Tag Archives: lead

Licensing Expo facilitates 3,000+ meetings

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The global licensing community is ready to re-convene at Licensing Expo, held this May 24-26 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, for its first in-person gathering since 2019.

To date, 3,000+ meetings have been confirmed on the event’s online platform. Thousands of registered guests are leveraging the online platform as a strategic tool to preemptively book meetings in advance of the in-person event before schedules fill up, guaranteeing face-to-face time with brands of interest. Visitors are encouraged to register here to access the online platform and proactively plan their agenda.

Even with less than two weeks remaining, registration numbers continue to rise with big-box retailers and world-class manufacturers signing on to meet directly with the owners of the world’s biggest brands, discover the latest trends, sift through the hottest IPs available for license, learn from industry experts, and network with peers.

Among the latest registrants to sign up are Wayfair, Urban Decay Cosmetics (L’Oréal), TJX, Burlington Stores, H&M, Forever 21, Aldi, AMC Theatres, Build-a-Bear Workshop, Claire’s Accessories,Paladone Products, Rue21, Moleskine, General Mills, Kohl’s, Levi Strauss & Co, Panini Spa, and Super RTL GmbH.

Notably, large groups from Mad Engine, Hallmark, Bioworld, Hot Topic, Target, Walmart, Centric Brands, and Jakks Pacific have registered and will be walking the show floor to meet and network with the 230-plus exhibitors.

“As we emerge from the pandemic, we’re seeing licensing take off as a strategic approach to meet consumers where they are and enhance their experience with the brands they love,” says Anna Knight, SVP of the Global Licensing Group. “There is so much pent-up demand for an in-person event of Licensing Expo’s scale and breadth across categories, especially as retailers and manufacturers search out new ways to engage with their customers in a more meaningful and intentional way.

“Meetings are being booked faster than they ever have before – if you haven’t accessed the online platform yet, we encourage you to do so to set yourself up for success and ensure a productive time on-site.”

While historically, entertainment and characters have dominated the $292 billion global licensing industry, emergent categories increasingly harness the power of brand extension strategies to reach new audiences and build a loyal fan base. This cross-category investment in licensing is reflected by the wide range of brands confirmed for the upcoming event, ranging from art and design, gaming and eSports, fashion and apparel, toys and kids, sports, technology, to location-based entertainment.

The latest exhibitors confirmed to participate include Microcosmic International LA Inc., IMC TOYS (CRY BABIES), Dipit, High Times, Death Row Records x Snoop Dogg, National Basketball Association,2nd Coming Comix / The Bunker Media Group, Get Down Art, Drizzle Art, Dylan Sky, All Star Kid LLC, Merry Marble Trees, Dancing Lemurs, BM Srl, Garena Free Fire and BenjiLock, LLC. New brands exhibiting their portfolio of licensable IPs include Jazwares, LAI Games, Netflix, and Riot Games. The full exhibitor list can be found here.

“Squishmallows has taken the world by storm as an industry-leading lifestyle brand that’s grown well beyond the toy aisle,” says Judd Karofsky, Executive Vice President of Jazwares, a highly sought-after new exhibitor. “As a first-time Licensing Expo exhibitor, we couldn’t be more thrilled to showcase the power of our brand and the infinite opportunities Squishmallows bring to our world-class licensing partners and beyond.”

Some of the most prominent IPs exhibitors will showcase include The Batman, Coca-Cola, Keith Haring, Catan, Elden Ring, Pac-Man, Peppa Pig, Call of Duty, Black & Decker, Volvo, Xbox, Cap’n Crunch,Care Bears, Sesame Street, Hot Ones, Bob Marley, The Smurfs, The Walking Dead, The Cat in the Hat, Monopoly, Space Invaders, League of Legends, KFC, NBA, Casa de Papel, Star Trek, Rugrats, Paul Frank, Variety, Rolling Stone, Ryan’s World, and Cocomelon. Overall, thousands of IPs will be displayed across the show floor.

