Hasbro, Chupa Chups, and Crunchyroll among latest to present on the Festival of Licensing Stage

Hasbro, eOne, Chupa Chups, and Crunchyroll are just some of the latest global brands to be confirmed to present on the Festival of Licensing Stage during the virtual event’s opening week this October 6th to 8th, marking the latest additions to the European leg powered by Brand Licensing Europe.

Almost 50 live keynotes, presentations and on-demand sessions have been confirmed to date for Festival of Licensing, the month-long virtual celebration of the global licensing industry running from October 6th to 29th, incorporating three regional events for Europe, Asia and the Americas, and culminating with the global C-suite and executive-level virtual conference, Licensing Leadership Summit.

Newly announced for the Live Stage, sponsored by Crunchyroll:

  • Tuesday 6 October, 12.40pm BST: Senior executives from Hasbro + eOne, including Global Consumer Products General Manager and Senior Vice President Casey Collins, will present Fuelling Franchises Together.

  • Tuesday 6 October, 3pm BST: Creative agency Tela Italia, WildBrain CPLG Lifestyle and Perfetti Van Melle will join forces for Chupa Chups: The Secret to Keeping Art Stories Sweet to look into the creative energy behind Chupa Chups’ licensing success, and the importance of design as a tool for reinforcing brand relevance and uniqueness.

  • Wednesday 7 October, 3pm BST: Anime: The Inescapable Hit of Licensing – Powered by Crunchyroll will show how anime licenses are powerful, audience-driving brands that offer sustainability in a crowded market. Crunchyroll speakers include Joellen Ferrer, vice president, global communications and corporate marketing; Terry Li, head of 360 and general manager, games; John Leonhardt, head of consumer products; John Easum, head of EMEA; and Waell Oueslati, director of acquisitions and licensing, EMEA.

Newly announced content available to view on-demand from October 6:

Yasuo Miyakawa, who has the enviable title of chief Pac-Man officer and CEO of Bandai Namco Entertainment, presents: Nurturing a legend: 40 Years of PAC-MAN.

  • Hussein Khalid, director of the information technology department, Sanrio, and Greg Holtzman, marketing director, Brainbase, are collaborating for Why Sanrio Partnered with Brainbase to Streamline their Global Licensing Business.

Newly announced content available to view on demand from October 20:

  • Executives from Jazwares, Extreme Concepts, IHL Apparel Group, Best Accessory Group and The Brand Liaison take a broad look at the licensing landscape and unique business terms in light of COVID-19 in their What do Licensees Want? Session.

  • Stephen Glockenmeier, vice president, marketing, corporate brand licensing and consumer channels, American Red Cross, and Stu Seltzer, president, The Seltzer Licensing Group investigate charity brand licensing and the importance of brand purpose to consumers with a deep dive case study in to licensing the Red Cross.

  • Sesame Workshop is mobilising quickly to respond to the pandemic, racial injustice and current events to support the needs of young children and their families, adjusting continually as 2020 evolves. In the talk, Orchestrating Speed-to-Market: How to Make Everything Hum in Concert, Gabriela Arenas, vice president, licensing, North America, Sesame Workshop, will discuss how the non-profit is pivoting its speed-to-market approach to provide Sesame Street resources during these challenging times.

A series of sessions curated by industry trade association and Festival of Licensing partner Licensing International will also be available to view on-demand during all three regional weeks, including the:

  • ‘What you Need to Know to do Business in …’ series

    15- to 20-minute on-demand sessions covering information on market size, local licensing and retail trends, business practices and much more for France, Russia, Germany, China, Japan, India, Brazil and Mexico.

  • ‘Basics of Licensing’ series

    Licensing 101 on-demand sessions available to view in local languages: French, Russian, German, Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, Portuguese and English.

“We are so excited to have such incredible brands, campaigns, products and individuals on the Festival of Licensing content program. The depth and breadth of topics being covered in-region and being made available globally is just phenomenal. What’s more, we still have three hugely inspirational keynote speakers to announce,” said Anna Knight, vice president, Licensing, Informa Markets.

