Category Archives: BLE 2021

BLE latest: Style Sisters’ live appearance, plus attractions for speed freaks and dog lovers

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Come and meet the celebrities’ favourite duo, the Style Sisters, for an insight into their incredible skill set detoxing, styling and organising homes; relax with special guests from Battersea Dogs & Cats Home and Guide Dogs; check out the latest automotive innovations with Motul and more.

With nearly 300,000 Instagram followers, celebrity clients and fans aplenty, Style Sisters Gemma Lilly and Charlotte Reddington are taking time out of their busy schedules to make an exclusive appearance at Brand Licensing Europe (BLE) next Thursday (18 November) to tell the story of their burgeoning brand in the Retail Trends Lounge and take part in a meet-and-greet at the BLE bar.

Attendees are not only able to grab one of 40 giveaway copies of their book Style Sisters: Helping you live an organised and stylish life, but also be in with a chance to win a very special wardrobe detox* by The Style Sisters themselves.

“We are thrilled that the Style Sisters are able to join everyone at BLE, talking to retailers, licensees and guests about their success in business and what it takes to bring an organised and stylish life to everyone’s home, and on all levels of budget,” says Francesca Lisle, Managing Director, Lisle Licensing.

“Style Sisters are due to launch their licensing programme in Spring 2022 and are looking forward to sharing their plans with guests in the retail lounge and in the BLE Bar during Thursday afternoon.  After all, every stylish life deserves a glass or two to make you smile!”

Exclusive appearance from the Style Sisters on Thursday 18 November:

2.15pm-2.45pm – Presentation and Q&A in Retail Trends Lounge
2.45pm-3.45pm – Meet & Greet at BLE Bar (Stand C191)

Gemma and Charlotte’s appearance at BLE (17-19 Nov, ExCeL London) is just one of many exciting new announcements to the event schedule.

Each day of the show, BLE attendees can meet a Battersea dog or join the Battersea Dogs and Cats Home team at any time for a chat and ice cream by Jude’s (visit stand #C201), which last year launched its Battersea branded ice cream for dogs.

Guide Dogs for the Blind will also be bringing two adult dogs and two pups in training to the first day of BLE, Wednesday November 17. Attendees can meet them via their brand licensing agent, Bulldog Licensing (stand #A182), or come and say hi as they make their way through the show.

Attendees with a love of all things automotive can visit a wide variety of cars and motorcycles on the show floor from a range of prestigious brands. Direct to Retail will be bringing an M-Sport WRC Rally Car (Stand #D143/C190), BlueSkye Licensing and KJG Ltd will be showcasing the world’s smallest car, the Peel P50, on the BLE Bar and the Motul Café will be hosting two iconic British and Italian bikes – the 1956 Triumph Bobber and 1979 Moto Guzzi Custom – to bring automotive brand licensing to life.

BLE runs from Nov. 17-19 and is also followed by a complementary two-day online event on 30 Nov and 1 Dec. Registration for both events is free and available online at www.brandlicensing.eu. Please note, visitors to the in-person event at ExCeL London are asked to register by Tuesday 16 November.

* The winner of the Style Sisters’ Wardrobe Detox must live within the M25 and must submit a picture of their wardrobe to gain approval. Single/two single wardrobes only.

Spotlight on Brands I Pink Key gets Vim!

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Spotlight on brands

 

Vimto is a brand with real pedigree. Nationally renowned and proudly from the North, it also has a proven licensing pedigree.

It all began in Manchester in 1908 when John Noel Nichols created the drink we know and love as a herbal health tonic using a secret recipe combining fruits, herbs and spices from around the world. It  was a pick-me-up, giving the consumer ‘vim’ (energy and enthusiasm) and ‘vigour’ (strength and power).

But the brand we know now as Vimto has never stood still. From its rich heritage it has kept itself contemporary by adapting to changes in consumer conditions and tastes and has developed a versatile product range. There are numerous ways now in which you can enjoy the great taste of Vimto – from the ‘schlurp’ out of a can to hot (yes, hot!) Vimto to fend off those chilly winter nights.