 

BLE confirms first roster of exhibitors for September event

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Brand Licensing Europe – Europe’s leading event for licensing and brand extension, organised in partnership with industry trade association Licensing International – has announced the initial list of companies confirmed to exhibit at the 2022 event, which runs from 20-22 September at ExCeL London.

Reflecting the event’s truly European nature, the list boasts a large number of companies already confirmed from Belgium, France, Denmark, Germany, Finland, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland, including The Smurfs, Chefclub, Gallimard Jeunesse, GO-N, Le Petit Prince Licensing, Perfetti Van Melle Group, Planeta Junior, Sophie La Girafe, Spain Licensing Pavilion, Asterix, AC Milan, TF1 Licensing, Toei Animation Europe, Tour de France & Dakar, Alpha Group, Ferly, Mediatoon Licensing, Roadsign, Millimages, Sagoo, Xilam Animation, Rights & Brands and many more. See the full list here.

Brand new to the show this year are Van Gogh Museum, License This! winners Sophie Jonas-Hill and Joel Mercer of Seed Folk, Le Petit Prince Licensing, Chefclub, Outfit7 and Nelly Jelly World.

Marijn Veraart, Licensing Manager, Van Gogh Museum, says: “We are tremendously excited to connect with our industry peers in real life again and look forward to showcasing opportunities to celebrate the Van Gogh Museum’s 50th anniversary together in 2023. You will find us at BLE, where we invite you to explore the inspiring world of Vincent van Gogh through his world-famous art and life story”

Thomas Riviere, Brand Manager, Le Petit Prince, says: “The Little Prince is back at BLE! On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of The Little Prince in 2023, we’re inviting BLE visitors to come and meet The Little Prince Licensing team on Stand C150 to discuss new licensing opportunities. An anniversary celebrated all over the world: exhibitions, shows, new products, new licenses, new 2D animated TV series!”

The event sees many familiar names return this year, showcasing some of the world’s biggest brands and capturing the breadth of the industry with a wide variety of names confirmed across all key sectors of licensing ranging from entertainment to sports, and gaming to heritage. Exhibitors include:

  • Character & Entertainment: Aardman Animations, Acamar Films, Animaccord, BANDAI NAMCO Europe, Banijay Brands, Bulldog Licensing, Caroline Mickler, Crunchyroll, Cyber Group Studios, Hasbro, Le Petit Prince, Mattel, NBCUniversal, NECA, Penguin Ventures, SEGA, Sanrio, Rocket Licensing, Rainbow, The Pokémon Company, The Smurfs, Warhammer, Studio 100, Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe, TF1 Licensing, Toei Animation, Walker Books, Wildbrain CPLG, WWE, and more.
  • Brand & Lifestyle: Admiral Sportswear, art ask agency, Imperial War Museums, Metrostar, Natural History Museum, The National Gallery, Tour de France & Dakar, V&A (Victoria & Albert Museum), Yale University, Beanstalk, Tinderbox, TSBA, Pink Key Licensing, Perfetti Van Melle, AC Milan, Metrostar, Dorna Sports, Roadsign, Brandgenuity, Golden Goose, and more
  • Art, Design & Image: Caroline Mickler, Vicki Thomas Associates, Scatterbrain Studios, Sophie Jonas-Hill and more. 

The event returns to London this September with a new fashion theme, which will include a world-renowned keynote, daily themed catwalk shows, product showcases and conference sessions.

Companies wishing to find out more about exhibiting or sponsorship opportunities, please email greg.mcdonald@informa.com or cassius.anderson@informa.com

Visitor registration is open now at www.brandlicensing.eu

BLE confirms first roster of exhibitors for September event

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Brand Licensing Europe – Europe’s leading event for licensing and brand extension, organised in partnership with industry trade association Licensing International – has announced the initial list of companies confirmed to exhibit at the 2022 event, which runs from 20-22 September at ExCeL London.

