Licensing Spotlight - check out what’s trending in this dynamic sector

Keeping up with the kidults

FLAIR

0208 643 0320 | sales@flairplc.co.uk

From Godzilla vs. Kong to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) vs. Cobra Kai, all the way through to Let’s Glow Studio, the Flair portfolio packs a whole lot of appeal for adult collectors and social media users.

First up, and ideal for adult collectors, is the TMNT vs. Cobra Kai collection. The pairing brings together two of the hottest martial arts properties for the first time, seeing the worlds of the Turtles and Cobra Kai collide. The range launches with an assortment of four two-figure packs to collect. In each pack, there are two fully articulated figures: a Turtle with his signature weapon and a Cobra Kai Figure presented in a recognisable outfit.

MonsterVerse is another popular collection for adult collectors. The range now includes a selection of movie figures, launched to support the box office release of Godzilla vs. Kong. The MonsterVerse Godzilla vs. Kong range includes 6in articulated movie figures, which each feature removable chunks of flesh! There are also larger articulated characters available: look out for the 11in Giant Godzilla and Kong assortment and the 13in Mega Godzilla and Mega Kong figures, which have lights and sounds features, and a unique mechanical battle action. Finally, for adults who love spending time on social media, Let’s Glow Studio comes with the materials and tools needed to create retro-reflective accessories that will light-up in photos and videos, with no app required. Driven by social media trends, including glow stick challenges and the sharing of dancing/fashion content, the Let’s Glow Studio content-creation craft kit is billed as a market-first. The kit comes with retroreflective accessories for hair, shades, nails and more, as well as a LED Selfie Clip, called the StarLight Clip. By attaching the StarLight Clip to any phone, tablet or laptop, users can capture colour changing visuals when the light is shone at their retro-reflective accessories. The StarLight Clip has 16 colour options, as well as four lightchanging sequences, and speed control. Let’s Glow Studio topup packs are also available.

Cross-generational nostalgic appeal

BASIC FUN! UK

0118 925 3270 | Tim.Ives@basicfun.com

Basic Fun!’s portfolio of brands is packed with cross-generational appeal, with the likes of Pound Puppies, Care Bears and Monopoly Surprise Collectables all popular with an adult audience, due to their collectability and nostalgic familiarity.

A smash hit with all ages is Monopoly Surprise Collectables. These blind-boxed collectables are designed with Monopoly enthusiasts in mind. Presenting lots of surprises to peel ‘n reveal, including heavy-weighted, metal, exclusive tokens, unique coins, new Mr. Monopoly expressions, and chase tokens, Monopoly Surprise Collectables are not just fun to collect - they can also be used while playing nearly any version of Monopoly. There are two lines: Monopoly Surprise Exclusive Collectable Tokens and Monopoly Surprise Community Chests.

For grownup parties

H. GROSSMAN

01603 397105 www.tobar.co.uk

H. Grossman offers a wide variety of games and puzzles from its Tobar brand from the traditional Draughts, Snakes and Ladders and Ludo to the zany, hilarious Poop Shoot, Poo head and Hoop Head, which can be family games or adapted as party games for adults.

Atmosfear is not just a board game, but an amplified experience in-home entertainment with an interactive App that works across your mobile, tablet and home entertainment system. This revamped classic is a game of skill, strategy and suspense, wrapped up in a race against time. With interactive Appbased game play, random selection to ensure a different game every time, and spine-chilling atmospheric digital surround sound and picture, everyone will be shouting “Yes, my Gatekeeper!”

PREVIEW BLE 150

Exhibitors currently confi rmed for BLE. The list features companies from three licensing categories - Character & Entertainment, Brands & Lifestyle, and Art, Design & Image

Licensing

live at last!

It’s great to get back into exhibition halls once more, and another show coming back to the ‘real world’ is British Licensing Europe, which takes place from 17 November to 19 November at ExCel London. TnP catches up with Anna Knight, VP Licensing at organiser Informa Markets, to talk about this year’s event

What is special about BLE?

Brand Licensing Europe is special because it’s the only pan-European event dedicated to licensing and brand extension, bringing together leading brand owners, retailers, licensees and manufacturers for three days of deal-making, networking and trend spotting.

Being at a live event will be so exciting, and that's something I think we all need after the past 18 months. Creating and building relationships is always done best in-person and we can’t wait to be back at ExCeL to reconnect, network and share a drink again. For many people, BLE will be the fi rst time in over two years that they’ve met in-person; it will be really special.

So after a most unusual 18 months, what will be different about this year’s BLE?

Sustainability is a huge focus for BLE. We have implemented initiatives to ensure our event is more responsible, and you may notice some of these changes on the show fl oor. These include e-badges for both exhibitors and visitors, limiting the amount of paper distribution by reducing printing. We are also introducing the ‘Better

Stands’ initiative for exhibitors, which will eliminate single-use stand builds.

Being at ExCeL, in-person, is the best and only way to truly

‘experience’ the licensing industry.

This year we are showcasing brands in creative ways that will make the products and brands come to life in a way that will truly inspire.

The in-person event will very much focus on facilitating meetings between exhibitors and visitors, allowing them to do what’s most important to them: network and sign deals. Additionally, on the show fl oor there will be two - brilliant - keynotes, and a series of sessions in the Retail Trends Lounge. The remaining educational content will be available online as part of the BLE virtual follow-up, running from 30 November to 1 December.