Yet, through all these developments, the brand character has always remained constant: a fun, high-quality, refreshingly different soft drink.

 

Perfect partnerships

Vimto is no stranger to the licensing world, and has already acquired many food licensees managed by its dedicated Commercial Development Controller, Helen Hartley, who has brought on board a number of partners including:

  • Confectionery with Vimto Bon Bons, Jelly Babies and Juicy Mixups
  • Frozen foods with Vimto Ice Lollies, Cheesecake, Pyramids and No Added Sugar Remix Ice Pops
  • Dedicated Vimto ‘Factories’ in Selfridges, the Trafford Centre Manchester and the Bullring Birmingham, offering Vimto Slush, drinks and confectionery
  • Vimto protein powders and vitamins in partnership with the world’s number one sports nutrition brand MYPROTEIN.

Vimto is extending its licensing programme to take both and its rich history and heritage into the non-food arena.

Pink Key’s pedigree

Pink Key Licensing is Vimto’s exclusive UK agent to develop the non-food programme, and will be offering new licensees a style guide that will focus on the brand’s history and is packed with visuals of posters, packs and amazing artwork from the extensive Vimto archive, including Vimto logos and slogans.

Richard Pink of Pink Key says: “The Vimto archive is extraordinary in its range of colour and usable assets. It’s a brand that I’ve always felt would be an ideal fit with what we do so well, and I’m delighted that Vimto think so too!”

There is no doubt that Vimto seems to naturally fit within Pink Key’s portfolio, which incudes food brands Kellogg’s, Pringles, SLUSH PUPPiE and The Laughing Cow, alongside the heritage programme that Richard and his team have been running for Pan American Airways.

“Having lived in Manchester myself, I have an appreciation of just how proud the people are of home-grown and developed brands; they are fiercely loyal,” says Richard. “And it’s not just anecdotal: Vimto is a nationally recognised brand, but in its home town its popularity rivals the best in the world!”

 


If you are interested in talking to
Pink Key about licensing Vimto you can
contact Richard at
richard@pinkkey.co.uk

 

 

 

Interview: Anna Knight, BLE Event Director, talks trends, testing and Team GB

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Hi Anna, thanks for giving up your time in the run-up to the show. We’re guessing everyone is delighted to be able to meet in person again. Is there a real sense of excitement?

100 per cent. Me and the whole BLE team can’t wait to get to ExCeL and see everyone in person again. The support we’ve had from exhibitors (199 companies confirmed to date), the numbers of visitor registrations we’ve had and the fact over 1,500 meeting requests have already been sent show how excited the industry is, too. It’s a brilliant opportunity to reconnect and reunite the European licensing industry and we’re only too happy to play our part.

Are there any new initiatives this year?

Yes, there’s loads of news stuff this year, starting with a new theme – What’s Next – which is aptly forward-looking after the two years we’ve all endured and highlights the progress that’s being made when it comes to D&I and sustainability, among other things. Check out the Agents of Change gallery in the main entrances that highlights Who’s Next in licensing.

Don’t miss the Sustainability Activation in partnership with Products of Change: a must-stop for brands, retailers and manufacturers and packed with innovation when it comes to sustainable technology, processes, materials, retail, product, and fashion design. We’ll have product showcases from the likes of Lego, Keel Toys, George at Asda, Natural History Museum, The Eden Project, Tesco, Teemill and many more.

There are five brilliant insight sessions in the Retail Trends Lounge from the likes of George @ Asda and Hasbro, Kids Industries and The Insights People.

Please wear bright clothes on Thursday for Colour for Kelvyn day and pop to The Light Fund stand to make a donation. You can also bring a piece of preloved branded clothing, you can swap it in our Newlife Charity Branded Clothes Swap in the Sustainability Activation in return for a donation to the Light Fund, too.

We have partnered with Battersea Dogs & Cats Home to bring dogs to the show for visitors to pet and cuddle as part of our commitment to health and wellness. And I hope everyone joins us for our Welcome Back drinks between 5pm and 7pm on the show floor across our Crunchyroll Bar, BLE Bar and Motul Cafe

The keynote speakers this year sound really interesting. Do you think diversity and inclusion is going to become second nature to companies, moving forward?

