The Global Licensing Group, the organiser of Licensing Expo, has unveiled the agenda for this year’s virtual event, in partnership with industry trade association Licensing International. The digital event will take place from 24 – 26 August 2021.
Over the course of three days, attendees will benefit from a robust educational agenda, strategically designed to fuel the $292.8 billion global licensing industry. The event will be a meeting place for professionals in the sector to connect, learn and make deals.
Mirroring the industry’s needs
Licensing Expo Virtual is free to attend and this year will celebrate 40 years of connecting IP owners with retailers, manufacturers, and licensees.
Licensing U will return for the event, which will also see the US market debut of License This! and an opening address by key executives at Warner Bros. Consumer Products. Attendees will also be able to take advantage of Digital Brand Roadshows, Retail Clinics, Sustainability Clinics produced in partnership with Products of Change, as well as GLG educational content.
“We are so excited to reveal this year’s agenda as we tailor-made each offering to mirror the industry’s most pressing and ever-changing needs,” says Anna Knight, vice president of Licensing, Informa Markets.
“As a result of extensive conversations with our exhibitor and attendee community, we have devised the strongest agenda to date that is geared toward inciting collaboration, drawing hundreds of IP to the forefront, and addressing the challenges our attendee-base faces daily.”
Tailored sessions
The agenda features both live and on-demand content. It will include new Digital Brand Roadshows which will use panel conversations to highlight brands and IP through exhibitor case studies. Categories explored include collaborations and partnerships, heritage and nostalgia, animation and anime and much more.
There will also be Sustainability Clinics in partnership with Products of Change, where participants can get tips on improving their approach to sustainability. Meanwhile, The Retail Clinics will provide tailored educational sessions, as Knight explains:
“Our intention with Retail Clinics is to ease the challenge of keeping up with and understanding key trends, helping retailers meet a range of licensing experts and gain the inspiration required to introduce licensing into retailer’s strategy.”
This year, senior executives from Warner Bros. Consumer Products will deliver the opening keynote address. The session, entitled “Unlocking the Fan Power of Global Franchises,” will be moderated by License Global magazine’s content director Amanda Cioletti and will take place on 24 August at 11:00 a.m. EDT/8:00 a.m. PDT.
On Day 2, the License This! competition finale will be held, where up and coming illustrators, designers, animators, and product inventors can pitch their concepts to a panel of expert judges.
On demand content
There is also educational content produced by License Global which will be available two weeks before Licencing Expo Virtual, with topics such as the evolution of kids content, mobile gaming, collectables, NFTs and more.
At Licensing U, participants can hone their knowledge in three different tracks, with basic information for newcomers, spotlights on the latest trends, as well as tactics and strategies. Attendees can secure their Licensing U Pass from $88 for one track or $156 for the All-Access Pass by booking before 23 July 23 to take advantage of the 20% Early Bird discount. Licensing International members benefit from an additional 10% discount.
To register and to see the full agenda, please click here.
Earlier this year, Global Licensing Group announced its 2021 calendar of events.
