Gaming and toys also feature high on the agenda with keynote led by Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe.
The Licensing Academy at this year’s Brand Licensing Europe (BLE) will focus on the key trends affecting the future of licensing in Europe, including Brexit. Gaming and toys will also feature highly on the agenda. The definitive event for the European licensing industry, it takes place 10-12 October at Olympia London.
European-focused sessions include:
- Licensing in Europe – the background, the present and the future including the potential implications of Brexit – Kelvyn Gardner, Managing Director, LIMA UK
- NPD’s overview of the European licensed toy market in 2017 – Frederique Tutt, Toys Global Industry Analyst, The NPD Group
- Opportunities in the European grocery retail market – Milos Ryba, Head of Discount, IGD
- Assembling a Pan-European Licensing Programme – Teri Niadna, Managing Director, Brandgenuity Europe
“The one word that’s become synonymous with Brexit over the last year is ‘uncertainty’ and that’s just as true for the licensing industry as it is for everyone else. My session at BLE will spell out what the potential implications of Brexit could be for licensees, licensors and retailers and, hopefully, how we can all navigate our way through any challenges it throws our way, dependent on the various potential outcomes at the end of the negotiation period,” said Kelvyn Gardner, Managing Director, LIMA UK.
Gaming will take centre stage at The Licensing Academy in the day one keynote panel Gaming: dispelling the myths featuring:
- Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe’s Commercial Development Director Mark Howsen
- MCV Editor Seth Barton
- UKIE board member Stuart Dinsey
- Activision’s VP, Head of Global Licensing and Partnerships Ashley Maidy
- Yann Le Bouedec, Commercial Director, Paladone Products.
Dorian Block, Business Group Director at established retail analyst GfK Entertainment, will also present a detailed insight into how licensing and gaming can work together in The UK videogames industry. What do you really know about this market and are there opportunities you should be exploring?
Complementing NPD’s session on the European licensed toy market, Billy Langsworthy, Co-Founder of Mojo Nation, will lead a panel called Playing with brands: A look at the design process behind toys and games. Panellists confirmed to date include Simon Skelton, Big Ideas Product Development, and Luc Hudson of Triclops Studio.
“Whether it’s board games that adapt an IP and reflect its style, narrative and tone via gameplay, or toys that embrace the latest tech to bring much loved characters to life in innovative ways, the world of licensed toys and games has never been as exciting as it is right now. The Playing with Brands panel will see designers lift the lid on how they go about creating licensed toys and games, dissecting the creative constraints and potential pitfalls involved in bringing characters and IP to life in this way, as well as looking at how the toy industry’s relationship with licensing has evolved over the years,” said Billy Langsworthy.
Other sessions on The Licensing Academy programme include the popular Introduction to licensing delivered by Kelvyn Gardner; Brand Licensing: The seven deadly sins from John Burns at Gateley, and What role does subscription VOD currently play in our television viewing habits? presented by GfK’s Sam Tuck.
The full programme is available at this link: brandlicensing.eu/licensing-academy.
All sessions are free to attend and will be available on a first come first serve basis. Visitors can register for Brand Licensing Europe at www.brandlicensing.eu/register.
