Brand Licensing Europe will give a platform to the people, ideas and practices set to change the face of brand licensing

Brand Licensing Europe (BLE), in partnership with industry trade association Licensing International, will support the industry as it collectively looks to a post-pandemic future with a ‘What’s Next’ theme weaving throughout the show in 2021. BLE returns this year with a new multi-platform format taking place in-person from 17-19 November at ExCeL London followed by an online event on 30 November- 1 December. Attendees can register for free now at www.brandlicensing.eu.

The What’s Next theme will give a platform to the people, ideas and practices set to change the face of brand licensing, while focusing on three distinct areas to give attendees an overview of the most important considerations for doing business in 2022 and beyond.

• Who’s next: Attendees are invited to discover and celebrate the licensing change makers in the all-new Agents of Change gallery; the disruptors, the rising stars, the professionals and the trailblazers who are brave and savvy enough to go back to the drawing board and affect real change.

The ‘Agents of Change’ Roll of Honour gallery will be situated at the entrance of BLE, providing an aspirational welcome back to the live event for the whole community and will be taken from License Global’s Influentials list of 2021 that will feature in December.

• Innovation in Sustainability Showcase in partnership with Products of Change. This feature area will inspire attendees on their journey towards a more sustainable future by learning how pioneering businesses from inside and outside of the licensing community are addressing the challenge of moving forward in a more ethical way. This interactive space will tell the stories of the branded products on show – where they came from, how they were made; the partnerships and collaborations featured, as well as offering practical advice and support on how the licensing industry can unite to tackle these vital issues.
• What’s next for retail: Visitors can explore an interactive retail space showcasing how brand licensing is leading the way in the production of unique, creative, and entertaining consumer experiences critical to the much-needed transformation of retail.

Informa Markets’ VP of Licensing Anna Knight: “Identifying new trends, change makers and upcoming challenges is what makes an industry gathering like BLE unmissable. This past year has shown how adaptable we are and, as we move into a post-covid world, that pace shows no sign of slowing down. Looking towards the future has never been more vital and this is precisely what our ‘What’s Next’ theme is designed to support.

Our hope is that this year’s theme, and all of the amazing content that envelops it, will help to take the guesswork out of strategic planning and support our attendees to drive forward their visions for the future.”

Registration for the event is now open – retailers, manufacturers and brand owners wishing to take part in this year’s event are invited to register for free at www.brandlicensing.eu to reconnect with the European licensing community in-person and online this November. To find out how to get involved in any of this year’s features, please contact the organisers directly at anna.knight@informa.com or visit the website for more information.

About Brand Licensing Europe
Launched in 1998, Brand Licensing Europe is the only pan-European annual event dedicated to licensing and brand extension. The London event features over 2,500 brands and more than 7,500 licensees, manufacturers, retailers, distributors, and licensing agents. Brand Licensing Europe is a part of the Global Licensing Group at Informa Markets, the licensing industry’s leading trade show organiser and media partner. Its mission is to provide licensing opportunities around the world by bringing brands and products together.

About Global Licensing Group
The Global Licensing Group at Informa Markets is the licensing industry’s leading tradeshow organizer and media partner. Its mission is to provide licensing opportunities around the world by bringing brands and products together. The following events and information products are produced for the licensing industry by the Global Licensing Group at Informa Markets: Licensing Expo, Brand Licensing Europe, Licensing Expo Japan, Licensing Expo Shanghai, Brand & Licensing Innovation Summits, License Global magazine, License Global Daily E-News and The Licensing Mixtape podcast. Global Licensing Group events are sponsored by Licensing International.

About Licensing International
Licensing International is the leading trade organization for the global licensing industry. Licensing International’s mission is to foster the growth and expansion of licensing around the world, raise the level of professionalism for licensing practitioners, and create greater awareness of the benefits of licensing to the business community at large. Founded in 1985, Licensing International members in over 40 countries enjoy access to an array of benefits, including extensive educational programming and worldwide networking events. Visit LicensingInternational.org for more information and to utilize licensing’s definitive online resource.