Festival of Licensing lines up the tunes and trivia as Hasbro Happy Hours programme is unveiled

Music, quizzes and the chance to wear some of your favourite costumes will all be topping the bill of the upcoming Festival of Licensing’s Hasbro Happy Hours programme, a series of ‘after-show’ evening virtual events devised to bring the licensing industry together after a day of meetings.

The programme will kick off on the first evening of the European leg (Tuesday, October 6th) with Tunes & Trivial Pursuit, hosted by Hasbro team members and featuring a special guest musical performance, as well as the chance to test your trivia knowledge and competitive spirit.

Wednesday evening will play host to Kahoot & Cocktails, hosted by Licensing International in which attendees can test their licensing IQ in a group quiz challenge, aided of course, by your drink of choice.

For the Americas, a special Licensing Mask-arade Party hosted by Licensing International will take place.

“If we’ve learned anything in 2020, it’s that masks aren’t just for Halloween,” said Maura Regan, president, Licensing International. “So, don your favourite mask – Halloween-themed or not, the choice is entirely yours – and share a drink with us. There are extra points for anyone who shows up in full costume.”

Hasbro Happy Hours agenda:

  • Tuesday 6th October (Europe) – 6pm, BST: Tunes & Trivial Pursuit
  • Wednesday 7th October (Europe) – 6pm BST: Kahoot & Cocktails hosted by Licensing International
  • Wednesday 14th October (Asia) – 6pm, CST (China Standard Time): Tunes & Trivial Pursuit
  • Tuesday 20th October (Americas) – 6pm, PST: Tunes & Trivial Pursuit
  • Wednesday 21st October (Americas) – 4pm PST / 7pm EST: Licensing Mask-arade Party

“We said from day one that we wanted Festival of Licensing to be a celebration of the global licensing industry, so once business is done for the day, we’re delighted that Hasbro and Licensing International are hosting events that will encourage us all to let our hair down and have some fun together,” said Anna Knight, vice president, licensing, Informa Markets.

Festival of Licensing lines up the tunes and trivia as Hasbro Happy Hours programme is unveiled

Music, quizzes and the chance to wear some of your favourite costumes will all be topping the bill of the upcoming Festival of Licensing’s Hasbro Happy Hours programme, a series of ‘after-show’ evening virtual events devised to bring the licensing industry together after a day of meetings.

The programme will kick off on the first evening of the European leg (Tuesday, October 6th) with Tunes & Trivial Pursuit, hosted by Hasbro team members and featuring a special guest musical performance, as well as the chance to test your trivia knowledge and competitive spirit.

Wednesday evening will play host to Kahoot & Cocktails, hosted by Licensing International in which attendees can test their licensing IQ in a group quiz challenge, aided of course, by your drink of choice.

For the Americas, a special Licensing Mask-arade Party hosted by Licensing International will take place.

“If we’ve learned anything in 2020, it’s that masks aren’t just for Halloween,” said Maura Regan, president, Licensing International. “So, don your favourite mask – Halloween-themed or not, the choice is entirely yours – and share a drink with us. There are extra points for anyone who shows up in full costume.”

Hasbro Happy Hours agenda:

  • Tuesday 6th October (Europe) – 6pm, BST: Tunes & Trivial Pursuit
  • Wednesday 7th October (Europe) – 6pm BST: Kahoot & Cocktails hosted by Licensing International
  • Wednesday 14th October (Asia) – 6pm, CST (China Standard Time): Tunes & Trivial Pursuit
  • Tuesday 20th October (Americas) – 6pm, PST: Tunes & Trivial Pursuit
  • Wednesday 21st October (Americas) – 4pm PST / 7pm EST: Licensing Mask-arade Party

“We said from day one that we wanted Festival of Licensing to be a celebration of the global licensing industry, so once business is done for the day, we’re delighted that Hasbro and Licensing International are hosting events that will encourage us all to let our hair down and have some fun together,” said Anna Knight, vice president, licensing, Informa Markets.

Six finalists revealed in this year’s all virtual License This! awards

The weeks are drawing in to the start of this year’s all-virtual Festival of Licensing, and with it the ever popular License This! final is undergoing its preparations to crown the winners of the 2020 offering. 

