Publishing and cultural creative industries break through boundaries: a value leap from content to ecosystem

When Lu Xun blind boxes and "Juanbao" panda-themed cultural and creative products flood social media, when XR technology makes revolutionary culture tangible and relatable, and when publishing-related cultural and creative products move from book fair corners to the center of the market… the publishing industry is using cultural and creative products as a fulcrum to break down the boundaries of printed books, opening up new tracks through cross-industry integration, and achieving a profound transformation from "content production" to "value operation."

Currently, the book market and the cultural and creative market present a stark contrast: in 2025, the number of physical book sales declined year-on-year, the growth rate of retail market revenue slowed, and traditional publishing faced growth pressure; at the same time, the cultural service industry continued to heat up, the market size of IP-themed toys and cultural and creative derivatives maintained rapid growth, and the demand of young people for cultural consumption extended from "reading" to "experience," "collecting," and "socializing." Behind this contrast lies a profound transformation in the development logic of the publishing industry—the era of simply relying on the scale expansion of printed books is over. A "large publishing ecosystem" centered on content IP and integrating across media and industries has become the inevitable path for the industry's high-quality development.

The recently concluded 2026 Beijing Book Fair highlighted the booming popularity of publishing and cultural creative products: the number of cultural and creative product booths increased by one-third compared to the same period last year, and many publishers' products became "viral hits." "How publishers can break into new markets with their cultural and creative products" became a hot topic of discussion within the industry. Interviews revealed that after years of exploration, the publishing industry has moved beyond the early pitfalls of "simple labeling" and "element piling up," forming four representative cross-industry paradigms for cultural and creative products, providing a valuable path for industry transformation.

Scenario Extension & Product Value Enhancement: Extending the Value of Reading Beyond the Book

Transforming book content into tangible, usable physical products, extending the reading experience into daily life, is the most basic and easily implemented model for publishers to create cultural and creative products. This model centers on the book content, exploring its cultural elements to develop bookmarks, notebooks, stationery, board games, and home furnishings, transforming the spiritual value of reading into practical value and achieving a "one book, multiple products" value-added effect.

People's Literature Publishing House's "Humanities Treasures" brand, leveraging classic literary IPs, has developed nearly 200 cultural and creative products related to Lu Xun. From "golden quote" bookmarks and refrigerator magnets to "thoughtful burdens" backpacks, each product closely embodies the spirit of Lu Xun's works, preserving cultural style while catering to the aesthetic needs of younger generations. During the 2025 Shanghai Book Fair, a replica of Lu Xun's wool vest, worn by celebrities like Mo Yan and Ma Weidu, became a fashion item, driving a surge in sales of related cultural and creative products and achieving over 200 million online exposures.

Sichuan People's Publishing House, based on regional characteristics, launched its self-designed panda IP "Juanbao," developing over 50 cultural and creative products including plush toys, backpacks, and badges. Capitalizing on the opportunity of exporting book copyrights, it precisely targets overseas panda fans, allowing Sichuan culture to reach the world through cultural and creative products. This "content + scenario" model not only lowers the barrier to entry for cultural and creative development but also allows the cultural value of publishing to reach a wider consumer base, becoming a "first choice" for publishers to cross over into other fields.

Symbol Reshaping & IP Brand Building: From Content Provider to Cultural Operator

If extending the scope of a product's application is a "trial run," then building an IP brand represents the "advanced path" for publishing and cultural creative industries. Excellent publishing and cultural creative products have long transcended the "product" level, becoming carriers of cultural symbols and conveying emotional value. Publishing houses, by extracting core elements from classic content and their own brands, create highly recognizable IP images, achieving an upgrade from "content providers" to "cultural symbol operators."

Besides the Lu Xun IP, the "Great China Treasure Hunt" IP, created by 21st Century Publishing Group in collaboration with Jingding Animation, has forged a mature path for IP industrialization. Leveraging the hundreds of millions of readers of the "Great China Treasure Hunt" book series, the cultural and creative brand "Dingguagua Trendy Toys" was launched, developing various derivative products such as toys, stationery, and clothing. Three of these products won the 2025 China and Foreign Toy Awards and the China and Foreign Trendy Toy Awards. Through IP licensing and cross-industry collaboration, "Great China Treasure Hunt" has achieved full-chain development from books to cultural and creative products, animation, and offline activities, building a complete IP ecosystem.

China Democracy and Legal System Publishing House, leveraging its professional strengths, has created the "Workshop No. 7" cultural and creative brand, launching the "Knowing and Abiding by the Law, Enthusiastic Citizen" series of cultural and creative products. These designs, aligning with current social issues, have won bulk purchases from bookstores. In 2026, the publishing house will also focus on developing the "Bao Gong" IP, comprehensively deploying it from text, images, audio, and video to cultural and creative products. It plans to launch in cultural tourism markets such as Kaifeng and Hefei, and expand into overseas markets such as Thailand. This IP-based operation continuously amplifies the cultural value of publishing and allows the publishing house to establish a unique brand advantage in market competition.

