Multicultural research firm, New American Dimensions, and interTrend Communications, an Asian American advertising agency, will host IMPRINT, Urban Youth Unabridged --a conference exploring new trends among American urban youth at the Japanese American National Museum in Downtown Los Angeles. Unlike other marketing events focused on deciphering the much touted "urban youth" demographic, this conference will highlight one of the most feverish trends now captivating young American consumers across the nation: the growing mark and influence of Asian Pop Culture.
Together, Anime and Manga have grown into a burgeoning $4 billion business in the U.S. and counting. Moreover, Hollywood itself is increasingly deriving its ideas and inspiration from the best creative minds and visionaries of East Asia and Bollywood--stirring the unprecedented wave of Asian cinematic remakes, such as Japanese horror classics Ringu and The Grudge. Likewise, Sudoku--the popular puzzle game from Japan--and Machinima--in which video gamers become their own self-stylized movie directors and animators--are spawning thriving cottage industries, while enrapturing young urban consumers across the nation. Whether you are talking about hip hop, import tuner culture, or video gaming, a distinct Asian influence is permeating American popular culture in general.
Unmistakably, young Asian American denizens--as ambassadors or curators of this movement--are on the leading cusp of these trends. But it's not only Asian American youth. Young American cultural creatives across the color spectrum are inventing the fads and defining the trends for the world around them. Their influence cuts across a global marketplace. This conference will focus on the urban youth population but will also focus specifically on the relatively unrecognized role that young Asian Americans are playing in establishing and shaping American youth trends by criss-crossing, intersecting, and fusing culture in new, exciting, and unprecedented ways.
"IMPRINT" is aimed at marketers, creative entrepreneurs, advertisers, and pop culture professionals whose business depends on knowing these trends. Invited attendees and presenters include: Jim Farley from Toyota Motor Sales, Gregory Rodriguez from LA Times, Eric Nakamura from Giant Robot, Gonzalo Perez from MTV, John Hiler from Xanga, Raymond Choy from Toy2R, and Thuy Dang from Live Sockets. In addition, New American Dimensions and interTrend will be unveiling a new research study entitled Made In America: Asian American Teens and Echo Boomers--the culmination of in-depth qualitative and quantitative research comprised of extensive surveying and video-ethnography in major U.S. cities. The study probes the attitudes, identity issues, media choices, and cultural engagement of young Asian Americans. At the conference, the winners of the Qee IMPRINT art contest will be awarded. Asian Youth were invited to show their creativity in designing popular Qee figures, originating from Hong Kong.
For more information about the conference, please check www.imprint-life.com