Six brand designers have been shortlisted for this year’s final, with just a couple of weeks standing between them and the live final taking place online, during the festival, on Thursday, October 8th.

Three brands have been shortlisted in each of the Character & Animation and Brand & Design award categories. The finalists for this year’s License This! festival are:

Character & Animation

George Mackay
Brand name: eejits
Company name: Creature Aided Design

Anthony Williams
Brand name: WhamBlam!
Company: Taoa Studio

Siobhan Harrison
Brand name: Foxglove Fairies
Company: Siobhan at April Rose

Brand and Design

Louise Bell
Brand & Company: Louise Bell Art

Danelle van Eeden
Brand & Company: Kos-Kos

Tracey Colliston
Brand name: Owls Nest
Company: Ginger Betty

This year’s two License This! winners will receive a free exhibition stand at BLE 2021, one year’s Licensing International membership, PR support, and invaluable advice from the panel of industry experts.

In addition, all finalists will receive legal consultation from competition sponsor Wynne-Jones. Previous entrants – both winners and finalists – have successfully signed lucrative agent and licensing deals.

This year’s panel of expert judges include the License This! regular and chair of the judging panel, Kelvyn Gardner, managing director of Asgard Media, Sarah Ward, CEO, The Giftware Association, Kirsty Barr, Grapevine PR, and Victor Caddy, director and trademark & design attorney, Wynne-Jones.

They are joined by the judges of the Character & Animation award Dan Grant, licensing director, Danilo Promotions, Clare Piggott, managing director, Larkshead Media, Ruth Golightly, head of buying, Asda, Ben Woodman, commercial manager, GB eye Ltd, Ian Downes, director, Start Licensing, and Nico Franks, editor, C21 Kids.

Meanwhile, over on the Brand & Design award panel, we have Stuart Cox, owner, I Like Birds, Vicki Thomas, owner, Vicki Thomas Associates, Sarah Lawrence, director, This is Iris, Jehane Boden Spiers, founder, JEHANE Ltd, and Will Stewart, founder and managing director, The Point.1888.

Chair Kelvyn Gardner said: “Despite the obstacles, the 2020 License This! competition once more produced a plethora of creativity and business foresight among some high-quality entries. We have six very worthy finalists from whom we look forward to live pitches to decide our two champions.”

Character & Animation category judge Dan Grant, added: “It’s always a pleasure to be involved in the License This! judging and this year was no exception. The event has really started to broaden its reach on an international scale with many of the entrants coming from various countries in Europe and beyond. It’s great to see ideas being created at a grass roots level, which could one day go onto be major licensed properties. The tough bit is always working out who should go forward to the final.”

Six finalists revealed in this year’s all virtual License This! awards

The weeks are drawing in to the start of this year’s all-virtual Festival of Licensing, and with it the ever popular License This! final is undergoing its preparations to crown the winners of the 2020 offering. 

Six brand designers have been shortlisted for this year’s final, with just a couple of weeks standing between them and the live final taking place online, during the festival, on Thursday, October 8th.

Three brands have been shortlisted in each of the Character & Animation and Brand & Design award categories. The finalists for this year’s License This! festival are:

Character & Animation

George Mackay
Brand name: eejits
Company name: Creature Aided Design

Anthony Williams
Brand name: WhamBlam!
Company: Taoa Studio

Siobhan Harrison
Brand name: Foxglove Fairies
Company: Siobhan at April Rose

Brand and Design

Louise Bell
Brand & Company: Louise Bell Art

Danelle van Eeden
Brand & Company: Kos-Kos

Tracey Colliston
Brand name: Owls Nest
Company: Ginger Betty

This year’s two License This! winners will receive a free exhibition stand at BLE 2021, one year’s Licensing International membership, PR support, and invaluable advice from the panel of industry experts.

In addition, all finalists will receive legal consultation from competition sponsor Wynne-Jones. Previous entrants – both winners and finalists – have successfully signed lucrative agent and licensing deals.

This year’s panel of expert judges include the License This! regular and chair of the judging panel, Kelvyn Gardner, managing director of Asgard Media, Sarah Ward, CEO, The Giftware Association, Kirsty Barr, Grapevine PR, and Victor Caddy, director and trademark & design attorney, Wynne-Jones.