Reflecting the event’s truly European nature, the list boasts a large number of companies already confirmed from Belgium, France, Denmark, Germany, Finland, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland, including The Smurfs, Chefclub, Gallimard Jeunesse, GO-N, Le Petit Prince Licensing, Perfetti Van Melle Group, Planeta Junior, Sophie La Girafe, Spain Licensing Pavilion, Asterix, AC Milan, TF1 Licensing, Toei Animation Europe, Tour de France & Dakar, Alpha Group, Ferly, Mediatoon Licensing, Roadsign, Millimages, Sagoo, Xilam Animation, Rights & Brands and many more. See the full list here.

Brand new to the show this year are Van Gogh Museum, License This! winners Sophie Jonas-Hill and Joel Mercer of Seed Folk, Le Petit Prince Licensing, Chefclub, Outfit7 and Nelly Jelly World.

Marijn Veraart, Licensing Manager, Van Gogh Museum, says: “We are tremendously excited to connect with our industry peers in real life again and look forward to showcasing opportunities to celebrate the Van Gogh Museum’s 50th anniversary together in 2023. You will find us at BLE, where we invite you to explore the inspiring world of Vincent van Gogh through his world-famous art and life story”

Thomas Riviere, Brand Manager, Le Petit Prince, says: “The Little Prince is back at BLE! On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of The Little Prince in 2023, we’re inviting BLE visitors to come and meet The Little Prince Licensing team on Stand C150 to discuss new licensing opportunities. An anniversary celebrated all over the world: exhibitions, shows, new products, new licenses, new 2D animated TV series!”

The event sees many familiar names return this year, showcasing some of the world’s biggest brands and capturing the breadth of the industry with a wide variety of names confirmed across all key sectors of licensing ranging from entertainment to sports, and gaming to heritage. Exhibitors include:

  • Character & Entertainment: Aardman Animations, Acamar Films, Animaccord, BANDAI NAMCO Europe, Banijay Brands, Bulldog Licensing, Caroline Mickler, Crunchyroll, Cyber Group Studios, Hasbro, Le Petit Prince, Mattel, NBCUniversal, NECA, Penguin Ventures, SEGA, Sanrio, Rocket Licensing, Rainbow, The Pokémon Company, The Smurfs, Warhammer, Studio 100, Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe, TF1 Licensing, Toei Animation, Walker Books, Wildbrain CPLG, WWE, and more.
  • Brand & Lifestyle: Admiral Sportswear, art ask agency, Imperial War Museums, Metrostar, Natural History Museum, The National Gallery, Tour de France & Dakar, V&A (Victoria & Albert Museum), Yale University, Beanstalk, Tinderbox, TSBA, Pink Key Licensing, Perfetti Van Melle, AC Milan, Metrostar, Dorna Sports, Roadsign, Brandgenuity, Golden Goose, and more
  • Art, Design & Image: Caroline Mickler, Vicki Thomas Associates, Scatterbrain Studios, Sophie Jonas-Hill and more. 

The event returns to London this September with a new fashion theme, which will include a world-renowned keynote, daily themed catwalk shows, product showcases and conference sessions.

Companies wishing to find out more about exhibiting or sponsorship opportunities, please email greg.mcdonald@informa.com or cassius.anderson@informa.com

Visitor registration is open now at www.brandlicensing.eu

Licensing Expo and Products of Change reveal sustainability agenda

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Licensing Expo and Products of Change (POC) have revealed a jointly-produced sustainability agenda comprising turnkey education and product showcases for the upcoming trade show slated for May 24-26 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center.

The strategic partnership is designed to bring sustainability to the forefront and spotlight issues embedded within the licensing industry to bring real change to brands’ socially responsible and inclusive practices across cross-categories.

“No matter the industry, environmental protection is an increasingly important value to customers and shareholders; it is woven into mission statements and serves as a guiding principle for all major business decisions,” says Anna Knight, SVP of the Global Licensing Group. “Progress beings with industry-wide education – we are so proud to partner with Products of Change to spotlight the many brands at Licensing Expo that are taking impressive steps toward eliminating waste and inequality across their value chain and are now taking the next step in showcasing their work to inspire others.”

