Feature - Vegas Preview

What's new in Nevada?

With the Las Vegas Licensing Expo just around the corner, returning to the Mandalay Bay hotel from Tuesday 21st to Thursday 23rd May, Toy World caught up with Anna Knight, SVP of Licensing, Informa Markets, about how the show is shaping up, how this year’s Brands at Play theme will be brought to life, and how exhibitors and visitors alike should be preparing for what looks set to be another incredibly busy three days.

How the Vegas Licensing Expo shaping up for this year versus previous years – are you happy with exhibitor registrations at this stage?

We’re really happy - we’ve got over 300 exhibitors confirmed, the most we’ve had since Covid, and an amazing roster of brands lined up to appear on the show floor. All the big names are back, which is great to see, with really strong representation across Toys & Games as well as Gaming.

We’re also seeing some awesome visitor registrations coming through. Of course, the power retail triadAmazon, Target and Walmart - are on the list, and this year it looks like we’ll be welcoming some big groups of buyers too. This reflects all the work we’ve done as a group on attracting more retailers. We’re pleased to see it’s paying off.

How will the Brands at Play theme be brought to life across the show and why should visitors be keen to get involved in events and activities relating to it?

Visitors are going to see Brands at Play right across the whole campus, from the Day 1 keynote - Video Games: Driving Billions to Play - to the content on offer in the seminar theatre.

Activations will be taking place right across the campus, organised either directly by the exhibitors themselvesHasbro will be hosting a gaming activation, for example – or in partnership with us in the form of more functional experience spaces. Think bars, cafes, our new food court: they’ll all be pepped up with Brands at Play elements. We’ve also got a Gaming Lounge this year, which is awesome. The theme will be embedded throughout our networking and social events too. Guests at our opening night party at Daylight Beach Club will see this year’s theme in the sky at some point… but I won’t spoil the surprise.

This year more than any other, it’s important to us that anyone new to the licensing industry truly feels a part of it by the time they leave Expo. We’ll have people across the whole campus, including at our official pavilion, ready and willing to help attendees with any question or query they may have – just look out for anyone wearing an Informa or Global Licensing Group badge. We’re also laying on 1-on-1 sessions and show floor tours with the aim of improving accessibility.

Happy Hours will be taking place between 3-4pm in all the cafes and bars during the show. Open to all, these are a great opportunity for people to mingle and network in a more informal, relaxed manner, especially if you don’t know anyone. Everyone is friendly, so just introduce yourself to people and go from there.

What opportunities has this year’s theme presented for those in the Toys & Games category?

We’re seeing some of the strongest Toy, Game and Gaming representation in years. Lego is exhibiting for the first time, which we’re obviously delighted about, and we’re seeing increased presence from the likes of Minecraft, Pokémon and Spin Master. Jazwares, Zuru, Hasbro and Mattel will of course be representing all their world-leading brands too. If you’re a Toy & Game licensee looking for opportunities in this burgeoning market – we know Licensed Toys is a very healthy category at the moment – then expect to see a huge range of brands. Those 300 exhibitors I mentioned earlier translate to around 5,000 IPs.

It's key to understand that Licensing Expo is the point in the year when everyone launches their new brands, content and IP for the 24-36 months ahead. With no New York Toy Fair or E3 (gaming) Expo in 2024, these categories are likely

Which talks, presentations and activations should the readers of Toy World consider unmissable?

The opening day of Licensing Expo kicks off with a presentation by Maura Reagan: Exclusive Insights into the 2024 Global Licensing Industry Study. It’s important to know both where the licensing sector has been over the past year as well as where it’s headed.

Each of the three keynotes bring something unique to proceedings. The Day 1 keynote explores the ‘why’ behind gaming’s massive growth in popularity, while Day 2 examines whether podcasts are about to become the next big thing in terms of brand licensing. It’s a really interesting topic and one we’ve not really explored before. People are starting to see consumer product opportunities within the myriad podcasts launching each week so I’m sure this will be a popular talk with those looking to get ahead on emerging trends. Wondery‘s chief brand officer, Nicole Blake, will discuss franchise development opportunities from podcast IPs, while How I Built This and Wow in the World co-creator and host, Guy Raz, will discuss why podcasts signal the next hotbed for brand extensions.

On Day 3, we’re really excited to welcome Zack Kass, the former head of Open AI, as our keynote speaker. Zack will be giving a presentation all about the world of AI and its impact on the licensing industry. In fact, the whole of Day 3 is about the future of licensing. Zack’s keynote is followed by a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) panel and we’re also working on a CMO panel looking at placing consumers right at the heart of decision making and CP development.