Yeah, they are both pretty epic keynotes, aren’t they? On Wednesday 17 at 4pm we’ll have a Team GB panel session featuring two British Olympic gold medallists, Tom Daley and Charlotte Worthington, who’ll be appearing alongside Tim Ellerton (Team GB) and Will Stewart (The Point.1888).

The second is at 1pm on Thursday 18 November and is a super insightful session from ViacomCBS Consumer Products discussing insights from its Diversity & Inclusion efforts with a specific focus on its recent toy research. This keynote will follow a presentation from Black Lives Matter Licensing UK. ViacomCBS has also curated three exclusive online sessions for us that go live on 22 November with very senior executives looking at D&I in the workplace, in content and in products.

Diversity, equity and inclusion cannot be ignored any longer. The uprising of the Black Lives Matter movement in the States last year was a real tipping point and brands are now taking action to ensure that their marketing, products and people are truly – and authentically – reflective of the society that they operate in. It’s important to note, too, that inclusivity is not – and should not – be limited to race, but must also take into account gender, age, physical and neuro disability and social mobility.

Can you tell us a bit more about the Covid measures and testing processes you’ve put in place?

We take our role as a safe event organiser very seriously. This is why we’re going above and beyond UK Government guidelines and asking people to wear masks while they’re on the show floor unless they are medically exempt, are eating and drinking, or they are in a business meeting where everyone is comfortable being mask-free.

We have also partnered with ExpressTest by CignPost to facilitate all testing requirements for international attendees. Anyone needing to take a day two test to enter England will be able to purchase a ‘click and collect’ testing kit to be picked up at ExCeL. The tests can be self-administered in any location with results uploaded online. Those requiring a ‘fit to fly’ test for re-entry into their country of origin will also be able to benefit from an onsite service with tests carried out by CignPost staff in secure private meeting rooms at the venue.

These are just two of many measures in place. The full BLE health and safety plan can be found here and ExCeL London’s safety plan can be found here.

What’s been the interest so far in the Kelvyn Gardner License This! Competition?

 So, this is our 11th year of License This! but our first named in tribute to Kelvyn. Once again, we’ve had some truly creative and professional entries for all three award categories and we have nine finalists who will battle it out for the much-coveted Brand & Design, Character & Animation and Product Design trophies in the Retail Trend Lounge on Friday 19 November.

How do you think the licensing industry has weathered the storms of the pandemic, and where do you see it heading in 2022 and beyond?

When you look at industries like travel or hospitality, the licensing sector has had a much milder storm to navigate and, in fact, some categories within licensing – toys, games, puzzles, outdoor play – have had a fantastically successful 18 months.

In 2022 and beyond, I’m personally interested to see what happens in the world of location based entertainment now everything is opening up post-pandemic, and this is the theme for Licensing Expo in May. The licensing partnerships between entertainment brands and fashion have really pushed the envelope in recent years and I think we’ll see a lot more from these collabs especially as more high end and edgy brands enter the game.

Are there any collaborations that have impressed you this year, or that you’re looking forward to seeing?

In the toy space, LEGO and Barbie have always been particularly creative with collabs. I love that LEGO is at COP 26 advising governments on the next steps children want to see them carry out. I love that Smurfs are working so closely with the UN to promote the sustainability message among kids. And I love the quirky collabs you don’t expect but make perfect sense when you see them, like Kermit on a pair of Stan Smiths.

English Heritage licensing programme builds momentum

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The English Heritage licensing programme is building momentum with a roster of new licensees signing up to work with the charity that cares for 400 historic sites, which receive over 10 million visitors a year.

New licensed products launching next year cover a wide range of categories, from wooden jigsaw puzzles (Wentworth Puzzles) to handmade tinned fudge (Gardiners). In addition, there are advanced plans for a complete range of homewares in development to include furniture, fabrics, wallpaper, outdoor fabrics, tiles, paint, bedding and more.