They are joined by the judges of the Character & Animation award Dan Grant, licensing director, Danilo Promotions, Clare Piggott, managing director, Larkshead Media, Ruth Golightly, head of buying, Asda, Ben Woodman, commercial manager, GB eye Ltd, Ian Downes, director, Start Licensing, and Nico Franks, editor, C21 Kids.

Meanwhile, over on the Brand & Design award panel, we have Stuart Cox, owner, I Like Birds, Vicki Thomas, owner, Vicki Thomas Associates, Sarah Lawrence, director, This is Iris, Jehane Boden Spiers, founder, JEHANE Ltd, and Will Stewart, founder and managing director, The Point.1888.

Chair Kelvyn Gardner said: “Despite the obstacles, the 2020 License This! competition once more produced a plethora of creativity and business foresight among some high-quality entries. We have six very worthy finalists from whom we look forward to live pitches to decide our two champions.”

Character & Animation category judge Dan Grant, added: “It’s always a pleasure to be involved in the License This! judging and this year was no exception. The event has really started to broaden its reach on an international scale with many of the entrants coming from various countries in Europe and beyond. It’s great to see ideas being created at a grass roots level, which could one day go onto be major licensed properties. The tough bit is always working out who should go forward to the final.”

Hasbro’s VP consumer products Marianne James on becoming a pre-school powerhouse

When Hasbro first made clear its plans to take over the Entertainment One entity at the end of 2019, the writing was pretty much on the wall that 2020 was going to be an atypical year for the world of children’s entertainment, licensing, and toys.

No one quite knew exactly how different things would turn out, and yet the licensing and toy industries have persisted and here we stand, on the edge of the first virtual Festival of Licensing in place of our usual Brand Licensing Europe, where Hasbro is about to unveil a whole new slate of content for Peppa Pig, new toy lines for PJ Masks, and its latest plans for Ricky Zoom.

Alongside all of which, we hasten to add, the global powerhouse of children’s entertainment and now one of the world’s biggest players in the pre-school space, will also be rolling out the latest franchising, licensing, and merchandising plans for that staple portfolio of brands such as NERF, Power Rangers, Transformers, Monopoly, My Little Pony… the list goes on.

It should come as little shock that Hasbro is now not only looking to put its stake in the ground in the global pre-school market with Peppa Pig and PJ Masks leading the charge, but developing way beyond the current flagship IP to turn the pre-school space into its own veritable playground.

Here, Licensing.biz catches up with Marianne James, VP of consumer products at Hasbro to discuss the integration of the Entertainment One property over the course of the year, how 2020 has forced the global entertainment house to evolve to the next level, and just what else Hasbro has cooking now that it spans the entertainment spectrum.

Well, Marianne, it’s been one eventful year, and one that all kicked off with the acquisition of eOne. How has Hasbro’s licensing division adapted to and moved with the changes of the past year?

The biggest major change we made from an organizational perspective is that we’re now one fully integrated Licensing team following the acquisition of eOne last year. At the beginning of the year, we devised a new organisational structure to support our expanded portfolio across EMEA.

It has been a real benefit, allowing us to leverage the vast talent pool from the eOne team while combining it with the Hasbro team. Together it is a true powerhouse that has strengths in so many different areas and a portfolio that is second to none.

In terms of adapting to the vast changes that have occurred externally in the past year, we were quick to pivot and pause our licensing activations during lockdown and create a suite of digital assets for families to enjoy at home. Going forward we recognise the need to be flexible and offer a diverse category mix that can evolve with the changing needs of the world. Our retail approach will focus more closely on e-commerce and the value channel in reflection of what we’re seeing in the marketplace and we’re ready to embrace those opportunities with our product and promotional offering.

2020 has seen Hasbro take on the position of powerhouse in the pre-school space, and you’ve already given us a taste of what’s to come for Peppa Pig, PJ Masks, and Ricky Zoom. How much has the acquisition informed Hasbro’s approach to the licensing space this year and going forward? Can you talk us through plans here?

