By Kirsty Barr

There have been many months of suspense; will it happen, or won’t it? Can Team BLE make it work? Because, let’s face it, we all deserve and need, to get back to in-person meetings, networking, and even travelling.

Can Anna and her team get us to return to BLE’s show floor with the usual mix of excitement at seeing our international colleagues and friends. Could they create a three-day agenda which engages the industry on current trends and hot topics, but doesn’t have us worry or forget to be being mindful in continuing to protect ourselves and those around us?

Momentum has been building
Without doubt the BLE momentum of the past two weeks has been building. Whether this has been deliberate or not, it’s been encouraging to see a strong and diverse agenda come together on subjects which embrace the entire industry.  I’m looking forward to moving around the floor over the next few days and capturing the key highlights, as well as watching industry interaction and participation at the numerous sessions available to BLE attendees. But most of all I’m waiting to see how many smiles I can count, and perhaps a few over-excited hugs I can see, in the next three days.

And so as highlighted by our BLE preview yesterday there’s plenty to look forward to and I’m thrilled to be bringing you my bird’s eye view from the show floor over the next few days.

Yesterday (late afternoon) I managed to get myself onto the show floor of the BLE-build.  First, though, I had to purchase my steel toe-cap boots (apparently not quite so regimental in previous years, but that’s probably another part of new health and safety rules). Was BLE ready for us?  Not quite yet, but it will be by the time the doors open Wednesday. Opening a trade show on time with pristine carpet, big bright lights and “all that jazz” when it’s probably only 10% finished less than 15 hours ahead of opening its doors always seems an impossibility.  But, as if by magic, it comes together. And it always does.

What did I like from the unfinished show floor?  The big stand-out for me was the Products of Change stand.  Big it certainly is; but it also looked perfect for the role it has to play in our global industry goal of supporting sustainability and change. I just hope all the white chairs have people sitting on them and that somebody cares for all the greenery over the next three days! Do take a look at the supporting people campaign and those who are influencing change in our industry right now.

The BLE Bar. OK, so it’s the bar, but our industry spends a lot of time in bars! And especially attendees who don’t have a stand. It’s BIG, Bright and Bang in the middle of the show floor. It was nowhere near finished as I walked by, but it will be where we all congregate for the “open to all” welcome drinks – 5pm Wednesday! And I’ll bet it’s as busy and popular as ever.

It’s hard to single out stands as most weren’t finished. I’m not biased but the Licensing International stand was ready to welcome visitors and its welcome message in many languages reminded me of the diversity of our industry.

As always there are stands of all sizes and beauty, though probably with  a little less “wow” than usual – but that’s not surprising. I can’t wait to walk through the doors without my high-viz jacket on Wednesday morning to be greeted by a staff member who yanks my badge, scans it and tries to hand me my third copy of the show daily (after I’ve done my Covid passport check, of course!).

On a final note; there is an air of excitement. Last night, the bars were buzzy but not too busy, but that’s with set-up teams and licensors, exhibitors, BLE and Informa and all those others who have worked hard to make the next three days an amazing success.

And I have no doubt, a success this will be. We are back. An industry reunited. Together again.

Kirsty Barr has worked in media and entertainment for “as long as I can remember,” starting her career in BBC Publicity followed by production roles on some of the UK’s best loved prime-time entertainment programmes (Absolutely Fabulous, Top of The Pops, Royal Variety Performance to name just three!). Once she found her destiny in PR, she worked for powerhouse Discovery Communications, and started her own business in 2007.  

She’s proud to currently represent, and have previously managed, trade and consumer communications for clients both internationally and in the UK across toys, licensing, publishing, lifestyle and  preschool entertainment.