Sustainability-focused educational programming is free for all registered event participants and held in the Licensing U Theater, with topics encompassing newcomer education, sustainable manufacturing, and applying socially responsible practices in licensing. Senior-level experts from Products of Change, The Smiley Company, Lego, Formula E, Natural History Museum, Piping Hot, Greenre, Beanstalk, and The Smurfs are confirmed to lead sustainability sessions.

Linda Morgenstern, Vice President of Brand Management at Beanstalk and prominent speaker addressing Sustainability 101, says: “In keeping with Beanstalk’s best-practices model, we have established a global, cross-functional Sustainability Team. The key goals of Beanstalk’s sustainability initiatives are to align our clients’ sustainability initiatives with licensees’ efforts and capabilities and to share information across clients, licensees, and industries. From the start, we have wholeheartedly supported the leadership of Products of Change as the sustainability authority for the licensing industry.”

The sustainability-focused sessions delivered by Licensing Expo and Products of Change are as follows:

  • Sustainability 101 | Tuesday, May 24 from 12:00-12:45 p.m.
    Speakers: Helena Mansell-Stopher, POC; Andrea Green, Globally Green; Simon Gresswell, SGLP; Jakob Hamann, Lego; Charlotte Hughes, Formula E; and Maxine Lister from the NHMA deep dive into the science behind why sustainable transformation is vital for business future prosperity. Products of Change, Lego, Natural History Museum, SGLP, and Formula E take you through why sustainability is key to business success.
  • Brands with Purpose: Sustainable Manufacturing | Wednesday, May 25 from 10:15-11:00 a.m.
    Speakers: Amy Low, Piping Hot; Stan Wan, Piping Hot; Keith Loiselle, Greenre; Brenda Seto, POC;  and Helena Mansell-Stopher, POCPiping Hot, the purpose-driven fashion brand, and Greenre, a global producer of sustainable stationery, join POC’s founder Helena Mansell-Stopher and Brenda Seto, POC’s Ambassador for Canada and consultant to Greenre, to discuss their sustainable journey so far.
  • Sustainability in Licensing | Thursday, May 26 from 10:30-11:30 a.m.
    Speakers: Lee Grace, The Smiley Company; Ben Parker, Beanstalk; Sebastien Dumont, IMPS The Smurfs; and Helena Mansell-Stopher, POCJoin Smiley, Beanstalk, and The Smurfs to discuss how licensors and agents embrace sustainable change within the business and benefit from this.

NEW Sustainability Business Lounge

In addition to a highly curated educational program, Products of Change selected brands to showcase their products and business approach to introducing and sustaining a socially responsible business that balances the needs and health of the planet with that of their customers.

Brands across categories were chosen based on their proven ability to roll out sustainability and equality initiatives at scale. The brand-led presentations are held in the Sustainability Business Lounge located on the show floor (booth #N216) and feature must-attend showcases from cross-category brands, each focusing on a different area of expertise.

  • FOCO – A leading manufacturer specialising in sports licensing and working with some of the biggest names in sport. The team will be showcasing its new, recycled licensed backpacks and lunch bags.
  • Formula E – Will showcase its newly launched Formula E KIMOA sunglasses made with a sustainable recycled PET frame. Formula E’s vision is to accelerate sustainable human progress through the power of electric racing. The sunglasses are designed for people that love the electric motorsport series and what it stands for.
  • Manchester City FC and PUMA – The Premier League football club will be showcasing an innovative new partnership with PUMA’s Re:Jersey platform, a system that recycles old kits and jerseys to produce current season players’ shirts.
  • The Natural History Museum – Will be showcasing their fashion range from Desmond and Dempsey as well as their sustainable stationery range from Blueprint Collections.
  • Greenre – Will be showcasing its sustainable, licensed stationery. The team’s environmentally conscious products consist of recycled, natural materials, recyclables, non-toxic, post-agricultural bio fibers, and new-age bioplastics.
  • Piping Hot – All Piping Hot products are made with recycled, recyclable, renewable, or biodegradable materials. They have eliminated virgin polyester from their supply chain and prioritize recycled materials to reduce waste and tackle plastic pollution. Their approach is science-based and design-led; they will be showcasing their latest collection.
  • Brands In – Will be showcasing for the first time their new sustainable fashion clothing line, Supacult.

