Special Feature - BLE Preview

Brand Licensing Europe It Starts Here

Taking place from 24th-26th September at Excel London, Brand Licensing Europe returns for its celebratory 25th anniversary year. With so much to see and do, visitors are advised to start planning for the show now (if they haven’t already) to ensure they’ve got enough time to make the most of this superb pan-European licensing show. Toy World picks out some of the biggest highlights across the three days.

Brand Licensing Europe (BLE) has come a long way since 1999, when it set out with the ambition to attract 50 exhibitors and 2,000 visitors. These days, BLE is the only panEuropean event dedicated to licensing and brand extension, bringing together nearly 10,000 retailers, licensees and manufacturers for three days of dealmaking, networking and trend spotting, with over 200 exhibiting licensors gathered under one roof.

As it celebrates its 25th anniversary, the organisers are laying on yet another unmissable three days for anyone from the world of licensing. John Friend, head of Xbox Gaming Consumer Products at Microsoft, has been announced as Day 1 keynote speaker, delivering a session called ‘When Everyone Plays, We All Win: Next Level Consumer Products & Licensing with Xbox’ at 12:30pm on Tuesday 24th September. Sara Davies MBE, meanwhile, the dynamic entrepreneur and youngest female investor on BBC One’s long-running Dragons’ Den, will deliver the Day 2 keynote, ‘Crafty Licensing: Transforming a business through brand licensing’. Both talks reflect the purpose that lies at the heart of BLE – to help licensees and licensors leverage the power of brand licensing in a way that places the world’s biggest brands in front of consumers in ever more immersive and inventive ways, while also giving brand owners the chance to expand, enhance and future-proof their business.

Visitors to BLE can expect to engage in meaningful conversations about consumer product trends and buying habits, access thousands of brands and products representing all categories and target markets (including Toys & Games) and learn about examples of successful licensing collaborations - and why they worked - from a community built on creativity, collaboration and curiosity. Over the years, BLE has more than earned its reputation as a friendly, welcoming and educational event, no matter which direction you approach licensing from.

Free registration is open now. Exclusive access to BLE’s online event planner is included as soon as registration is complete, offering visitors access to an invaluable resource centre where they can explore brands, brand owners, and the entire session agenda ahead of time. following, we’ve a special interview with event director Ella Haynes detailing plenty more need-to-know information about BLE as it prepares to celebrate its landmark 25th anniversary. And as usual, the Toy World/ Licensing.biz team will be at the show walking the floor: if you’d like to book an appointment, please do reach out as our diaries are filling up fast. See you there!

Ella Haynes, BLE event director, tells Toy World how the world of licensing has changed during the years, how BLE has evolved along with it, and what’s in store for visitors to this year’s show.

There's not long to go until Brand Licensing Europe 2024 opens its doors. How has the show come together this year? Is it looking like the best one yet in terms of exhibitor numbers and visitor registrations?

Preparations have been very different this year, as we’ve been focused on building on the foundations of the amazing 2023 show, when we enjoyed huge increases in visitor numbers - particularly among retailers and from mainland Europe. That’s made it really exciting.

We are anticipating more exhibitors on the show floor (including our first ever exhibitor from Africa - Signet) bringing visitors lots of new brands available for licence. Visitor registrations are also very strong, especially retailers and licensees from mainland Europe.

We’ve noticed that our exhibitors are becoming much more creative and innovative when it comes to how they bring their brands to life at the show and increase their discoverability. There’ll be plenty of brand experiences for visitors to enjoy.

BLE celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. How do you think both the licensing industry and the show have evolved during that time?

Our 25th birthday lets us celebrate how the industry has evolved, and we’re honoured to have played a part in that evolution. The industry has changed so much since 1999. We’ve seen the emergence of brand-new categories like LBE (location-based entertainment), and huge growth in areas like food & beverage, museums, heritage and charity. Product development has completely changed; there are new ways of manufacturing including the use of more modern, sustainable materials. Sustainability and inclusivity have become huge priorities for many.

