The Big Interview Licensing International UK

International initiative

As the industry trade body, Licensing International is here to help companies grow their business across all product areas and with all retailers. LSB catches up with Graham Saltmarsh, UK md, and Steve Manners, head of marketing, to find out more about the organisation’s plans.

Inset: Licensing International is “constantly battling for the good of the licensing industry as a whole” says Graham. Starting a new job in the middle of the Covid pandemic is something many executives have experienced over the past two years. But when your new job is as UK managing director of the trade body whose very raison d'être is supporting its interests in every way, there is even more pressure. Graham Saltmarsh, however, is not your ordinary industry executive, and, having joined in September 2020, he has picked up the baton of heading up Licensing International in the UK and run with it. “I am the first point of contact for all our UK members (and people who want to be members),” he tells LSB. “I organise the educational sessions and, most importantly, talk to people in the licensing industry to make sure we give them the support they need. Having worked with many licensees, licensors and retailers, I know what they need and when they need it, which really helps me support their efforts. “Interestingly, I am working much more closely with the army of support companies that really keep the industry ticking, including the legal companies (not every company has a big in-house legal team), the design agencies, agents, and of course research companies.” Graham is also supported in the UK by Steve Manners, who joined in January to head up marketing and also works closely with president Maura Regan and the team in New York to spearhead global marketing initiatives.

“Having been a member of LI for many years, I know how important it is to have a trade organisation that not only supports its members but also helps further the industry as a whole,” Steve says. A number of initiatives for the UK market are now underway, kicking off with the return of the Young Professionals Network - aimed at under 35s - events in March. Graham explains: “The Young Professionals Network was established to help younger brand licensing

Member focus

“We now have over 100 members in the UK and are the second biggest market outside of the US, which is a great start,” says Graham. “Members are from across the industry, not just the big licensors and licensees but also the support companies, football clubs, galleries, museums, agents big and small, and also some fantastic brands.”

Steve adds: “We always want to encourage new members and part of my role is to promote the benefits of joining Licensing International. As well as the initiatives Graham has mentioned, we also offer research and consumer insights, scholarships, diversity and inclusion initiatives, and wellness programming.”

Inset: The Young Professionals Network events returned in March, aimed at younger brand licensing professionals (under 35) to help expand their skill base and network.

professionals to expand their skill base and network. Your network will be there throughout your working life to support you and, sometimes, just to have a drink with and bounce a few ideas around. Octane5 is sponsoring both the Young Professional Network and the Licensing International Mentoring Program, as they also understand the importance of having a strong network to call on when needed.” The popular Licensing Essentials Course is also back in May – the one-day intensive course gives a thorough background on licensing, with speakers from across the industry giving short sessions on their given area of expertise. Meanwhile, the Global Mentoring Programme is a new initiative, with the UK having ten mentors and ten mentees in its first year. On top of this, the Brand Licensing Retailers’ Academy, which is exclusively for retailers and gives them a unique opportunity to ask questions about the industry, has also launched. Graham continues: “This is part of a broader retail

outreach - retailers can join Licensing International and get access to all the research and educational elements we create. Additionally, they gain access to our directory, so they can see who represents which properties, a question we get asked a lot, and who to contact.” Graham is also focused on Lockdown legacy educating the wider world When asked how the role of trade bodies such as on the benefits of being Licensing International has changed since the pandemic, Graham says: “During the endless lockdowns our role, in addition to supporting members and the wider industry in part of the licensing industry: “Licensing seems general, was just making sure people were okay. We to be one of the best-kept focused on sharing information and knowledge, but also secrets and most people building up the community and just doing everything we could to help people through it. I think the additional stumble into it, so I have communication made us much more aware of members’ also embarked on a series needs and this in turn has helped us to be much more of talks to schools, colleges, relevant and useful to the industry.” Steve continues: “We are very aware of the impact the pandemic has had on members, which is why we have and universities to promote the industry to a new just launched our new wellness project with BetterHelp generation. I am also that is specifically aimed at supporting individuals focused on growing our across all markets.” Pre-pandemic, the focus has also been on demonstrating outreach projects and the the value Licensing International brings to the industry exciting thing is that every day. “We have a number of initiatives underway that members of the YPN have we will be unveiling throughout the year that continue to elevate the industry as a whole and bring value to our members,” Steve adds. volunteered to come along and share their stories of how they found licensing.” As Graham succinctly puts it, LI is “constantly battling for the good of the licensing industry as a whole”. Asked about long-term aims, he concludes: “We will continue to talk to our members and adapt our education and training sessions to suit their needs. And, speaking of education, wouldn’t it be fantastic if taking a degree in licensing was seen as an exciting option?” Left Steve Manners joined as head of marketing in January, bringing with him almost 35 years of industry experience.