Expo 2020 Dubai Article

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ACCESS A WORLD OF NEW OPPORTUNITIES WITH EXPO 2020 DUBAI’S LICENSING PROGRAMME Companies globally are invited to join the next World Expo as an official licensee, with toys, games and back-toschool items the latest product categories to open up.

In less than two years, Expo 2020 Dubai will open its doors to the world, bringing millions of visitors and 190 nations together to explore the very best ideas, innovations, cuisines and culture in one place.

The first World Expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region will run from 20 October, 2020 to 10 April, 2021 and is expected to record 25 million visits.

With an unprecedented 70 per cent of visitors anticipated to come from outside the UAE, the six-month event is an invaluable opportunity for businesses to expand their reach to a massive international audience.

There will be more than 200 participants including nations, multilateral organisations, businesses and educational institu-

tions taking part. Already, 190 countries have confirmed their participation in what will be the first World Expo to implement a ‘one nation, one pavilion’ policy, giving each participant a platform to showcase their achievements, aspirations, culture and more.

Expo 2020 Dubai is guided by the belief that innovation and progress are the result of people and ideas combining in new ways. Its theme, ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’, is supported by three subthemes, Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability.

Reaching the world through Expo 2020 Dubai’s licensing programme Expo 2020 Dubai’s licensing programme will include up to 70 licensees from across the globe, who will create approximately 5,000 branded products.

Twenty-three licensees already have been officially signed up in categories including apparel, homeware, souvenirs, regional food and spices, collectibles and precious metals, corporate gifting and holograms. They include prominent Middle Eastern brands such as Emirates (a range of model planes),

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Splash (apparel), Patchi (chocolate gift boxes), Bateel (gift boxes of dates) and Gallery One (specialty souvenirs).

The first Expo 2020-branded products are on sale, including speciallydesigned gift boxes of dates by one of the GCC’s most recognisable brands, Bateel, and artisanal chocolate bars by Emirati SME Mirzam Chocolates.

In the first quarter of 2019, Expo 2020 is widening its scope to include toys,

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Al Wasl Plaza

‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’ Expo 2020 Dubai is guided by the belief that innovation and progress are the result of people and ideas combining in new ways. Its theme ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’ is based on the principle of providing a gateway for collaboration, creativity and innovation.

games and back-to-school products, and more categories will open later in the year. These exciting licensing categories will predominantly relate to the Expo 2020 mascot, due to be revealed in 2019, and will be important expressions of Expo 2020’s subthemes, Op-

portunity, Mobility and Sustainability.

Licensees will have a unique platform to grow their existing business, collaborate with an extensive network of partners and affiliates, strengthen their brand and product offering and reach new global audiences.

Their Expo 2020-branded products will be sold through 5,000 sqm of retail space on the Expo site, as well as at selected retailers and dedicated Expo shops throughout the UAE and through Expo 2020’s official online store, providing greater reach to customers around the world.

The next World Expo is a much-antic-

Expo 2020’s licensed products will bring to life its subthemes: Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability. Opportunity refers to unlocking the potential for individuals and communities to shape the future, and could be particularly ipated event expected to inspire and relevant for licensed products in eduexcite millions of people from around cational, toy and digital categories. The the world, who will seek souvenirs to Mobility subtheme mark their experience. will explore the Upcoming licensed product smarter and more opportunities include: productive move• Infant educational toys and games ment of people, (ages two to six) goods and ideas, • Educational toys and games (ages both physically and six and above) virtually. Licensed • Board games, card games and products such as puzzles bikes, scooters, • Mobility – bikes, scooters, sporting goods and hoverboards and skates outdoor play will • Sports and outdoor play likely reflect this • Collectibles – figurines, stickers subtheme. Sustain and trading cards ability is expected • Electronic toys – robots, remote to run through controlled toys and many of Expo electronic learning toys 2020’s licensed • Technical – action toys and product categories, demonstrating brick sets new ways in which we can continue to • Back-to-school bags – trolley bags, develop and progress while respecting backpacks, laptop bags, tablet and living in balance with the planet, to cases and briefcases ensure a sustainable future for all.