The acquisition of eOne dramatically enhances our storytelling capabilities and franchise strategies through TV, film, digital and other mediums. The new content creates greater opportunity to deliver amazing stories for all screens and audiences. Anytime you acquire a stable of IP as notable as eOne’s, your approach to the business must reflect that; such is the case here. With a strong foothold in the preschool space, we are now particularly excited to dive deeper in that area and explore themes and play patterns complementary to our existing brands.

You mentioned Ricky Zoom, PJ Masks and, of course, Peppa Pig, as the standouts and I can only say that we have more pre-school brands in development now and these will be given the opportunity to leverage the success of those brands.

What is the vision for Hasbro now it spans all entertainment markets, from pre-school to adult? That must be a very exciting dominion for you to be looking after, too…

It is quite exciting. Right now, we are working towards a smooth and compelling integration of our combined portfolio into the retail market. With a repertoire of brands that span every age, demographic and category, organization and careful planning become paramount.

We are always striving to find new ways to work with our retail partners to maximize the breadth and depth of our portfolio. Our goal is to bring a high level of expertise, of knowledge, to every demographic and play pattern. In today’s market there is no substitute for expertise, it is crucial that we stay on top of all areas in order to be the best partner for retail that we can be.

We know that our brand portfolio is our strength. It will set us up for success in 2021 as we work to activate in every imaginable retail channel from the traditional and beyond. Our goal is to lead the market in a 360 approach from CP, digital, experiential, content and brand marketing.

Away from the eOne brands, Hasbro has a portfolio of massive IP like Transformers, Power Rangers, My Little Pony, Hasbro Gaming, NERF… can you talk through some of the biggest developments for these brands? How will Hasbro continue to push the envelope of innovation in the licensing space through the development of this IP roster?

There is a great deal going on! We always like to mark milestone anniversaries, and next year we have the 35th anniversary of Transformers. We also have the 85th anniversary of Monopoly commencing later this year. Both events give cause for timely celebration and will be leveraged with exciting collaborations, consumer promotions and retail activations.

Owing to our growing understanding of the changes in consumer behaviour, Nerf is also a property that we believe will enjoy a rapid expansion across multiple categories next year. Its growth will continue to cement our position as a leader in the active lifestyle and sports category. The Nerf franchise will benefit from significant above the line investment in 2021 with soon to be revealed experiential marketing initiatives set to bring the brand to life like never before.

The way we approach our CP program is guided by what we call the ‘Brand Blueprint’. This refers to our strategic framework for bringing our brands to life in exciting new ways to create immersive, 360-degree experiences for our audiences. Right now, we’re focused on deeper consumer engagement, innovative brand and product experiences and increasingly expansive opportunities for our portfolio.

It’s really all about leveraging these great story driven properties like Power Rangers, My Little Pony and Transformers by giving fans new and exciting experiences both at retail and online.

What are some of the key emerging trends within the licensing/consumer product space, and how is Hasbro aligning itself with them and maintaining its position of strength in the field?

Following lockdown, the importance of digital content and e-commerce platforms really came to the fore and that’s a key strategic focus for us. In a very short space of time, access to entertainment and retail via digital platforms really accelerated at an unprecedented rate and given the uncertainty surrounding the next year that’s something we need to be mindful of in every aspect of the business.

We are always monitoring and evaluating all the information we can gather regarding widespread changes in consumer behaviour. There is real value in being able to not only react but anticipate consumer behaviour.

There are fundamental changes that occur that will have reverberations for the industry, so we strive to keep on top of it. Currently, growth is evident in Food, Health &Wellness, Personal Care, Puzzles &; Games, Home Goods, and Classic Play. As always, we will work to service the growing demand and find good fits within our brand portfolio.

 

Metrostar to launch Kraft Heinz into the licensing arena at Festival of Licensing

Metrostar will be joining the line-up of virtual exhibitors at this year’s Festival of Licensing, where it will take to the screens to showcase its newest client, Kraft Heinz and make use of the platform for a hard launch of its brands into the world of licensing.

The two companies, along with the company’s global licensing agent, Brand Central, have been working with Kraft Heinz brand teams on strategies for each of the brands in the UK. As such, together they have identified their key priorities for the show.

Metrostar now reports that early conversations are going well, citing ‘high levels of interest’ amongst both retailer and licensees, and that the Festival of Licensing will ‘provide the ideal platform to introduce Kraft Heinz brands to the broader licensing industry.’