Enjoy dedicated sessions and free consults with experts – visit the Sustainability Business Lounge to book a clinic. View the full programming schedule here.

Furthermore, learn how to lead with intention to build purpose-driven licensing programmes focused on social good from Nobel Peace Prize Nominee Ms. Opal Lee and impact changemakers Anita Castellar and Genna Rosenberg in a must-attend educational session held in the Licensing U Theater. Join the three women on Tuesday, May 24 from 4:45 to 5:30 p.m. for their session titled “The Upside of Licensing: Leading with Intention for Social Impact” and walk away inspired to begin, or continue, weaving purpose and social good into your licensing programmes.

Castrol taps LMCA for global strategic licensing programme

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Castrol, one of the world’s leading lubricant brands, has appointed LMCA as its global licensing agency. 

Castrol’s new licensing programme will be committed to supporting Castrol’s global brand strategy. The programme’s emphasis is to grow Castrol’s position as a leader in auto care, reinforcing the brand’s reputation in cutting-edge technologies, and building a range of products and services that support Castrol’s focus on innovations in future mobility and renewable energy solutions.

This new programme will see LMCA expand Castrol’s brand presence and consumer reach through licensed products and services in performance care, auto accessories, and e-mobility, creating new brand experiences for customers and fans. These extensions will complement the Castrol core business, helping further the brand’s reach and create relevant new touchpoints with consumers.

As the company’s global agency, LMCA is dedicated to growing Castrol licensed offerings at retail, independent workshops and B2B avenues, led from LMCA’s head office in North America together with its regional offices around the world.

“We believe there is enormous untapped potential for the Castrol brand globally and are excited to be chosen to work with Castrol on the next phase of their strategic brand development initiatives,” says Ciarán Coyle, President and CEO of LMCA. “Castrol has a rich heritage in innovation and performance, global brand popularity, and a best-in-class reputation for delivering pioneering products and services. We look forward to extending the brand into a range of high-quality products and experiences that tap into the brand’s core equities.”

Sumeet Wadhwa, Electric Vehicle & Growth Unit Marketing Director at Castrol, says: “This strategic initiative is a testament to Castrol’s commitment to furthering our global brand strategy, deepening relationships with our consumers and fans, and building our brand value through relevant extensions. We look forward to developing a robust brand licensing programme with LMCA that optimises the brand potential and offers new and innovative product and service solutions for our Castrol customers.”

To find out more about the Castrol licensing programme, contact LMCA or visit www.lmca.net

 

Call for prizes as Light Fund Channel swimmers announce silent auction

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With less than two months to go before two teams of six people brave the unforgiving waters of the Channel and race to France, the organisers of The Light Fund English Channel Relay fundraiser have announced plans for a silent auction to get the donations even closer to the £250,000 target – and readers of Licensing Biz can help.

On 16 May the auction site will go live and the link will be sent out on multiple platforms, then all you have to do is place your bids. Everyone in the licensing industry – brand owners, licensees, licensors and all who work with them – is invited to take part.

But of course, to get the impressive response the Light Fund is aiming for requires a fabulous selection of items to choose from – and the industry is already coming forward with prizes big and small including framed posters, limited edition books, tickets to major events, signed football shirts and much, much more.

Anyone who can help is urged to contact the organisers:

Tasmyn Knight / Tasmyn.Knight@hasbro.co.uk

Simon Gresswell / simon@sglp.co.uk

Anne Bradford / Anneb@Poeticbrands.com

Desirable items, event tickets, money-can’t buy experiences, rare souvenirs – anything worth bidding on is welcome. All prizes will be acknowledged on the auction website.

The big swim is scheduled to start between 30 June and 3 July at around 2am on a day when conditions are optimal and, as the date and the Light Fund target of £250,000 get closer, there are still many opportunities to sponsor this brave and slightly offbeat fundraising effort as well, of course, as being name-checked in a film at the 2022 Licensing Awards.