Helen Webster, Account Director of English Heritage’s brand licensing consultancy Golden Goose, says: “We have been very pleased to see the appetite for the English Heritage programme from manufacturers across multiple categories and sectors. We expect English Heritage licensed products to be a prominent and successful feature of UK retail for many years to come.”

“The work Golden Goose are doing now is building a very strong foundation for the future,” adds Kingston Myles, Head of Commercial for English Heritage. “The many plans in development will really allow us to showcase, at pace, the charity’s intellectual property and collection of sites.”

Based in London, Golden Goose is a pan-European brand licensing consultancy established in 2002 to help corporate brands develop licensing opportunities. Other clients include Men’s Health & Women’s Health (Hearst), Mother&Baby (Bauer), Del Monte, Shepperton Design Studio’sOriginal Stormtrooper and the Tusk Trust.

English Heritage and Golden Goose will be exhibiting at BLE and will be on stand C200.

 

Motul appoints Blue Chip Brands as its agency for Australia and NZ

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Following its appointment in March of WildBrain CPLG as its global agent (excluding AsiaPac), engine oil brand – and now lifestyle brand – Motul has appointed Blue Chip Brands as its agent for Australia and New Zealand.

Motul has also appointed licensing specialist PR and marketing agency kilogrammedia to manage its relations with the licensing trade press. In addition, the brand will be the sponsor of the Motul Café, the Brands & Lifestyle Bar at Brand Licensing Europe at London’s Excel from 17-19 November.

Motul is specialises in the formulation, production and global distribution of high-tech engine lubricants for the consumer market.

In the 1950s the brand began using racetracks and international motorsports events to develop, refine and test its products. As a result, the company has been a dedicated technical partner and official supplier to some of the best-known teams and manufacturers in history, with a presence in over 160 countries, and numerous event partnerships including the Dakar Rally, Le Mans and Goodwood Revival.

Among the many categories the campaign is targeting will be bags, stationery, earphones, phone covers, masks, kitchenware, houseware and, of course, car accessories. It will also address a wide range of apparel, from t-shirts to padded jackets, deck shoes to hats, safety helmets and sportswear. Like the brand’s famous red and white banner, the designs will be simple, direct and striking.

Nature and the great outdoors are another target market, with potential for rugged, functional apparel lines as well as backpacks, tents and portable stoves.

There is also the opportunity to highlight the near 100-year heritage of the brand through special retro ranges deploying versions of the brand throughout its early history.

Managing the Motul campaign is Laurent Taieb, a licensing specialist with over 25 years’ experience. He says: “Our aim with Motul is to bring both the brand and its many associations to a global audience. The appointments of both WildBrain CPLGand Blue Chip Brands are key to developing the extraordinary potential of this brand, and we’re delighted to be working with both of these highly respected agencies.”

Brand Licensing Europe announces 2021 Kelvyn Gardner License This! shortlist

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Brand Licensing Europe has unveiled the nine finalists who will battle it out to win one of three Kelvyn Gardner License This! awards. BLE takes place in person from 17-19 November at ExCeL London followed by an online event running from 30 November to 1 December. It’s free to register at www.brandlicensing.eu.

There are three categories for 2021, including a brand-new Product Design award launched in partnership with Mojo Nation, where designers have been tasked to invent a desktop accessory inspired by Aardman’s Morph IP. The Character & Animation and Brand & Design categories are both aimed at unlicensed brands and properties and judges look for new creative concepts which have the potential to spread across multiple product categories.

Chair of the judging panel, Ian Downes, director Start Licensing, says: “The standard of entries this year for the Kelvyn Gardner License This! competition was very high. It was encouraging to see so many original ideas and concepts. The entrants put a lot of effort into the competition crafting some compelling entries and it was tough to draw up a shortlist. Based on the quality of entries it is clear that there is no shortage of creativity in and around licensing at the moment and the industry can be assured there is plenty of fresh thinking going on.”

