Launching into the global market through character products and contents commerce business
SAMG Animations is a global graphic group currently active in the world market with their immense creativity, 3D technology, and unique videography. Their march towards the global market through continuous research development and cutting-edge graphic technology system combined with creative imagination has been recognized by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, and was named “Small but Powerful Giant company."
CEO Soo hoon Kim of SAMG Animations describes the business environment as “combing planning and manufacturing into an organized manufacturing system” as well as “actively exchanging foreign business networks and creating 3D animations that can be distributed to worldwide markets."
SAMG Animations can be characterized into roughly 4 areas:
First is animation planning and manufacturing. From concept planning to manufacturing, both the free production team and the main production team creates over two creative projects per year.
Second, SAMG offers production service for high quality 3D animations needs of global customers, including cinematic animations, graphic games, movies, TV series, and advertisements.
Next, they reach beyond simple animations, and utilize the OSMU (One Source Multi Use) business. OSMU is changing the genre of an animation contents into movies, games, character goods, toys, and publications that fits the custom needs of customers all around the world.
Lastly, SAMG markets animation around the globe, distributing cinematic animations into theaters. They have already amassed a rich overseas network.
In order to create today’s business environment, SAMG Animations had to experience several points of inflection. President Kim reminisces that “back in 2000 when SAMG was starting off, most of the projects had to be created with the help of a foreign enterprise. Even after creating the product, we had to utilize a foreign platform to indirectly export to overseas markets. Technically the American and other foreign animations popular in Korean markets were also created by us.” SAMG Animations started with Odd Family back in 2004, and partnered up with foreign businesses like Timoon of France for example.
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“Even while collaborating, we never lost creative vision”, claims Mr. Kim. “I knew that our production value was very high, and with more experience we gained even more confidence. Starting in 2010, we began to produce independent projects, and started directly dealing with foreign marketing." SAMG Animation’s second leap coincided with their 10th year anniversary.
With this as their beginning, the filmography of SAMG Animation’s independent project is extremely noteworthy. Their most popular works are: "Miniforce," "Catch! Teenieping," "Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir," "Miniforce: Deeno the King of Dinosaurs," "Miniforce X," "Monkart," "Power Battle Watch Car: The Counterattack of Watch Mask," "Vroom! Vroom! Vroomiz," "Fish N Chips," and "Monk." They also continued with collaborative projects, such as the "Tales of Ladybug" series, which were partnered with France’s Zagtoon and Method Animations, as well as Japan’s Toei Animations.
SAMG Animation’s projects are very popular in foreign markets. "My Giant Friend" aired on FR3 broadcast in France in 2009 and topped the rating charts. In 2010 "Firebreather" was broadcasted across the United States through CartoonNetwork, while "Vroomiz" was aired in 22 Arab nations simultaneously through Al Jazeera broadcasting channel. SAMG also managed to seal over 70 different rising sun deals, including China’s CCTV. SAMG Animation’s products are being broadcasted across China, Hong Kong, India, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, and Russia as we speak.
The story of Mr. Kim continues. “As independent projects became more popular, we started taking more interest in IP (Intellectual Property). I believe that Korea’s entertainment development ability is top level." The toy making industry exported around 2 billion won in 2017, which tripled to 6 billion won last year. SAMG Animation’s efforts were recognized through the “2016 Korea Contents Animation Presidential Award” as well as “Korea Contents Foreign Export Merit Presidential Award” last year.
“When we were first starting off, I was happy to just create animations”, Mr. Kim stated. “Although Korea’s animation history is short, it is rapidly growing. Now that we’ve been working in the field for around 20 years, we are starting to become ambitious. We want to create a legendary project that will succeed around the world. By strengthening our contents commerce business, we plan to expand beyond the entertainment industry and into education, games, et cetera. We also expect much in foreign businesses." Mr. Kim finished by adding that “SAMG Animations have been selected ‘Small but Powerful Giant’ and is looking forward to SBA (Seoul Business Administration) and overseas business support.”
[Editor's Note: Money Today collaborates with the Seoul Business Agency to provide media usage, marketing and consulting to companies in Seoul that show innovative growth and global growth competitiveness.]