A variety of Heinz sub-brands are to be on show, including Tomato Ketchup, Baked Beans, Salad Cream, Cream of Tomato Soup, Spaghetti Hoops, as well as other brands in the company’s portfolio such as HP Sauce, Lea & Perrins, Amoy and Bull’s Eye.

Metrostar MD, Claire Potter, said: “Our workshops have generated some great new product ideas for these iconic brands. The opportunity to extend is significant and we’re looking forward to talking with potential partners in food and non-food about our thoughts. The Festival of Licensing couldn’t have come at a better time for us.”

Kraft Heinz marketing director, Northern Europe, Olivia Hibbert, added: “With unmatched strength in brands spanning across categories with over £800M in UK and Ireland sales, we are excited to take these iconic and much loved brands into new and exciting directions for the future.”

Banijay launches its licensing and merchandising division Banijay Brands

Banijay today announces the launch of Banijay Brands, a division dedicated to all areas of commercial activity, including brand licensing, merchandising, gaming, gambling, and music. The division will be led by the newly appointed chief commercial officer, Owain Walbyoff.

The new operation will represent an extensive and diverse portfolio covering entertainment, scripted animation, game shows, and kids, from MasterChef, Peaky Blinders and Deal or No Deal, to Simon’s Cat, Mr Bean, and Crystal Maze.

Following the recent acquisition, Jane Smith, group director, brand licensing will lead the licensing area, overseeing key brands from the world’s largest international content catalogue, comprising of more than 88,000 hours of original programming. She will also work with the network of teams in local markets to further expand the business.

Smith joined Endemol Shine in 2018, where she has substantially driven the growth of properties such as MasterChef, Peaky Blinders and Simon’s Cat within licensing and merchandising. 

Banijay Brands will launch at next month’s Festival of Licensing with senior executives available for meetings at the virtual conference.

Walbyoff, said: “Without a doubt we are a market leader in this space, and I look forward to seeing how we bolster the IP even further. Jane is a highly-experienced, strategic executive with vast industry knowledge, and with some of the world’s biggest brands in our portfolio, the possibilities are endless.” 

Jane Smith, group director, brand licensing of Banijay Brands, added: “Banijay Brands represents an incredibly compelling catalogue of globally-renowned, cross-genre brands, which we will be bringing to the Festival of Licensing. By partnering with the very best licensees in the business, we aim to create innovative and impressive products that our audiences and fans will love.”

The Banijay Brands portfolio now includes MasterChef, Temptation Island, Peaky Blinders, Survivor, Deal or No Deal, The Inbetweeners, Big Brother, Mister Maker, Operation Triunfo, Eat Well for Less, Simon’s Cat, Mr Bean, Don’t, Sunday Brunch, Tipping Point, The Biggest Loser, Ready Steady Cook, Black Mirror, Miss France, Maddie’s Do You Know?, Wipeout and Crystal Maze.

The NSPCC finds crowdfunding success for first Pantosaurus storybook following licensing plans reveal

A crowdfunding campaign hosted by the NSPCC has raised the funds needed to put into the production the first Pantosaurus book, a story book that will help schools and families have simple, yet vital, conversations that will help keep children safe.

The successful backing is one of the first developments on the plans first detailed earlier this month for the NSPCC to begin brand-building a new children’s edutainment franchise that will encourage kids and families to have conversations around child safety and abuse without using intimidating or scary language.

Pantosaurus is a brigh yellow friendly dinosaur that helps parents, carers, and teachers #TalkPants to help support children to recognise what abuse is and how they can speak up. The new story book will be one of many modes of sharing the message of the campaign.

Created in 2013 by the NSPCC, #TalkPANTS has been helping parents, carers and teachers explain the Underwear Rule to young children aged four to eight in a simple and age-appropriate way, without using any scary words or even mentioning sex. 

Each letter of PANTS provides a simple but valuable rule, highlighting that their body belongs to them, they have a right to say no, and that they should tell an adult they trust if they’re worried or upset.