Even if you can’t attend BLE in-person, the new multi-platform

Guess what

The character parade will take place twice this year - at 11.30am on Wednesday and Thursday Creating and building “ relationships is always done best inperson and we can’t wait to be back at ExCeL to reconnect, network and share a drink again “

format means exhibitors and visitors will have access before, during and after the events to schedule and host meetings, watch on-demand content and search and discover the widest range of properties available for licence anywhere in Europe.

This will be the second show at ExCeL - what benefits does it offer visitors and exhibitors?

Our move to ExCeL in 2019 went incredibly smoothly. We moved to ExCeL to have space to grow, to give our exhibitors more flexible stand options and meeting spaces but also room to get creative and design activations and new ways to connect with attendees, and for all of the visitor benefits, too, including the catering and hospitality options - and none of this has changed.

The proximity to City Airport also makes it incredibly convenient for Europeans, and after all, BLE brings together the entire European industry under one roof. We have agreed a tenancy with ExCeL for the foreseeable future - it’s our home, and we’re looking forward to our future there.

What is new and should not be missed?

There are so many new features: ■ The Sustainability Activation in partnership with Products of Change will be a huge showcase at the front of the show to inspire all towards a more sustainable future. ■ License This! will have three award categories, including a new category focused on product innovation in partnership with Mojo Nation. ■ Licensing U, produced by Licensing International, is also new, with 20-plus sessions offering everything there is to know about the licensing industry, and content accessible on-demand for three months after the event ends. ■ We will also be celebrating our Agents of Change as part of our What’s Next theme. ■ Two amazing keynotes!

What’s your favourite thing about BLE?

This is a tricky one, but I think it has to be the character parade. The procession brings such playfulness and energy to the show floor that it’s impossible not to smile. The extra good news is that this year it will be taking place twice – at 11.30am on Wednesday and Thursday.

Exclusive retailer content

The show will feature exclusive retailer content for this year’s event including five live sessions in the Retail Trends Lounge delivered by George at Asda and Hasbro, Kids Industries, The Insights Family, Black Lives Matter Licensing Movement, and Julia Redman and Nextail Labs.

The Retail Trends Lounge programme was introduced to help retailers make the most of the opportunities that licensing can offer, and they are invited to use the space to also host meetings off the show floor.

All five sessions, plus the live final of the Kelvyn Gardner License This! competition will be recorded and available to all attendees to watch on-demand as part of the BLE virtual follow-up running from 30 November to 1 December. They are: Wednesday 17 November: A Future Forecast 2022 - Nick Richardson, ounder and CEO The Insights Family The Future Forecast will provide a practical perspective on the opportunities and challenges family trends pose to retailers.

The importance of diversity & inclusion

in Licensing - Saphia Maxamed, founder, Black Lives Matter Licensing Movement: An introduction to The Black Lives Matters Licensing Movement, the current retail landscape and its lack of diversity. Plant with Peppa @ Asda - Catrina O'Brien, retail development director, UK, Europe & Asia Licensing, Hasbro Jade Snart, sustainability and compliance expert, George at Asda: The programme that’s teaching children about the importance of trees in the world.

Agility and Creativity in Omni-Channel Retail

- Julia Redman, owner, Buyers Eye, Buying & Sourcing Consultancy Friday 19 November:

Families, experiences and the importance

of toys - Gary Pope, co-founder and CEO, Kids Industries.

ViacomCBS Consumer Products to host day two keynote

ViacomCBS will share insights from its corporate diversity and inclusion efforts, along with details of its latest toy research, during Brand Licensing Europe’s second-day keynote.

Mark Kingston, senior vice president, international, of ViacomCBS Consumer Products, will lead the keynote and review the impact on culture, community, and industry when there’s a strong commitment to diversity, inclusion and belonging.

The keynote will also include Ameeta Held, vice president, insights and business strategy, consumer products of ViacomCBS, who will refer to original toy research detailing the importance of authentic representation in dolls and the impact on choice.

Mark says: “As an organisation we are dedicated to creating content that reflects the global audiences we serve, and within consumer products we are especially committed to ensuring our products are inclusive and representative. Our latest research shines a light on the important role that our industry plays in our continued conversation around diversity and inclusion, and I look forward to presenting our thoughts and findings.”

Ahead of ViacomCBS’ keynote, representatives from Black Lives Matter Licensing UK will take to the stage to talk about the group’s purpose, goals, and activity in the sector to date.

Team GB to present day one keynote

Fresh from securing 63 medals at The Tokyo Summer Olympic Games, Team GB will present the opening day keynote at Brand Licensing Europe in November, when British Olympic gold medallists Tom Daley and Charlotte Worthington will talk about their journeys to the sporting event.

The Team GB keynote will take place on Wednesday 17 November at 4pm in the Platinum Suite of ExCeL London and open with the Olympians’ personal accounts of their experiences before, during and following their gold-medal-winning performances.

Tom, Daley, the first Team GB diver to win four Olympic medals, will appear by live video link from Canada, and BMX freestyle gold medallist Charlotte Worthington will appear in person alongside Tim Ellerton, commercial director of Team GB, and Will Stewart, managing director of The Point. 1888 (one of Team GB’s brand licensing partners).

A panel session featuring all four speakers will follow. Topics to be discussed include how Team GB are building the brand to inspire future athletes and sports fans; Team GB’s approach to brand licensing with sports and fan communities in mind; and how will Paris 2024 be a new milestone for the Team GB brand and its athletes?

Charlotte will join The Point. 1888 on their stand for a meet-and-greet following the presentation at 5pm.