We know and understand our customers better than ever thanks to data access, which has resulted in even more innovative products delivering meaningful messages that feed fandom and loyalty. The role of licensing in delivering brand perception and values is recognised - logo slapping is no more.

People are consuming content in so many different ways. This is reflected in how fans are engaging with brands and has impacted how we create product. And despite all the barriers impacting the industry – the cost-of-living crisis and supply chain problems, to name just two - the desire for licensed product continues to increase. BLE has evolved to reflect these changes. The breadth and depth of brands and categories at the show is incomparable to the first event in 1999, when the target was 50 exhibitors and 2,000 visitors – we’re five times the size now.

We’ve watched the Brands & Lifestyle category grow alongside the introduction and growth of the Sports zone. The change at retail has also been fascinating, from almost solely bricks & mortar to the stratospheric growth of online retail. There’s also more recognition of (and appreciation for) the benefits licensing offers retailers, including licensing out as well as in.

And, of course, we’ve seen BLE evolve from a domestic to a fully European event, helping exhibitors from all over Europe have conversations that support global growth. As our campaign says - It Starts Here.

How important has the support of BLE’s long-term exhibitors and visitors been to the success of the show?

Critical. Licensing is a relatively small community, but we are also passionate about welcoming new people to BLE. The people who have been with BLE from the beginning are driving this industry forward and are so committed to riding the wave of different trends, pushing through incredibly meaningful developments like the introduction of accessible, inclusive and sustainable products. This has created some real ‘wow’ milestones throughout the years.

These people want to better the industry. They invest in innovation, demand more from partners, share inspiration and education, and do a brilliant job of telling the stories behind the brands to create authentic products.

What has been your favourite BLE moment from across the years you’ve been involved with the event?

For me, it was coming out of Covid, being back at the show in person and finally having the chance to bring our fashion theme to life. I watched how it was embraced by our exhibitors and woven through the entire show, from the content with ex-Mattel VP Richard Dickson to fun and interactive features on exhibitors’ stands. Some brands didn’t have apparel ranges but were so excited by the theme they created sample products to take part. It was a real moment in time: really inspirational. We had incredible, emotional content from Black Lives Matter Licensing and beautiful, sustainable content from the UN and Junk Kouture. And we had product across the entire price spectrum too, from high-end couture to streetwear and kids’ brands.

What can guests at the BLE 25th party on the opening day expect to enjoy?

A huge celebration of the community and how amazing it is! We’ll have our own special guest, the BLE bear, loads of selfie opportunities so we can all pause and be part of the moment, a huge cake, great entertainment, party props and more. It will be a brilliant opportunity to get to know one another and the perfect way to unwind at the end of Day 1. The party takes place from 5-7pm in the BLE Birthday Bar in the Brands & Lifestyle Zone on Tuesday 24th September.

Elsewhere across the show, what events and activations should the Toys & Games community really not miss out on?

Rovio is creating a really lovely Angry Birds activation that will include video and board games in a themed seating area. And we are welcoming ZSL and London Zoo to the show for the first time this year with giant games in their themed seating area. CPLG, which represents Fuggler, will have a coconut shy on the stand too.

At this stage, what final preparations ought people be making ahead of their appearance at the show (both visitors and exhibitors)?

Number one: register now. It’s free and quick to do. This gives you access to the Event Planner, where you can search for brands and exhibitors, send meeting requests, view the content agenda and start populating your calendar to make the most of your time at the show. Don’t forget to leave some free time to walk the floor and find new brands.

If you’re new to the show, I recommend downloading the first module of our Licensing Unlocked online educational content. It’s free and a great introduction to licensing. Also, don’t miss the Licensing 101 sessions and show tours that will take place at the start of Days 1 and 2. When you’re at the show, if you have any questions, please know you can come to the Matchmaker Lounge, speak to the Global Licensing Group team, or visit the Licensing Unlocked area and ask us anything. If you’re a retailer, you are of course also welcome to talk to Laura or Keith in the Retail Lounge.

Finally, it’s a good idea to get your travel and accommodation booked in now as places to stay are filling up quickly.