LIMA, the trade organisation for the estimated $180+ billion worldwide licensing industry, is calling upon licensors and licensees to put themselves forward for the Annual LIMA International Licensing Excellence Awards. These are the licensing industry’s most influential international awards, recognising outstanding achievements in licensing during 2010 – and will be presented at the LIMA Opening Night Awards Ceremony at Licensing International Expo, Las Vegas, on 14 June 2011.

LIMA is actively encouraging more entries from outside the USA – last year it had some 225 entries in all, including its largest ever number from the international licensing community and it is keen to surpass that this year. The awards are judged by a poll of the LIMA membership.

Licensors, licensees, agents and retailers can put themselves forward in any of the 16 award categories, which cover the whole licensing spectrum, from toys to entertainment, corporate brand licensing to art and sport. Only licensing programmes or products retailing during 2010 can be considered.

In addition to the category entries, the prestigious “Licence of the Year” award will be given to the property that has had a significant and lasting impact on the licensing marketplace during 2010. There is no direct entry into this award – up to six candidates will be drawn from the nominees for Best Art Program of the Year, Best Character/Toy Brand Program of the Year, Best Corporate Brand Program of the Year, Best Film, Television, Celebrity, or Entertainment Program of the Year, and Best Sports/Sports-Themed Entertainment Program of the Year.

Nominees are advised to follow the guidelines for entries very carefully. They must use the official LIMA entry form, which can be found at www.licensing.org – other hard copy, email entries and faxes will not be considered. Other specific guidance on filling out an entry can be found on www.licensing.org.

Kelvyn Gardner, Managing Director of LIMA UK, comments, “Your country needs you! Last year we had ten nominees from within the UK licensing community and it would be fantastic if we could beat that this year. LIMA has worked hard to overcome the perceived US – bias in the nominations, as our record numbers in 2010 proved – but this is our chance to continue the international drive and show off the great work that’s being done in other countries too. Get those nominations in!”

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For media enquiries please contact:

Victoria Roe, The PR Network
Tel: 07967 804140 Email: victoria.roe@theprnetwork.co.uk

Harriet Subramanian, The PR Network
Tel: 07949 626375, Email: harriet.subramanian@theprnetwork.co.uk

Notes to editors:

About LIMA
Founded in 1985, LIMA is the worldwide trade organisation for the licensing industry. LIMA’s main objective is to work together with licensors and licensees for the advancement of professionalism in licensing through research, national and international seminars, trade events and publications. With members in 35 countries, offices in New York, London, Munich, Tokyo, Shanghai and Hong Kong and representatives in Italy, members enjoy access to a wide variety of activities, information and benefits.