Licensing Industry Merchandisers’ Association featured for the first time and Licensing Day at the Toy Business Forum provides expert information.
Licensing is playing an increasingly important role at the Spielwarenmesse. Statistics released by market researcher Euromonitor International have pegged this year’s global sales of licensed toys at US$ 21.8bn, with forecasts predicting a further 20% growth in the market by 2020. Trade buyers visiting the Spielwarenmesse will be greeted with a comprehensive overview of the latest licensing trends and licensed toys from around the world.
With everything from soft toys and school stationery to party articles and lifestyle products, companies of all sizes will be presenting fast-selling licensed products across all twelve product categories. LIMA, the Licensing Industry Merchandisers’ Association, will officially feature at the Spielwarenmesse for the first time. Located in the Foyer of Hall 12.0, LIMA will provide licensees and licensors with a central point of contact. Peter Hollo of LIMA Germany believes that this latest move represents an important step forward: “Two entities are finally coming together that quite simply belong together.”
LIMA is also involved in the Toy Business Forum. The well-established presentation area in Hall 3A is devoting an entire day to the topic of licences. Under the heading “Let’s license – keeping business moving and shaking all year long”, a variety of experts will shed light on this sector on Thursday, 2nd February 2017. They include both Peter Hollo and Charles Riotto, the international head of LIMA, as well as Steven Ekstract of Advanstar Communications Inc., New York/USA and Paul Bufton of Warner Bros., London/UK. The presentations will all be simultaneously interpreted into English and German. The full programme of presentations can be found online at: www.spielwarenmesse.de/en/toybusinessforum.
Visitors can attend the Toy Business Forum free of charge. Most importantly, however, buyers will need to keep their eyes peeled for interesting licensing themes dotted around the exhibition centre. The diversity of themes marketed by major studios such as Disney, Warner Bros. and Universal etc. have given rise to a whole host of licensed products throughout the fair. Visitors are invited to marvel at the licensing innovations at the exhibitors’ stands, and to find inspiration and ideas for their own stores at the attractively designed theme worlds. The Walt Disney Company’s special location at Entrance Mitte, for example, stands out as an eye-catching ‘photo opportunity’ at the Spielwarenmesse 2017.
Listing the licensed goods on show and the companies exhibiting them, the LicenseGuide has emerged as a useful aid for all visitors. This online service, provided by the Spielwarenmesse, encourages exhibitors to participate voluntarily and makes it easier for retailers choosing their product ranges to search for both trends and classics. All they need to do is go to www.spielwarenmesse.de/en/licenseguide and enter their chosen licence, company or product group in the designated fields. They will then receive an extensive selection of products that meet their criteria.