• Stationery equipment – pencil cases, pens, coloured pencils, In another example of bringing to rulers, erasers, sharpeners, life its theme, Expo 2020’s Online scissors, crayons, colouring Marketplace (OMP) (https://omp.ex pages, markers, paint, paint sets, brushes, art kits, clay, chalk, stickers, binders, Mobility Pavilion stickers, stamp sets, glue, folders and adhesive notepads • Lunch boxes and bags – water bottles, water bottle holders, back to school sets and creative art sets • Digital games – running games, educational games, virtual reality and augmented reality games

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TOTAL LICENSING – is being used to build Al Wasl, which means ‘connection’ in Arabic.

A 67.5m-tall, 130m-wide steel dome will double as a giant 360-degree projection surface, creating a truly breathtaking structure. Al Wasl Plaza will host events such as the opening and closing ceremonies, concerts and National Day celebrations. po2020dubai.com) has been designed as a tool to enable users to connect with Expo 2020 and its participants, licensees and contractors, as well as other registered businesses around the world, to showcase their products, services and expertise. The free-touse platform also contributes to Expo 2020’s commitment to create a longlasting economic impact by supporting companies of all sizes, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

More than 25,000 companies from 149 countries are already registered on the OMP. About three-quarters are SMEs, which will benefit from Expo’s commitment to allocate 20 per cent of its direct and indirect spend to SMEs from around the world.

A gateway to the world The UAE is one of the most important countries in which to do business.

Located within eight hours’ flying time of 80 per cent of the global population, it connects North and South, East and West.

Visit www.expo2020dubai. com to learn more about the event and contact Michael.Beckett@ expo2020.ae or Victor.Gimenez@ expo2020.ae for licensing enquiries.

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Expo 2020, located in Dubai South, is one of the most connected sites on the planet, both physically and virtually.

The first commercial customer to access next-generation 5G services in the region, Expo will be a world-class destination for leisure, culture and business that is also highly accessible – located close to Al Maktoum International Airport and within easy reach of Dubai and Abu Dhabi International Airports and Jebel Ali Port.

At the heart of Expo 2020 is Al Wasl Plaza, the newest iconic attraction in a city renown for impressive architecture. About 22 storeys high, 13km of steel – the length of 16 Burj Khalifas

Al Wasl Plaza will connect to the three Thematic Districts, each anchored by their respective Thematic Pavilion, which will bring to life the three subthemes through immersive journeys designed to inspire and excite visitors.

The Opportunity Pavilion will inspire visitors to make a change and support global development; the Mobility Pavilion will explore how mobility has driven mankind’s development and encourage visitors to continue to explore unchartered territorities; and the Sustainability Pavilion, itself an extraordinary piece of architecture that pushes the boundaries of sustainable design, will inspire visitors to take actions that help preserve the planet.

For the first time in the 168-year history of World Expos, each participating nation’s pavilion will be located according to the subtheme they have chosen to emphasise, rather than their geographical location on the globe.

This is intended to encourage greater collaboration and connections that may otherwise not occur and which may lead to better solutions to global problems.

There will be something for everyone, with 60 live shows every day for 173 days, plus gastronomic experiences from around the world at more than 200 food and beverage outlets. With the world in one place, Expo 2020 also will be an incredible exploration of cultures. Running from October to April means Expo 2020 can celebrate Special Days including Diwali, New

Year’s Eve and Chinese New Year.

Since they began in London in 1851, World Expos have launched the latest innovations, including the telephone (Philadelphia, 1876), the Ferris wheel (Chicago, 1893), the diesel engine (Paris, 1900), the X-Ray machine (Buffalo, 1901), the ice cream cone (St Louis, 1904), commercial broadcasting (New York, 1939), IMAX (Osaka, 1970), touchscreens (Knoxville, 1982) and the humanoid robot (Nagoya, 2005).

In today’s digital world, it is difficult to predict but exciting to wonder what innovations will be revealed – or created – at Expo 2020 Dubai.

Licensees have the opportunity to be a part of this enduring legacy.

One visit to Expo 2020 Dubai will not be enough! Expo will be the most sought-after destination for visitors in the UAE during its six-month duration, and organisers are already work-

ing with authorised ticket resellers to ensure visitors globally maximise their experience at Expo.

Expo 2020 has also partnered with many leading companies to help create an exceptional World Expo. So far, 11 Premier Partners have been signed: Accenture, CISCO, DP World, Emirates, Emirates NBD, Etisalat, Mastercard, Nissan, PepsiCo, SAP and Siemens.

Expo will leave a lasting impact as an economic driver and a catalyst for change in many areas – for the UAE, Expo’s participants and visitors. Become an Expo 2020 licensee and discover the many ways in which your business can benefit.