New York — Licensing International is proud to announce the full list of finalists for the prestigious Excellence Awards, dedicated to recognizing outstanding achievements and innovation in the global brand licensing industry.

This year’s Excellence Awards feature 209 finalists in 32 categories. More than 800 submissions were reviewed by a panel that includes 200 judges from 20 countries.

“The finalists for this year’s Licensing International Excellence Awards highlight the exceptional creativity in the global brand licensing industry,” said Maura Regan, President of Licensing International. “The finalists selected speak not only to the reach of the licensing industry, but to the caliber of the collaborations that have launched in the past year. Our congratulations go out to these finalists, and we look forward to celebrating their achievements at this year’s Excellence Awards ceremony.”

The winners will be announced during the Licensing International Excellence Awards ahead of Licensing Expo. The ceremony will take place on Monday, May 19 at 5:30pm PDT at HyperX Arena Las Vegas at the Luxor. Licensing Expo will take place from May 20 – 22 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center.

More information about the finalists is available online. Finalists were presented by sponsor Alifish.  The full list of finalists can be found here:

Best Art, Design, or Museum Brand

• Andy Warhol
• Jean-Michel Basquiat (Artestar)
• Keith Haring (Artestar)
• New York Botanical Garden (Jewel Branding & Licensing)
• The Metropolitan Museum of Art (Beanstalk)
• The Museum of Modern Art
• V&A

Best Food, Beverage, or Restaurant Brand

• Cinnabon – GoTo Foods
• Coca-Cola – The Coca-Cola Company
• Dole – Dole Food Company (Beanstalk)
• Modelo – Constellation Brands (The Joester Loria Group)
• PEEPS – Just Born Quality Confections (Brand Activation Consulting)
• Reese’s – The Hershey Company (Brand Activation Consulting, Estuary Brands, Tycoon)

Best Interactive or Digital Brand

• Fortnite – Epic Games (IMG)
• Minecraft – Microsoft (CAA Brand Management & Merchantwise)
• Sonic the Hedgehog – SEGA
• Stumble Guys – Scopely (CAA Brand Management)
• Tetris – The Tetris Company

Best Apparel, Accessories, or Footwear Product for Corporate Brands

• H&M – LEGO
• Hey Dude – Corona Extra (The Joester Loria Group)
• Intimissimi Uomo – Coca-Cola (CAA Brand Management)
• Kate Spade New York – Heinz (Brand Central)
• Samsonite – V&A (Alfilo Brands)
• SCL Footwear Group – Goodyear (IMG)

Best Health & Beauty Product

• Centric Beauty & Sally Hansen – Hershey (Brand Activation Consulting)
• Grupo Boticario – Pampers (Beanstalk)
• H&A – The Grinch (Wildbrain CPLG)
• Hard Candy – Girl Scouts of the USA (Earthbound)
• LUSH – Bridgerton
• LUSH – Wicked
• Wild Willies – Yellowstone

Best Toys, Games, Novelties, or Role Play (ages 0-8) Product

• Loog Guitars – The Beatles (Bravado)
• Moose Toys – Despicable Me 4
• Pinghu Qileshi Baby Carrier – Lamborghini (Enzo e Partners Limited)
• LEGO DUPLO – Formula 1
• LEGO DUPLO – Peppa Pig

Best Accessories or Footwear Collaboration

• Martens x Wednesday (WildBrain CPLG)
• FENDI x Chupa Chups
• Fortnite x Crocs (IMG)
• Liberty Fabrics x Bridgerton
• PUMA x Ghostbusters
• The Met x Sprayground (Beanstalk)

Best Licensed Promotion

• 7-Eleven x Tetris
• ABSOLUT Warhol
• Batman Day x Uber Australia
• Peanuts on Starlux Airlines (WildBrain CPLG)
• Starbucks x The Met (Pacific Licensing)
• Starbucks x Miffy (Pacific Licensing)
• Starbucks x Wicked

Best Live Action Brand

• Beetlejuice Beetlejuice – Warner Bros. Discovery
• Bridgerton – Netflix
• Deadpool & Wolverine – The Walt Disney Company / Marvel
• Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire – Sony Pictures
• Godzilla – Toho International
• Monster Jam – Feld Entertainment
• Wicked – Universal Products & Experiences