You can find out more about corporate sponsorship options here. And, of course, individuals are very welcome to donate via the event’s Just Giving page, where you can also follow the teams preparing for the big day. There’s also an Instagram feed and a Facebook page containing team photos and updates.

Team captain Stephen Gould says: “If there’s one industry that can supply desirable goods and services worth bidding for it’s the licensing industry. Let us know what you can offer and when. All of it is going to a fantastic cause and will be a great boost to the brave men and women swimming the Channel both by day and by night only a few short weeks from now. Our thanks to you all!”

The Light (Licensing Industry Giving Help Together) Fund was born when a group of like-minded people from the UK licensing industry came up with the idea to form a committee to help those less fortunate than themselves. The Light Fund is a registered charity, which raises monies to fund worthwhile charity projects that help children, women and men. Since its inception, back in 2004, The Light Fund has raised over £1.7 million and funded hundreds of different charity projects.

https://www.lightfund.org

Moonbug appoints Francesca Romana Gianesin as Head of Consumer Products EMEA ANZ

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Moonbug Entertainment Ltd. has announced the appointment of Francesca Romana Gianesin as Head of Consumer Products EMEA ANZ.

In this newly created role, Gianesin is responsible for driving the consumer products business across EMEA and ANZ. Her remit covers all Moonbug properties, including hit brands such as Blippi, CoComelon and Little Baby Bum.

Gianesin is an experienced international business executive with vast experience in the consumer products business. Prior to joining Moonbug she spent 20 years at The Walt Disney Company, where she held a variety of leadership roles across different business segments, countries and regions. Most recently she was Senior Vice President and Board Member of Disneyland Paris, where she oversaw all the Resort’s experiences and products. Prior to this, she was based in London, at the Disney EMEA headquarters, serving as Vice President Consumer Products for EMEA.

Gianesin started her career at Disney working as Vice President Consumer Products Italy and Vice President Retail, where she was responsible for driving commercial strategy, expanding businesses and seeking out new distribution opportunities across the business.

Prior to joining Disney, Gianesin worked in commercial roles for Johnson Wax, Unichips Group and Playtex.

“I am thrilled to be joining Moonbug at such an exciting time for the licensing and merchandise business. Our company is experiencing continuous growth as our brands are becoming firm favourites amongst EMEA audiences,” says Gianesin. “I am looking forward to working with the team in order to create high-quality, innovative and relevant products that will allow children across the region to interact with their favourite characters and expand their imagination.”

Simon Philips, Managing Director Global Consumer Products at Moonbug Entertainment, says: “Francesca has a wealth of relevant experience and expertise that I am confident will be invaluable for the growth of Moonbug’s Consumer Products business. Her role will play a key part in our continued rapid expansion. I am very much looking forward to her coming on board at such an exciting and important time in the Moonbug journey.”

Born in Italy, Gianesin graduated from La Sapienza University of Rome in Economics with a Master’s degree in Business Management. She lived in different countries in Europe and is fluent in Italian, English, French and Spanish. Gianesin is a champion for Diversity & Inclusion and has been ranked in the top Best Women Managers by Business People magazine Italy since 2008. She was also one of the first female leaders to sit at the Executive Committee of Centromarca, the Italian Consumer Brands Association, part of AIM.

Gianesin will be based in the Moonbug head offices in the UK working closely with the Moonbug licensing and merchandising team in the USA.

 

 

 

Moonbug appoints Francesca Romana Gianesin as Head of Consumer Products EMEA ANZ

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Moonbug Entertainment Ltd. has announced the appointment of Francesca Romana Gianesin as Head of Consumer Products EMEA ANZ.

In this newly created role, Gianesin is responsible for driving the consumer products business across EMEA and ANZ. Her remit covers all Moonbug properties, including hit brands such as Blippi, CoComelon and Little Baby Bum.

