Increasing InnovAsian

In many Asian countries there has long been a very high demand for Western creativity. Whether it be fashion, media, interior design, whatever, Western creativity has long been seen as something to which folks aspire. Why is that?

There have been exceptions, of course; Japan is known for its animation and its innovative industrial production techniques, for example. But for many, the focus has been on the West. Some people say there's long been a "Western is better" attitude throughout much of Asia. Others say the education systems and family values that exist in much of Asia don't encourage creative pursuits. Whatever the reason, it seems to be changing, as Creatives are establishing a foothold and expanding the talent pools in their countries.

One example of this evolving creativity is the emergence of a comics industry in Singapore, and in Hong Kong as well. Rather than just reading DC and Marvel, Asian audiences are turning more and more to local titles that infuse their own brand of "Asian-ness" into the storytelling media. Benjamin Xue, a marketing expert in Singapore, notes that

It's not just Japan and their manga anymore. Our local industry has gotten so large we have an annual Singapore comic convention. The themes of these titles might be slightly different from what you'd expect from overseas, in part because there are different Asian values that underlie many of these stories. It's still a sunrise industry, so you have a lot of people who do it all by themselves; in the US you often have one person doing the frames, others doing the writing, others who do inking, but here it's almost a one-man show. But you also have innovative uses for comics, like Sir Fong, who left his job as a teacher to write comics that teach about science.

The expansion of this industry is one reason Lucasfilm opened a new facility in Singapore a few years ago. The growth of creative talent exemplified by the comics industry showed Lucasfilm not only how much talent is available in the region, but also how the new twists offered by this talent might enhance the global animation industry.

We're also seeing more exploration of the new as well as appreciation for the old. Singapore, for instance, has a growing fashion industry that's winning more and more fans at home, while some labels like Japan's Uniqlo appeal to an expanding global audience. Furniture stores, meanwhile, that sell traditional designs are seeing higher demand, and while they might not yet be overtaking Ikea, local designers of both traditional and modern furniture are gaining greater recognition and respect.

Creative industries are a function of supply and demand. The demand for creative goods has long been evident in Asia, but the supply of creativity (and for that matter, the supply of Creatives) has been low. That seems to be changing, though, which is good news for the countries in the region. If you have a choice between your consumers supporting another country's creative industry, or supporting one in your country, well, it's obvious which is better. Once creative industries start to grow, they also encourage expansion into other fields; Singapore's plan for a strong biotech sector, for example, may benefit from the growth of the comic industry, as more people see creativity as an attractive career option.

So it will be interesting to see if education systems and the idea of a "good" career will evolve to facilitate the growth of creativity, or if this expansion of creativity will turn out to be only a temporary exception to the rule.