The nine finalists are:

  1. Brand & Design Category:
  • Pencil & TIE® are the best of friends who live in Shibuya, Tokyo. Pencil, a graphic designer, is never seen without his pencil. Tie is his one-footed, cheeky friend (and a tie).
    Designer Mark creates onefold and witty stationery, which manifests itself in the (paper) product design and/or the illustration(s) used. With a lifelong passion for stationery, years of design experience for A-list brands and an attachment to Japanese culture, Pencil & TIE produces lovable and sustainable stationery products in its lab in the Netherlands.
  • Sophie Jonas-Hill and Tea for Tattoo, which brings together two great British passions – drinking tea and getting tattooed! Tea for tattoo is a series of hand-drawn motifs which bring together the colour palette and style of traditional blue and white ceramics, with the aesthetic and cheeky edge of old school tattoos. It’s distinctive because it carries Sophie’s unique hand drawn stamp, created by drawing separate parts of each image on tracing paper and then layering them together to create the look of glazed ceramic.
  • Aline Cervo – Aline Bea is a surface pattern designer, illustrator and digital nomad. Inspired by nature, simple things in life, and her own journey, she draws everything from flowers to buildings and abstract compositions. The stories embedded in her designs talk about bravery, courage, love and connection, about noticing the details, and abundance and presence. The beauty of being alive and enjoying every moment is what she expects to imprint on the world with her designs and products.
  1. Character & Animation Category:
  • Els Morris – Els Doodles: Rosie Roars’ is an illustrated little one’s story book. Rosie is three and her favourite animal is a lion, she even wants to be one when she grows up. Her family helps her to discover different animals and she decides that being a ‘buzzy, hopping, rainbow roaring me’ is the perfect person to be. This book teaches little ones that it’s good to celebrate who we are, while learning about others along the way.
  • Stacy Moore – Eat Dirt: Eat Dirt is a series of humorous stories and poems for children aged 2-5 years old, designed to inspire a love of veggies, gardening, and outdoor play, served up with a big dose of pure silliness. It is rich with bright colour and pint-sized humour to help foster creativity, inspire movement, encourage play and garden activity, and stimulate little brains for healthy growth. The lovable main characters include Grumpy Bean and his seven vegetable friends, plus the Green Thumb Chums and Toad.
  • Joel Mercer – SeedFolk. SeedFolk has been developed by the innovative creative team behind Seedlings Cards & Gifts; a lovable range of characters, who care for our native habitats and wildflower seeds. Joel says: “Unbeknownst to human eyes, there is a hidden world of little folk who guard and tend to our wildflowers and seeds. They are the SeedFolk, and this story follows adventures led by Yarrow, a courageous young wizard, and his dependable friend Buttercup, along with friends Mari and her little sister Gold, Clover and Bumble, the wise old Snowdrop, and the king’s daughter, Cornflower – as they set out to protect our native wildflowers.”
  1. Product Design Category
  • Jon Morse – Tomato Source
  • Chris de Junien – Imagine8
  • Wayne Lindsay – Imaginnovation

The three designers in this category will pitch their concepts to the judges during the live final on Friday 19 November.

Brand Licensing Europe partners with ExpressTest by CignPost to facilitate testing needs for international attendees

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Brand Licensing Europe has partnered with ExpressTest by CignPost to facilitate all testing requirements for international attendees. Anyone needing to take a day two test to enter England will be able to purchase a ‘click and collect’ testing kit to be picked up at ExCeL. The tests can be self-administered in any location with results uploaded online. Those requiring a ‘fit to fly’ test for re-entry into their country of origin will also be able to benefit from an onsite service with tests carried out by CignPost staff in secure private meeting rooms at the venue.

The test booking service will open during the first week of November and information will be communicated via the BLE website, social media channels and direct communications with event customers. Attendees are also reminded to join the next BLE webinar at 2pm (BST) Tuesday October 26, where the team will provide information on this new partnership as well as the show’s health and safety plan. Attendees can register for the webinar here.