Gianesin is an experienced international business executive with vast experience in the consumer products business. Prior to joining Moonbug she spent 20 years at The Walt Disney Company, where she held a variety of leadership roles across different business segments, countries and regions. Most recently she was Senior Vice President and Board Member of Disneyland Paris, where she oversaw all the Resort’s experiences and products. Prior to this, she was based in London, at the Disney EMEA headquarters, serving as Vice President Consumer Products for EMEA.

Gianesin started her career at Disney working as Vice President Consumer Products Italy and Vice President Retail, where she was responsible for driving commercial strategy, expanding businesses and seeking out new distribution opportunities across the business.

Prior to joining Disney, Gianesin worked in commercial roles for Johnson Wax, Unichips Group and Playtex.

“I am thrilled to be joining Moonbug at such an exciting time for the licensing and merchandise business. Our company is experiencing continuous growth as our brands are becoming firm favourites amongst EMEA audiences,” says Gianesin. “I am looking forward to working with the team in order to create high-quality, innovative and relevant products that will allow children across the region to interact with their favourite characters and expand their imagination.”

Simon Philips, Managing Director Global Consumer Products at Moonbug Entertainment, says: “Francesca has a wealth of relevant experience and expertise that I am confident will be invaluable for the growth of Moonbug’s Consumer Products business. Her role will play a key part in our continued rapid expansion. I am very much looking forward to her coming on board at such an exciting and important time in the Moonbug journey.”

Born in Italy, Gianesin graduated from La Sapienza University of Rome in Economics with a Master’s degree in Business Management. She lived in different countries in Europe and is fluent in Italian, English, French and Spanish. Gianesin is a champion for Diversity & Inclusion and has been ranked in the top Best Women Managers by Business People magazine Italy since 2008. She was also one of the first female leaders to sit at the Executive Committee of Centromarca, the Italian Consumer Brands Association, part of AIM.

Gianesin will be based in the Moonbug head offices in the UK working closely with the Moonbug licensing and merchandising team in the USA.

 

 

 

Falcon’s Beyond to showcase revolutionary LBE technologies at 2022 Licensing Expo

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Entertainment company Falcon’s Beyond Global, LLC will showcase multiple proprietary technologies at the 2022 Licensing Expo, which takes place May 24–26, 2022 in Las Vegas.

Three Falcon’s Licensing products, developed inside Falcon’s X-Lab at its Orlando headquarters, will be exhibited:

  • SpectraVerse™ attraction systems harness breakthrough projection, optics, and positional tracking custom engineered to display multiple unique real-time interactive experiences on the same screen, at the same time. In a mixed-reality environment, participants are individually tracked and perspective-matched with their own stereoscopic content, all while still being able to see and interact with each other in the real world. Physical objects allow participants to seamlessly interact in 3D space with the immersive content on screen.  As an attraction system, SpectraVerse technology provides innovative interactive walkthrough adventures that can either be configured in multiple rooms for a linear scene-by-scene narrative (SpectraVerse Odyssey™) or as a single free-roaming arena (SpectraVerse Quest™).
  • Falcon’s Vision® augmented reality headsets bring immersive interactive experiences into physical spaces with incredible capability. The headsets have been custom designed and fabricated to be an intuitive, functional, durable, and hygienic solution with minimal operational friction for high-throughput location-based entertainment venues. Each headset displays real-time interactive content across the entire field-of-view in a stereoscopic format running at 120 frames per second, per eye. The headsets are also equipped with stereo-channel localised audio and haptic feedback.
  • ON!X™ interactive theatres integrate real-time content, feedback and responsiveness all within a 5D theatre format, producing immersive and dynamic multiplayer video game experiences. Participants are equipped with haptic-enabled physical objects that are 3D tracked to dimensionally interact with the content in real time. Directly harmonising with the real-time interactive experience and performance of the participants, premium SFX motion seats provide smooth yet accurate movement in multiple degrees-of-freedom, and feature visceral wind, light, olfactory, discrete audio, and mechanical special effects to engage all the senses.

