Q&A Licensing Expo

Back to Vegas

The Las Vegas Licensing Expo makes its triumphant return to the physical trade show calendar this month, once again set to take place at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, from May 24th- 26th. Anna Knight, SVP of the Global Licensing Group, spoke to Toy World about what visitors can expect from this year’s unmissable event.

Anna Knight

May 2022 marks the first in-person Licensing Expo in Las Vegas since 2019: what impact have the past three years had on the global licensing community, and how have they shaped the show's return?

Regardless of what industry you're in, it's been a challenging few years to say the least. Our particular community has been without an in-person trade show in Vegas for three years: for a group that relies on face-to-face connections to drive business forward, that's been exceedingly tough. It’s also created an incredible amount of pent-up demand. Licensing Expo is where established and new brands alike come to both discover and be discovered. Brands from nearly every category are signing up to be a part of this event.

While our IP owners, manufacturers, licensees and retailers have faced adversity and continue to do so – I'd be remiss in not bringing up supply chain disruption – the pandemic also brought with it innovation, exciting new trends and a fresh way of leveraging the power of brand extension and collaboration to engage with consumers. This year's event is designed with each of the industry's challenges and opportunities in mind, from highly curated educational content that speaks to emergent trends (think NFTs and TikTok) to searchable IP that facilitates deal-making.

From the many conversations we’ve been having, we know that our attendee and exhibitor communities are both itching to meet face-to-face and source new potential partners - and they have three years of not being able to do this to make up for. To help attendees make their most of their visit to Licensing Expo this year, we've launched an online platform which lets participants begin sifting through available IP, schedule meetings and identify education of interest. This all adds up to create a seamless and efficient experience on-site. The platform will remain open for a month following the live event to simplify the process of booking follow-up meetings. Users will also be to revisit content at their convenience.

From a toy/kids' entertainment perspective, what makes Licensing Expo Las Vegas an unmissable event?

There’s an unprecedented amount of content at parents' and kids' fingertips right now. Streaming giants like Netflix, HBO Max and Paramount Plus, for example, are investing heavily in kids' content. This opens the door to virtually limitless opportunities to bring the beloved characters and stories kids watch over and over again to life beyond the screen. And that's just one slice of the pie: gamification, which helps promote learning through trusted brands, is taking off too. A good example of this is Hasbro's Peppa Pig early years learning programme, Learn with Peppa, which launched last year. The past three years have radically transformed how kids learn, play with friends and consume content. Now more than ever, the toys and kids' entertainment industry needs face-to-face connection and on-display trends that will allow it tap into the opportunities at hand and learn from one another, as we collectively adapt to changing consumer habits.

It’s also worth bearing in mind that the licensing community hasn't had a chance to reconvene at a trade show yet this year. As a result, support for this year's show is staggering; retailers are right in the midst of their buying calendars and manufacturers and licensees are looking to uncover the latest trends and available IP.

Visitors won't want to miss out on the chance to meet with some of the most sought-after retailers and licensees. The latest registrations include Target, Walmart, Zumiez, Aldi, C&A Group, Carnival Cruise Line, ColourPop Cosmetics, General Mills, Kraft-Heinz, Toys R Us, Mars Retail Group, Build A Bear, Inditex, Disguise, Educas Boras, HTI Toys, Mad Engine, McDonalds, Panini, Simba Dickie, Spin Master and Tomy, alongside many others.

What's the latest news on the show re: exhibitors, events, etc.?

Exhibitors are pouring in. We have more than 200 already signed and more signing up daily. To name a few: Paramount, Hasbro, Warner Bros. Consumer Products, Mattel, NBCUniversal, Sony Pictures Consumer Products, Lego, Joester Loria Group, Buzzfeed, Moonbug Entertainment, The Pokémon Company, NFL Players Association, Jazwares, Brandgenuity, Banijay, Crayola, BBC Studios, Bandai Namco, and Peanuts Worldwide. Licensing Expo is the only place you can reconnect with all the major entertainment studios under one roof this year, alongside the hundreds of other brands from categories ranging from sports to FMCG.

We know networking, education and fun are all part of the Licensing Expo experience as well. Licensing International is hosting its annual award ceremony on the Monday night, celebrating the inspirational work the industry has produced this past year. Excitingly, we're also bringing back the official Opening Night party, hosted at Daylight Outdoor Beach Club. We recently previewed the highly anticipated Licensing U agenda, produced by Licensing International, featuring content geared toward newcomers and industry veterans alike. Topics span the basics of licensing, NFTs, retail, TikTok and more, and we're eager to reveal additional content soon.

And now that we're in person again, the character parade is back. Speaking personally, I am so excited to see new and returning characters dance down the aisles again. It’s going to be both reminiscent and emotional, which is what licensing is all about.

Licensing Expo Las Vegas has adopted a theme for the first time ever – Location- Based Experiences (LBE). Why? And why now?

As a theme, Location-Based Experiences really is the perfect way to celebrate being in person again. We've been locked inside for so long, and everyone is so eager to experience things again, to be a part of something bigger than themselves. This feeling is encapsulated by LBE. Interactive, fun and intentional, this is a trend that's bringing brands to life in a way that transports consumers into a different reality.

We have some pretty exciting plans in the works, including experiential installations and activations produced both by us and jointly with select exhibitors. I'm afraid I don't have much more to share at this point in time, but I promise it will be jaw-dropping. Watch this space.

How are you ensuring that the return of Licensing Expo Las Vegas will be a success for all involved?

Times have been tricky, and they still are for many. It's been a turbulent period for many within our community, to say the least, and we recognise people are looking for answers at Licensing Expo. We're doing everything we can to help everyone get the most out of their time on-site, from meeting with the right people to learning new solutions that help move business forward.

The online platform is your friend. The introduction of an online element designed to complement the live event provides a platform for exhibitors to showcase who they are and their available IP, while also helping attendees get a head start on sifting through IPs of interest and scheduling meetings. I suggest visitors log into the online platform to see this for themselves. It's easy to use, helps attendees sort through IP by category, and facilitates matchmaking and scheduling.

If you're not registered yet or are seeking booth space, visit www.licensingexpo.com for more information.