Best Toy Brand

• Barbie – Mattel
• FurReal – Hasbro
• Littlest Pet Shop – Hasbro
• Qee – Toy2R (Guangzhou Art-land)
• Squishmallows – Jazwares

Best Appliance, Automotive, or Electronic Product for Corporate Brands

• Insta360 – BMW Motorrad (Brandgenuity)
• M&S Accessory Network Corp – Coca-Cola
• Nuna Strollers – BMW (Brandgenuity)
• Old World Industries – Goodyear (IMG)
• Samsung Electronics – The Museum of Modern Art

Best Home Décor or Homeware Product

• H&M – LEGO
• Lodge Cast Iron – Dolly Parton (IMG)
• Nordic Housewares Group – LEGO
• Paladone Products – Minecraft
• Phoenix Group – Minecraft (CAA Brand Management)
• ZeWood – Harry Potter

Best Interactive or Digital Product

• Actionary Limited – Harry Potter
• Feenix Studio – Paddington Bear
• Mega Cat Studios – Five Nights at Freddy’s (Striker Entertainment)
• Minecraft – Hello Kitty and Friends
• StoryToys – LEGO DUPLO Peppa Pig
• The Gang – Shrek

Best Hardlines or Packaged Goods Collaboration

• Godzilla x Santa Cruz Skateboards
• Jean-Michel Basquiat x Dom Perignon (Artestar & Sagoo)
• Keith Haring x Jean Paul Gaultier (Artestar)
• Krispy Kreme x Ghostbusters
• MONOPOLY x Nike x WS Game Company
• POPMART x Coca-Cola
• Squid Game x Johnnie Walker
• Van Gogh Museum x Sole Bicycles (IMG)

Best Retailer for Corporate, Lifestyle, Fashion, or Sports Brands

• BoxLunch – KFC
• Falabella – Red Bull (CAA Brand Management)
• Forever 21 – Coca-Cola
• Modern Works – Kodak
• The Loft – The Museum of Modern Art

Best Advertising Campaign Featuring a Licensed Brand

• Capital One & A League Of Their Own Campaign
• Nubank Friends Campaign
• Sainsbury’s Big Christmas & BFG Campaign (Born Licensing)
• United Airlines & Oscar the Grouch Campaign
• Verizon & Barbie StreamHouse Campaign
• Where’s Waldo x Etsy Campaign

Best Animated Brand

• Barney – Mattel
• Bluey – BBC Studios, Ludo Studio
• Minions – Universal Products & Experiences
• Moana 2 – The Walt Disney Company
• Paddington – StudioCanal
• Peanuts – Peanuts Worldwide
• Peppa Pig – Hasbro
• SpongeBob SquarePants – Paramount

Best Corporate Brand

• Girl Scouts of the USA (Earthbound)
• Goodyear – The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company (IMG)
• JEEP – Stellantis (IMG)
• Kodak – Eastman Kodak
• Lamborghini – Volkswagen Group (Enzo e Partners)
• Scotts Miracle-Gro – The Scotts Company (Seltzer Licensing Group)

Best Music Artist or Celebrity Brand

• The Beatles – Apple Corps (Bravado)
• Dolly Parton – Speckled Bird (IMG)
• Florence by Mills – Millie Bobby Brown (IMG)
• Grateful Dead – Warner Music Experience
• Iron Maiden (Global Merchandising Services)
• Martha Stewart – Marquee Brands
• The Rolling Stones – Musidor BV (Bravado)

Best Apparel, Accessories, or Footwear Product for Entertainment Brands

• alice + olivia – The Beatles (Bravado)
• com – SpongeBob SquarePants
• Clarks – Stranger Things
• GAP – Paddington
• Gentlewomen – Hello Kitty
• Love Your Melon – Sesame Street
• Uniqlo – Harry Potter
• Zara – Paddington

Best Food or Beverage Product for Corporate Brands

• BSc Supplements – Chupa Chups (Asembl Brands)
• The Collagen Co. – Violet Crumble (Asembl Brands)
• The Farmer Companies – Guinness (Beanstalk)
• Lartigiano Gelato USA – FIAT 500 (IMG)
• McCain – PlayStation (Vertical Licensing)
• Six Star – Froot Loops (Beanstalk)
• Marzetti Company – Subway (Broad Street Licensing Group)