Technological Integration & Narrative Upgrading: Activating Cultural Connotation with Technology

In the digital age, the integration of technology and culture has opened up new possibilities for publishing and cultural and creative products. Publishing houses are using new technologies such as XR, AR, animation, and short videos to break the limitations of flat text, transforming static content into immersive and interactive experiences. This allows cultural connotations to be presented in a more vivid and intuitive way, achieving an upgrade in content narrative.

Xinhua Publishing House's practice in this regard is quite representative. In October 2025, Xinhua News Agency's first immersive cultural and creative experience store opened in Shanghai. In 2026, the agency will also build a red-themed cultural and creative store based on the "Tianan·Xinhua Reading Space" in Tiananmen Square, innovatively using XR technology to allow visitors to experience red culture in an immersive way, achieving a deep integration of cultural experience and cultural and creative consumption. This "technology + culture" model not only enhances the fun and appeal of cultural and creative products but also extends the life cycle of IPs, allowing classic culture to radiate new vitality in the digital age.

Jilin Science and Technology Press, relying on its deep expertise in traditional Chinese medicine, launched the "Five Elements and Six Qi Hall" series of cultural and creative products. Combining digital means, it makes traditional Chinese medicine culture more accessible and relatable. Its latest original IP, the medicine boy character "Yao Buran," is also disseminated through animation and short videos, further expanding its brand influence. The empowerment of technology has allowed publishing and cultural and creative products to escape the predicament of "niche" and "homogeneous" development, reaching a broader market.

Platform Thinking & Ecosystem Integration: Building a Sustainable Business Loop

If the first three paradigms represent "single-point breakthroughs," then platform thinking represents a "panoramic layout" for publishing and cultural creation. With intensifying industry competition, the resources and capabilities of a single publishing house are limited. Building cross-industry platforms and integrating industry resources to achieve ecological integration of "publishing + cultural tourism + study tours + cross-border trade" has become an inevitable trend for the high-quality development of publishing and cultural creation.

In October 2025, the Publishing and Cultural Creativity Working Committee of the China Publishers Association was officially established, with over 90 founding members, becoming an important platform for promoting the coordinated development of publishing and cultural creation. At the 2026 Beijing Book Fair, the committee released the "Initiative of the Publishing and Cultural Creativity Working Committee of the China Publishers Association on Promoting High-Quality Development of Publishing and Cultural Creativity," proposing "Ten Measures for Cultural Creativity," covering multiple aspects such as planning, talent cultivation, channel expansion, and overseas expansion, providing a roadmap for industry development.

In practice, many publishing houses have already begun to implement ecosystem integration. Sichuan People's Publishing House focuses on the integration of "publishing + cultural tourism," combining its "Juanbao" IP with Bashu cultural tourism resources to launch study tour products, allowing readers to experience cultural charm while traveling. Xinhua Publishing House, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, leads the development of cultural and creative products and digital transformation, streamlining the entire chain from "content production to cultural and creative development to market sales." Its blockbuster products, such as the "Victory" series of postcards, are the result of rapid incubation leveraging platform advantages.

Furthermore, cross-border expansion has become an important direction for the integration of the publishing and cultural and creative ecosystem. More and more publishers are using cross-border platforms to promote Chinese-style cultural and creative products to the world, broadening the channels for publishing to go global and enabling the international dissemination of excellent traditional Chinese culture through cultural and creative carriers. Sichuan People's Publishing House's "Juanbao" IP and China Democracy and Legal System Publishing House's "Bao Gong" IP are actively expanding into overseas markets, becoming important vehicles for telling China's story.

Of course, the cross-border path of publishing and cultural and creative industries is not without its challenges. Currently, the industry still faces challenges such as insufficient IP development, severe homogenization of competition, a shortage of professional talent, and inadequate market operation capabilities. However, it is undeniable that cultural and creative products have become a crucial lever for the integration and transformation of the publishing industry, and a key force driving publishing from "content production" to "value extension."

Industry insiders generally believe that the core competitiveness of publishing cultural and creative products is no longer "content itself," but rather "the systematic operation of content value." In the future, publishers need to deeply refine the cultural core with the professional qualities of publishers; polish the user experience with the keen thinking of product managers; and integrate industry resources with a long-term platform perspective. Only in this way can they create cultural and creative products that not only win market recognition but also convey cultural power, truly realizing a value leap for the publishing industry.

From the cultural and creative derivatives of single books to the full-chain operation of IPs, and then to the construction of a "large publishing ecosystem," every step of the exploration in publishing cultural and creative products is a vivid practice of upholding integrity and innovation in the publishing industry. Against the backdrop of building a culturally strong nation, it is believed that with the active participation and cross-industry integration of more publishers, publishing cultural and creative products will undoubtedly become an important force driving cultural prosperity and development, writing a new chapter in the high-quality development of the publishing industry.