This year, we’re also working with Women in Toys, Licensing & Entertainment (WiT) to bring the organisation’s brilliant Empowerment Day to the show for the first time. This is an unmissable chance for female toy and game inventors, entrepreneurs and creators to pitch their ideas to manufacturers and buyers, tour the show floor, receive mentorship and ideas for the future of their business.

I’ve already mentioned the Happy Hours, and our opening night party, but this year we’re also throwing a closing night party, headlined by Loud Luxury. Entry is free as long as you bring your badge (which I know is the one thing everyone loves packing for a big night out at a club).

I walk the show floor every single day and still find surprising and exciting things I wasn’t expecting, so I’d really urge our visitors to explore the campus thoroughly and be willing to get involved in anything they see going on that’s of interest, even if it’s not on their agenda. You can’t plan for everything.

What sets Licensing Expo apart from other licensing events?

Licensing Expo is quite simply the largest showcase of licensed brands in the world. That is a fact. It’s also truly global, both in terms of the exhibiting brands and the visitors, and it’s therefore the place to discuss global deals. I think there’s a misconception that conversations are USdomestic only, but they’re really not.

And I reiterate, it’s the point in the year at which everyone can talk about newness: content, brands, IPs. You do get this at other licensing events, but really, Expo is the first to take a global view of the landscape. It’s the place to find out what’s coming down the pipeline.

How has the team drawn upon previous iterations to make this year’s show the best yet?

We hear a lot from people that they want the best possible return on their investment and time. We’ve done a good job at providing this for years, but arguably, we haven’t always got across to attendees the resources and tools available that will bolster this even more. We’re trying much harder this year to highlight our matchmaking and badge scanning tools, and to really drive home the message that visitors ought to be booking meetings well in advance of the show opening its doors. It’s unlikely you’ll get meetings on the day: most companies turn up with their schedules already full.

We’re also encouraging visitors to brush up on their brand knowledge before arriving at Licensing Expo, so they can enjoy better informed, more educated conversations with exhibitors. We can also facilitate information sharing with those not quite ready to have conversations face to face.

By laying on a food court this year, we’re catering (quite literally) to exhibitors who don’t want to leave the show floor to get refreshments (or spend ages queuing for Starbucks). We’re all about making life on the show floor easier.

Our improvements to Day 3 are a big thing for us. As discussed earlier, we’ve focused it on the future of licensing but also beefed up the programming so more visitors will want to stick around and enjoy the show until the very end. I was talking to our event director recently about our hope that visitors notice everything is a little more elevated this year. We’ve put so much more work into the look and feel of the show, the flow of it, the experience and atmosphere. Simple things, but things that will make all the difference.

How integral would you say the show is to the ongoing success of the licensed consumer product sector?

Licensing Expo sees the whole licensing ecosystem assemble in one place. It’s a chance to get eyes on all facets on the industry, to compare notes and benchmarks, to see what’s out there, to network. I also think Licensing Expo highlights the strength of the category, which is outperforming the Toys & Games market as a whole. It’s important to plan ahead, so being able to explore the opportunities on offer two or three years down the line allows people to place their bets wisely. Licensing Expo is so future-focused and does an amazing job at bringing everyone together for a very special three days.

How should attendees be preparing for the show?

First off, decide on what you want to get from the show, then go through the exhibitor list and brand directory and start booking meetings. This is a meetings show: again, don’t turn up hoping for a meeting on the day. If you’re not ready for meetings, then look at the agenda for all the talks and networking events and plan to visit the various associations at the show, such as Licensing International and WiT, and gain an overview of the industry.

Licensing Expo doesn’t take place in a single hall or two; it’s spread across a campus. I’d therefore recommend visitors study the maps so they know where they should be and when, saving time (and stress) on the day. And it sounds obvious, but Vegas is very hot and very dry. If you plan on going outside then check the forecast, wear sunscreen and stay hydrated: we take the health and welfare of attendees very seriously. All indoor areas are airconditioned though.

And finally, how is Brand Licensing Europe 2024 looking at this stage?

Really good! Just a little reminder – Brand Licensing Europe takes place from the 24th-26th September. It’s shaping up well, with loads of exhibitors from across Europe including a healthy contingent from eastern Europe, which is great to see. Some nice new brands will be showcased, and we’re also focusing on the Brands & Lifestyle area a lot more this year. There’s loads of growth in museums and heritage attractions, sport and fashion, and we want to make more noise about these areas. I’m looking forward to sharing more information on this over the coming months.