[비즈한국] A brand is not completed by a single person but through the hands of many. Designers, planners, marketers, producers, and even consumers are linked by invisible threads, and new value is born within those connections. The BrandBiz Conference 2025, held on Tuesday, October 28th, at the Four Seasons Hotel Seoul in Gwanghwamun, revisits the essence of brands under the theme of "collaboration."
Marking its 9th anniversary this year, the event is themed "You and I are Connected – The Methods of Collaboration." Approximately 350 to 400 brand-related professionals are expected to participate, sharing diverse perspectives on how communication, friction, empathy, and growth contribute to the power of a brand.
The event is planned and hosted by Kwon Joon-ho, Kim Kyung-cheol, and Kim Eo-jin, co-representatives of Everyday Practice. Having stood on stage as speakers last year, they are participating as organizers this year to open the event and serve as moderators. True to the tradition of the BrandBiz Conference, the organizers have continued the practice where the previous year's speakers take on the planning, theme selection, and speaker recruitment for the following year.
Six speakers will take the stage. First, Shin So-hyun, CEO of OIMU, and Iro, CEO of Your-Mind, have garnered attention for their work connecting the past and the present. Shin So-hyun revives everyday memories by reinterpreting forgotten objects like matches, erasers, and scroll paintings in a modern way, while Iro has fostered a culture around small-batch, unique books through his independent bookstore, Your-Mind, and the Unlimited Edition event. These two presentations demonstrate that what we remember and how we connect become the core strength of a brand.
Perspectives that have continued new experiments in cities and daily life will also take the stage. Hong Joo-seok, CEO of Urbanplay, will share how he transformed cities into content platforms by connecting neighborhoods with creators, and Yoon Han-jin, Co-CEO of Fuhahaha Friends, will tell stories of delightful scenes where architecture, art, and culture meet through experimental architectural projects. The presentations by these two speakers, who provide a fresh interpretation of space, will show how collaboration changes cities and people.
Cases of practicing the value of collaboration in different fields—coffee and exhibitions—will also follow. Seo Pil-hoon, CEO of Coffee Libre, will share the journey of how a cup of coffee is made through his experience of directly visiting coffee origins and trading with farmers, while Lee Jung-hyung, CEO of Our Labor, will explain how he completes memorable scenes by addressing both the visible results and the invisible processes in exhibition design. These two speakers will serve as a reminder that a brand is not merely a product or service, but something created through the gathering of human relationships and efforts.
The BrandBiz Conference, which begins with opening remarks by Kim Won-yang, CEO of Ilyo Shinmun, will open with the "Object by Prize 2025" awards ceremony, now in its third year. This year, the scope of evaluation has expanded from goods-centered entries to encompass overall "brand activities," including brand campaigns, spaces, collaborations, and experiences. The "Brand of the Year," the equivalent of the grand prize, will be announced on-site. Following this, the six lectures will be held throughout the morning and afternoon, concluding with an open talk featuring all speakers. It is expected to be a meaningful time to share ideas not fully covered during the lectures and to connect insights from different fields.
Every year, the BrandBiz Conference has examined the essence of brands centered around the keywords of the era. If last year explored identity through design, this year reflects on the relationship between brands and society through the process of collaboration. Kwon Joon-ho, Kim Kyung-cheol, and Kim Eo-jin, co-representatives of Everyday Practice, stated, "A brand is not a result of one person, but a product created when different people meet and collide. This conference will be a time to reflect together on what new possibilities brands can open up through collaboration."
The BrandBiz Conference 2025 is a paid event, and participant registration and detailed information can be found on the official website.