Might Mike writes again

Top puparazzi Mighty Mike is at it again - this time delivering a ruffing good report ahead of BLE with thoughts from top industry colleagues...

Mighty Mike Writes Again!

Intrepid journalist pug Mighty Mike is super excited to attend his first BLE, so he’s roped in a few industry pros to share their plans, and where to go to eat, drink and be merry! Maxine Lister, Head of Licensing, Natural History Museum:

“I always enjoy BLE and am looking forward to this year being back in full swing - I always find this such a vibrant and positive show and it will be great for us all to be back together again. We have just completed our new toy and apparel strategies for the licensing programme, so we are very excited to showcase these at BLE and to sign new partners. Also, this is the first year of Emma Russell our new UK Senior Licensing Manager is on the NHM stand (B263) I am excited to have grown the team and what opportunities this will bring. We also have TSBA (A261) our international agent featuring us on their stand so also looking forward to extending our programme globally over the next couple of years.”

Laura Clarke - Licensing Director, EMEA at Acamar Films:

“We’re delighted to be back at BLE, it’s an event we really look forward to. It’s a great opportunity to have faceto-face meetings with our partners, agents, new contacts and of course retailers, which has proved challenging with more people working from home. Seeing the wonderful product everyone has invested in and feeling the energy and excitement around the show is not something that can be replicated online. This year, Acamar Films’ CEO Mikael Shields will be presenting our exciting new content plans for Bing, as well as an extensive look into Bing’s enduring relevance and how the series supports healthy childhood development. Our live events and promotions team have been busy, and with our audience keen to get out and about with their families, it’ll be a great time to share the exciting ways we are connecting with our audience worldwide.”

Marianne James, Vice President, Licensed Consumer Products, EMEA and Asia at global play and entertainment company, Hasbro.

“We are super excited to be back at one of the biggest licensing shows of the year. Right now is a pivotal time to shape and influence our industry in a post-COVID era against a challenging economic backdrop. We are looking forward to getting valuable and meaningful time with our partners, which is much needed. We have such thoughtful planning in place for 2023, and we can’t wait to showcase an exciting and full slate at our Keynote. This year we return with even more fantastic projects to tout, showing Hasbro’s brand-building capabilities and how we create the best play and entertainment experiences for fans around the world. We hope to demonstrate the strength of Hasbro’s combined portfolio and content slate, while supporting licensees and partners with smart and innovate business plans for 2023. We look forward to having our showgoers experience our fun Peppa’s Clubhouse activation as an extension of our booth!”

Jon Spalding, Senior Manager Consumer Products, Mattel UK

“It’s fantastic to be back at BLE. Licensing is such a community-led industry. We have much to celebrate as an industry – from exceptional content like Stranger Things, to the return of theatrical events, to innovative product

Maxine Laura Marianne

launches that excite consumers. BLE is a great moment to come together, celebrate our industry and keep it fresh for the future. We are excited to bring people up to speed with the exciting things happening at Mattel – from our content and franchise-first transformation news, to our consumer products growth plans. There is so much to talk about, from the Barbie movie, to the return of Monster High and expansion on Hot Wheels and Fireman Sam.”

Vicky Miller, Licensing Director, Bulldog Licensing

“We’re so excited to be back for BLE this year. Last year it was wonderful to have the industry back together and this year is set to be even better. We have exciting new launches (including announcements at the show!) which we will be discussing with licensees and retailers, as well as bringing new news for our portfolio of strong evergreen properties. It is always a very busy but incredibly valuable few days being able to meet so many partners at once.”

To see, eat, drink and do near Excel...

Maxine Lister: “The area around Excel has changed so much over the years, there are some great restaurants and bars around the area, also Canary Wharf is not that far at all via the DLR and one of my favourite places there is the Alchemist cocktail bar.” Laura Clarke: “If you are in the area already, are missing nature or need some quieter thinking space amid all the hustle and bustle, visit Thames Barrier Park - a 10 min walk. The wave-like design of the hedgerows is really unusual, and you get a great view of the Thames Barrier. The kind of place Bing and Flop would enjoy!” Marianne James: “Just about anywhere I’d be able to catch up with old friends and colleagues wherever that might be!” Jon Spalding: One of my favourite things to do is jump on the Cable Car which takes you to 02. It’s always incredible to see London from this far. A great way to kick-off an evening.” Vicky Miller: “Last year we had a great dinner at The Ivy Canary Wharf – a good spot not too far from the show.”

Catch up with Mike at BLE!

More about Mighty Mike...

When not running around pestering executives for their valuable insight on licensing, Mighty Mike stars in his own slapstick TV show, produced by leading animation studio TEAMTO. His hilarious antics trying to impress Iris, the gorgeous dog next door, while protecting his owners’ home from two colossally disruptive raccoons, has earned him devoted audiences worldwide. Mike stars on: CITV (UK), Universal Kids (USA), France Télévisions, Super RTL (Germany), Family Channel (Canada), Boing/Cartoonito (EMEA, LATAM, APAC), YLE (Finland), VRT (Belgium), KRO-NCRV (Netherlands) and many more. This is Iris (Sarah Lawrence, not the poodle next door!) manages licensing in the UK. Vicky