ExpressTest by CignPost is one of the leading UK testing providers, an ABTA partner and a UK government listed COVID-19 screening service, which provides fast, accurate and reliable testing. They said: “We are delighted to be working with Brand Licensing Europe as official testing partner, providing both gold-standard PCR and lateral flow tests for exhibitors and delegates alike.  ExpressTest has been at the forefront of testing to help businesses operate through the pandemic.”

This latest partnership is just one of the many measures in place to help the safe return to live events by organiser Informa Markets. In addition to requiring proof of vaccination, negative test or natural immunity to enter ExCeL and an extremely comprehensive list of other safety measures, organisers are now also requiring that masks are worn by attendees. Medical exemptions will apply, as well as allowing for the removal of masks when eating and drinking. The team is also asking attendees to be respectful of each other during business meetings and wear a mask if their meeting partner requests it.

The full BLE health and safety plan can be found here and ExCeL London’s safety plan can be found here.

“As a safe event organiser, BLE is committed to going above and beyond UK government guidelines with a robust set of safety measures and the facilitation of required testing for international attendees,” said Anna Knight, VP Licensing, Informa Markets.

“We are all looking forward to the return of Brand Licensing Europe and the bringing together of the licensing industry. Nevertheless, it’s imperative that we do this as safely as possible and remove any challenges related to international travel for a significant contingent of our audience. I’m pleased to be announcing our partnership with CignPost and to reiterate our commitment to attendee safety as we approach the final countdown to BLE 2021.”

Just 4 days left to enter the Kelvyn Gardner License This! competition at BLE

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There are just four days left for designers, illustrators, animators and inventors to enter this year’s Kelvyn Gardner License This! competition at Brand Licensing Europe. It’s an incredible opportunity to get a foot in the door of the $292 billion global licensing industry.

There are three award categories available to enter this year:

  • Character & Animation
  • Brand & Design
  • Product Design using Aardman Animations’ Morph as inspiration

The competition is totally free to enter, and the three winners will receive promotional space at Brand Licensing Europe 2022, valuable advice from industry experts, and annual membership of trade association Licensing International and sustainability education hub Products of Change.

Entries close on 11 October.

ViacomCBS Consumer Products to share Diversity & Inclusion insights plus new toy research during BLE Day 2 keynote

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ViacomCBS will share insights from its corporate Diversity & Inclusion efforts with a specific focus on its recently conducted toy research study during Brand Licensing Europe’s second day keynote.

Mark Kingston, Senior Vice President, International, ViacomCBS Consumer Products will lead the keynote and review the impact on culture, community and industry when there’s a strong commitment to diversity, inclusion and belonging. The keynote will also include Ameeta Held, Vice President, Insights and Business Strategy, Consumer Products, ViacomCBS, referencing original toy research detailing the importance of authentic representation in dolls and the impact on choice.

The keynote, which takes place in-person at BLE from 13:00-14:00 on Thursday 18 November, will also set the background as to why the consumer products and licensing community plays such a pivotal role in diversity and inclusion.

“As an organisation we are dedicated to creating content that reflects the global audiences we serve, and within consumer products we are especially committed to ensuring our products are inclusive and representative,” says Mark Kingston. “Our latest research shines a light on the important role our industry plays in our continued conversation around Diversity & Inclusion and I look forward to presenting our thoughts and findings alongside my colleagues at BLE.”

Ahead of ViacomCBS’ keynote, representatives from Black Lives Matter Licensing UK will take to the stage to talk about the group’s purpose, goals and activity in the sector to date.

Informa Markets’ VP of Licensing Anna Knight says, “It’s not possible to underestimate the importance of this keynote to our industry and I implore everyone who is attending BLE to pre-register now and secure a spot. Consumer products has a huge responsibility – and opportunity – to represent, embrace and empower diversity if we are to build a more inclusive and equal future for consumers across the world.”

ViacomCBS is one of over 150 exhibitors currently confirmed for BLE, which takes place in-person at ExCeL London from 17-19 November followed by an online event on 30 November to 1 December. The Exhibitor list features companies from all three licensing categories – Character & Entertainment, Brands & Lifestyle, and Art, Design & Image – and with strong representation from Europe, the UK and wider afield.

You can view the show’s exhibitor list here.