The first Pantosaurus story book will be a fun, visual way to help guide schools and families though difficult conversations in a simple and child-friendly way. With many children being visual learners, it will give parents and teachers an easy, natural way to start an important conversation. The ambition is to get the Pantosaurus story book into every primary that they visit, providing an essential resource.

The licensing programme for Pantosaurus is launching with the agents for the brand, Edutainment Licensing, at the upcoming Festival Of Licensing.

“We have a wonderful Story Bible for Pantosaurus which introduces his wider world allowing publishers to see the enormous potential for story books for children aged four to six years, for early readers aged seven to eight years and Chapter Books for children aged seven and upwards,” said Denise Deane, owner of Edutainment Licensing.

“We are excited to be showcasing this on our virtual booth during the Festival of Licensing Europe.”

Festival of Licensing details its retail programme with Trends Bible, Buyers Eye, and Kids Industries

In another update for the month-long virtual celebration of the global licensing industry running throughout October, Festival of Licensing has detailed its retail programme, a track that will feature exclusive content and expert advice for retailers at all experience levels.

The programme will deliver content from the likes of Trend Bible, Buyers Eye, Kids Industries, and an Ask Me Anything live session that will feature a line up of European industry experts.

The Trends Bible Mini Series will enable retailers to learn how to use trends to spot the early signs of change and ensure they are in the best position to engage future consumers with relatable messages and the right products and services at the right time, while Buyers Eye, led by Julia Redman will see the industry expert draw on her experience at some of the UK’s biggest names to outline the licensing opportunities open to retailers. She will identify how retailers can enter the world of licensing, make it work for them and help build growth across the product category.

Next up, Kids Industries, led by Gary Pope, will present five short mini-documentaries that deliver usable insights and include the unveiling of primary research specifically undertaken for Festival of Licensing that explores consumers attitudes to the new retail landscape from France, Germany, Spain, Italy, and the UK.

“The changes to the retail landscape are seismic and families are feeling the pinch,” said Gary Pope. “But entertainment is the thing that, in times of difficulty, keeps a family together so there are reasons to be cheerful, it’s just a case of knowing where to look for them. The Kids Industries’ series will share never-before-seen fresh data and insights that are applicable and usable in the ever-changing world of retail and licensed product.”

Festival of Licensing is also hosting ‘Ask Me Anything’ live sessions enabling retailers to ask a panel of experts anything they need to know about brand licensing and retail. European experts include:

  • Julia Redman, Retail Expert, Buyers Eye, Buying and Sourcing Consultancy
  • Ruth Golightly Asda, Head of Buying – Children’s Clothing, Asda/George
  • Angeles Blanco, Licensing Executive
  • Dave Collins, co-founder PowerStation Studios
  • Bethan Garton, Commercial Director, The Point.1888

The one-hour sessions will run as follows:

  • Europe: Tuesday 6 October & Thursday 8 October from 11-12pm BST
  • Americas: Tuesday 20 October & Thursday 22 October from 11-12pm PST

Dave Collins, co-founder of PowerStation Studios, said: “Retail needs to evolve from stock show room to an experience environment wrapped in brand narratives. I will be talking to retailers about how they can use blended digital and physical experiences that can drive footfall and increase basket spend.”

Retailers already registered to attend Festival of Licensing include Asda, Zara, Target, C&A, Selfridges, Tesco, Walmart, Forbidden Planet, Pottery Barn, Calzedonia, Oasis, Cath Kidston, Hamleys, Moonpig, Next and The Entertainer.

European retailers from Ann Summers, Asda George, Bubblegum, character.com, Dreamland, El Corte Ingles, Halfords, Joanie Clothing, John Lewis, Marks & Spencer, Morrisons Nutmeg, Sainsbury’s Argos, Sainsbury’s Tu, Selfridges, Tesco, The Entertainer, The Very Group and Vendula London are also taking part in the 2020 Retail Mentoring Programme.

Anna Knight, VP, Informa Markets’ Global Licensing Group, said: “When it comes to educating, informing and supporting European retailers who work across the licensing category, we take that role very seriously and, given the challenges many retailers are facing as a result of the pandemic, it’s more important than ever for us to play our part by sharing useful content and valuable advice that can help them in their jobs and careers.”