The Global Licensing Group, the organiser of Brand Licensing Europe, announces that Brand Licensing Europe (BLE) will be an all-virtual event and introduces the Festival of Licensing.
Following the uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the success of Global Licensing Group’s first-ever Licensing Week Virtual Event, this year’s BLE will be a fully-virtual event.
In its place, the Global Licensing Group at Informa Markets is introducing a four-week digital Festival of Licensing, which will run from 6 – 29 October 2020 in partnership with industry trade association Licensing International.
Celebration of brand licensing
This virtual event will bring together licensing sector professionals from across the globe, allowing them to network and gain valuable insights. There will be four events tailored to key regions:
- Week 1: 6-8 October – Europe, powered by Brand Licensing Europe
- Week 2: 14-15 October – Asia, powered by Licensing Expo China and Licensing Expo Japan
- Week 3: 20-22 October – North America and Latin America, powered by Licensing Expo
- Week 4: 28-29 October – Global C-suite virtual conference – Licensing Leadership Summit
For the first three weeks, the events will explore a range of topics and will be timed to fit in with the time zones of those regions.
Attendees will be able to discover IPs during brand and property showcases featuring up to 300 exhibitors, as well as enjoying the live License This! and Pitch the Brands competition finals. There will also be live keynote speeches, over 100 hours of insightful and relevant content and retailer-only spaces with exclusive content and Q&A sessions.
In addition to this, there will be networking opportunities thanks to the Festival Matchmaking Service and a schedule of live daily entertainment each evening, alongside a Community and Wellbeing programme.
Licensing Leadership Summit
Following this, the Licensing Leadership Summit will take place from 28 – 29 October, where the industry’s C-Suite and thought-leaders will explore key learnings from the Festival of Licensing and look at key topics for the future of the sector.
Informa Markets’ Global Licensing Group Vice President, Anna Knight, says: “We are incredibly excited to announce Festival of Licensing and proud of the opportunities and experiences it offers to the global licensing industry.
“Although the decision to transition Brand Licensing Europe to an all-virtual event was a difficult one and we will miss seeing everyone at ExCeL this year, I’m proud that we have a comprehensive offering in its place and look forward to the European event kicking off Festival of Licensing.”
“We have had great feedback from June’s Licensing Week Virtual, so we know that there is huge potential and appetite for industry connection during this challenging time when meeting face-to-face is difficult.
Meeting the needs of the industry
“Our partners are telling us that driving domestic and international connections, discovering new IP and brands and learning how to navigate the new consumer landscape are paramount to the health of forward-planning for the business of brand licensing, and Festival of Licensing will support all of these needs,” says Knight.
“We also want Festival of Licensing to offer amazing experiences for everyone who joins us. One of the joys of virtual is that it can make the previously impossible possible, and we plan to use the power of the platform to fuel the imagination, delight and inspire in a fitting celebration of this industry and the people within it.”
Maura Regan, President, Licensing International, says: “This global virtual event is an exciting platform to provide our members and the broader industry with the connections and tools to continue to move their business forward.
“Our industry is truly global, and this event promises to bring us all together (while apart) designed expressly to engage and facilitate smart business in real-time, regardless of where in the world you may be.”
More information is available here.
Licensing Week Virtual took place from 15 – 19 June 2020 and brought 4,477 licensing industry professionals together from around the world.