Best Publishing, Social Expression, or Back-to-School Product

• Anya Hindmarch – Peanuts (WildBrain CPLG)
• Chronicle Books – LEGO
• Insight Editions – The Beatles (Bravado)
• Moleskine – Harry Potter
• Royal Mail – Spice Girls (Bravado)
• Skip Hop – Sesame Street

Best Apparel Collaboration

• Gucci x The World of Peter Rabbit
• lululemon x Disney
• H&M x Jean-Michel Basquiat (Artestar)
• Huf x Kodak
• Kaws x Andy Warhol
• Miffy x Cath Kidston (Rocket Licensing)
• Moncler x Batman

Best Experiential or Location-Based

• Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience Melbourne
• Hello Kitty 50th Anniversary Celebration of Friendship
• Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live: Glow Party
• Marvel Barbershop
• Primark Cafe Experiences
• SpongeBob SquarePants: The Experience
• The Paddington Bear Experience
• The Studio Ghibli Story Exhibition

Best Publishing, Stationery, or Social Expression Brand

• Black Paper Party
• Seuss – Dr. Seuss Enterprises
• Moomin – Moomin Characters (Rights & Brands)
• Roald Dahl – The Roald Dahl Story Company
• Strawberry Shortcake – WildBrain
• World of Eric Carle/Very Hungry Caterpillar – Penguin Random House (The Joester Loria Group)

Best Sports, eSports, or Collegiate Brand

• Formula 1
• NFLPA
• Overtime – Overtime Sport (The Brand Liaison)
• Yale (ASPIRE by WildBrain CPLG)
• UFC – TKO Group Holdings (IMG)

Best Appliance, Automotive, or Electronic Product for Entertainment Brands

• Ateco Group & RAM Australia – Yellowstone (Haven Licensing)
• Crosley – The Beatles (Bravado)
• Precious Sound – The Rolling Stones (Bravado)
• Razer – Kuromi (Alifish)
• Retrospekt – Miffy (The Joester Loria Group)
• Thai Honda – Hello Kitty (Sanrio)
• THOR Kitchen – Gordon Ramsay (Brand Central & CAA Brand Management)
• Vanzo – Batman (Pacific Licensing)

Best Food or Beverage Product for Entertainment Brands

• Haribo – Harry Potter
• Krispy Kreme – Hello Kitty (Sanrio)
• Ladurée – Bridgerton
• Parton Family Cellars & Accolade Wines – Dolly Parton (IMG)
• OREO – Star Wars
• The Hershey Company – Shaquille O’Neal

Best Toys, Games, Novelties, or Role Play (ages 8+) Product

• Culturefly – Martha Stewart (Marquee Brands)
• Jada Toys – Godzilla
• LEGO – Dune
• LEGO – Jaws
• Polly Pocket – Stranger Things

Best Retailer for Entertainment Brands

• CJ Express – The Powerpuff Girls (Pacific Licensing)
• Deichmann SE – Wednesday (Wildbrain CPLG)
• DORS – Wicked (Pacific Licensing)
• KOAJ – Iron Maiden (KOPA)
• Miniso – Care Bears (IMG)
• Miniso – Harry Potter
• Target – Wicked
• Walmart – Bridgerton

Best Sustainability Initiative

• Fabacus & Nobody’s Child – Digital Product Passport Collection
• FILA & BBC Earth
• LUSH & Paramount – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Collection
• Primark & Disney – The Lion King Campaign & Repair Workshop
• The Smiley Company – Future Positive Creator’s Fund Apparel

Members’ Choice

• Barbie x Stanley
• Colleen Atwood x Primark
• Seuss Enterprises x Parks Project
• Gulf Stream x Laura Ashley
• Jagermeister x Pantone
• Liquid Death x Plunge
• PAC MAN Live Experience
• Skybound Entertainment x Universal Monsters: Frankenstein

About Licensing International
Licensing International is the leading trade organization for the $356+ billion 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.

About Licensing Expo
Launched in 1980, Licensing Expo is the world’s largest and most influential annual tradeshow dedicated to licensing and brand extension. Every year, more than 5,000 brands and 16,000 retailers, licensees, manufacturers, distributors, and licensing agents attend Licensing Expo from more than 70 countries. Licensing Expo is a part of the Global Licensing Group at Informa Markets, 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.