The Global Licensing Group, the organiser of Licensing Expo, has announced its panel of keynote speakers for this year’s event. The expo, which takes place in six weeks, will be located at the Mandalay Bay Convention Centre in Las Vegas, US.
The event continues to attract staff and executives from top consumer brands including Alibaba Group, Burlington Stores, GameStop, Hallmark, Hybrid Apparel, Kohl’s, Moleskine and Walmart.
Speakers
An exclusive trend-driven presentation, From Dream to Reality: The Power of Brand Licensing for Location-Based Entertainment, will feature an expert panel at the Licensing U Theatre on 25 May.
The keynote panel features respected names in the LBE business who have been selected to help broaden attendees’ understanding of developing and executing LBE deals. Talking points will include how to protect brand integrity and insights for successful brand extensions.
The free-to-attend session will comprise four industry executives:
- Cecil D. Magpuri, CEO and co-founder, Falcon’s Beyond
- Robert L. Ward, CEO and president, Robert L. Ward, Inc.
- Susan Vargo, head of live events and location-based experiences, Moonbug
- George Wade, president, Bay Laurel Partners
Wade will also act as keynote moderator. He says: “It will be an honour to join my esteemed peers on stage at Licensing Expo as a keynote moderator speaking to a topic that I’m incredibly passionate about. LBE tells stories through experiences and has the unique ability to bring people together, transcending generations and fanbases.
“It is really a remarkable and expressive way for brands to build long-lasting relationships with their audience and reach new consumers – I hope the panel ignites new ideas and spurs continued innovation! I look forward to the keynote and reconnecting with the licensing community this May for much-needed face-to-face conversation.”
Inspiring ideas
Informa Markets’ SVP of licensing, Anna Knight, says the company is excited to finally share its keynote details with the Licensing Expo community.
Knight comments: “Keynotes are a cornerstone of Licensing Expo; our expert-led presentations bring to light new ways of doing business in a way that taps into consumer trends and arms the audience with inspiring ideas that will drive business forward in a meaningful way.
“With the shift to experiential marketing and society looking to be a part of something bigger as people step back into the world after lockdown, there is a burgeoning and unmissable opportunity for brands to tap into LBEs to engage with their audience on a deeper level, which will be reflected through this year’s theme.
“More details on this will be revealed next week and will complement the keynote perfectly.”
Potential attendees can register for the event on the Licensing Expo website.
A list of exhibitors were recently announced for Licensing Expo, featuring household names such as Crayola, Mattel and The Pokémon Company.