“We have already helped many of the world’s most iconic brands expand into new forms of entertainment that deepen connections with existing fans and attract new audiences,” says Cecil D. Magpuri, CEO of Falcon’s Beyond. “We are proud and excited to showcase some of the most innovative, sophisticated technologies in the themed attractions industry that have the power to not only elevate experiential design and immersive storytelling, but also transform location-based entertainment as we know it.”

 

Immersive touring attraction to bring The World of Barbie to life

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Kilburn Live, a specialist in branded live entertainment, has revealed a partnership with Mattel, Inc. for a new upcoming immersive attraction: World Of Barbie.

Created in partnership with the leading global toy company, Kilburn Live’s interactive exhibition will allow fans the unique opportunity to step directly into Barbie’s inspiring world, where they can explore her iconic Dreamhouse, walk down her neighbourhood streets into various interactive rooms, and even sit in her one-and-only, life-sized Camper Van, fabricated by the team at West Coast Customs.

World of Barbie launches this summer in Toronto, Canada. From Toronto, the attraction will travel to multiple cities across the United States, with anticipated markets including New York, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles and more.

World of Barbie was designed for multiple generations to interact with and features several visually stunning activations inspired by some of Barbie’s most celebrated careers and playsets, including:

  • Barbie Dreamhouse – Explore intricately designed rooms and jaw-dropping photo ops in Barbie’s Dreamhouse, set on the beach in Malibu. Guests can start their own patio party complete with a DJ kit to mix their own music ‘poolside’.
  • Barbie Camper Van – Brought to life by Ryan Friedlinghaus and his team at West Coast Customs, World Of Barbie will feature a life-sized working Camper Van parked in front, allowing guests to climb in the driver’s seat, hang out in the hammock or look for several hidden surprises tucked away inside this ultimate road trip vehicle.
  • Fashion Studio – Walk the pink carpet and strike a pose inside one of six oversized iconic Barbie boxes.
  • TV Studio – LIVE from World of Barbie it’s The Barbie Show, where visitors become a news anchor delivering headlines in front of various TV studio backdrops, interviewing important guests or giving the weather report.
  • Space Center – Board a spacecraft and blast off in Barbie’s shuttle while enjoying the view of stars in the galaxy. Interact with mission control, track objects on the radar or use the audio transference device to listen to the various sounds of space.

World of Barbie will also house a themed Barbie café sharing the same Barbie aesthetics as the immersive attraction.

In addition, the attraction will celebrate the history of the beloved brand with a dedicated area where visitors can see Barbie’s evolution across multiple decades.

“We were asked to bring Barbie’s playset to life. Who can say no to that opportunity?” says Kilburn CEO Mark Manuel. “Barbie is as relevant today as she was when she was first introduced to the world 63 years ago, if not more. I watched my daughter live and play in her world, I believe it helped shape her sharp and lively imagination, just like it has for millions of other children growing up. So there were a lot of reasons we needed to get this right.”

“Throughout her history and numerous careers, Barbie has represented a world of limitless potential,” says Julie Freeland, Senior Director of Location Based Entertainment at Mattel. “With this exquisitely designed attraction we were intentional about delivering an exciting experience that would leave younger fans with the sense that they could do anything or be anything. And, for those who grew up with Barbie, we wanted to spark a little bit of nostalgia, give these fans a chance to step back, reinvent themselves, if only for an afternoon, and spend a day in the Dream Life!”

World of Barbie will kick off in Toronto this summer in a standalone space at Square One, Canada’s foremost fashion, lifestyle and entertainment destination, before travelling to multiple cities across the United States next year.

Tickets for the Toronto engagement go on sale on May 21, 2022. To register for Toronto tickets or receive information on future tour dates, visit www.theworldofbarbie.com

The announcement comes on the heels of Kilburn Live’s recent successful ventures in the live entertainment space with The Dr. Seuss Adventure, NERF Challenge and The Search For Snoopy: A Peanuts Adventure activations, with The Game Room: Powered By Hasbro set to open later this year. The company is also behind the hit NightGarden franchise in Miami, Florida and another in The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

To learn more about Kilburn Live, visit http://kilburnmedia.com/live.