BLE is celebrating its 25th anniversary, taking place from 24-26 September 2024 at ExCeL, London. The number of exhibitors is over 250, with more than 50 new entries. Here are the previews of some companies present at Brand Licensing Europe 2024.
Penguin Ventures
Penguin Ventures, the Consumer Products & Experiences team at Penguin Random House Children’s UK, showcases their iconic literary brands at BLE 2024. Spring 2024 has placed Peter Rabbit as the ultimate Easter Bunny, driving significant growth for The World of Peter Rabbit™ across all markets.
Last year, Penguin Ventures added The World of Eric Carle™ to their UK portfolio, creating opportunities for licensees to bring Carle’s artwork to life. The world of the Snowman™ continues to enchant families with magical experiences, from afternoon teas to live shows, becoming a staple of festive traditions. A new Flower Fairies™ exhibition launches at Watts Gallery this autumn, while loveable puppy Spot is starring in a touring theatrical show for pre-schoolers, reaching family audiences across the UK. Tom Fletcher’s Who’s in your book? series is set to expand its engaging program in 2025 and beyond.
Penguin Ventures anticipates meeting both new and existing partners to explore opportunities in products, experiences and digital landscapes. Visit Penguin Ventures at stand C164 at BLE. For appointments contact: penguin.ventures@penguinrandomhouse.co.uk.
The Giordano Family
The Giordano Family is a prominent name in the art licensing industry and greeting card industry. Joseph Giordano began his career as a staff illustrator at Norcross Greeting Card Company, before founding Giordano Studios in 1980. His successful imagery from Norcross became integral to his design portfolio. In 2002, his son Greg established Greg & Company, LLC. (stand AD14), continuing the family legacy.
As Managing Director, Greg licenses designs for over 85 manufacturers, with greeting cards being a key focus. His diverse artwork, featuring themes like animals, vehicles, and seasonal motifs, has made him successful in creating cards for various occasions, such as weddings and holidays.
Currently, Greg’s designs appear on over 150 greeting card products. Greg has collaborated with numerous greeting card companies, including Leanin’ Tree, which has licensed his artwork for over 20 years. His designs have also been adapted for other products like puzzles and calendars.
Popular collections such as Pups & Trucks and Heartland America exemplify his versatility across categories.With the growth of Greg & Company, the potential for his greeting card artwork to translate into other licensing opportunities remains promising. For more information, visit www.GregGiordanoArt.com or contact Licensing Manager Jessica Fritsche at jessica@greggiordanoart.com.
Animaj
Animaj (stand C224), the next-generation media company that acquired the iconic Spanish brand Pocoyo in June 2023, has announced new licensing deals across key markets, including Bandai, CYP, Kimberly Clark, and Toymark.
“We are excited about the new licensing partnerships that will bring Pocoyo into new markets and categories. These deals reflect the growing demand and love for Pocoyo worldwide.” says Antoine Erligmann, Animaj’s SVP Global Content Distribution & Consumer Products.
Season 5 of Pocoyo has launched, with the first batch of episodes available now. The second half, set to release in early Q2 2025, will feature new characters and storylines, including the introduction of Bea, Pocoyo’s adorable yet chaotic little sister. This season marks a new chapter for Pocoyo as he grows into his role as a big brother, and for the first time, speaks in the series.
Stephen Fry returns as the narrator for Season 5, reprising his beloved role from the show’s early years.
With AI-driven production, Animaj is ensuring a steady stream of high-quality content for traditional broadcasters, streaming platforms, and YouTube.
Dependable Solutions
Dependable Solutions, recognized as the Most Impactful Service Provider of 2024 at the Licensing Excellence Awards, is a global leader in licensing and royalty management software. Serving licensors, licensees, and licensing agencies, their notable clients include McCormick, a company with a 130-year legacy in flavor. McCormick’s licensing team faced operational hurdles that affected their performance, but by adopting Dependable Solutions’ secure, cloud-hosted platform, they unlocked a more efficient way of working with their international teams and partners.
Ana Murphy, Brand Licensing Manager at McCormick, expressed her appreciation for the support from the Dependable Solutions’ team. She shared, “Our largest win from this project has been having all the contracts and amendments in one location, helping us keep track of expirations and work on amendments more efficiently.” Murphy also highlighted the platform’s impact of data visibility, saying, “We can see the full range of products per licensee, allowing us to make better business decisions. For instance, we recently spotted new SKUs in a licensee’s royalty report, fixed the error, and processed royalties within the hour.”
Marty Malysz, President of Dependable Solutions, attributes their success to Dependable Solutions’ highly-skilled team and focus on client support. He commented, “Our passionate dedication to the success of our clients sets us apart as a truly impactful partner.” Those interested can visit booth E250 at Brand Licensing Europe (BLE) in London from September 24-26 to learn more about transitioning to a centralized licensing and royalty management system.
The London Studio
Art licensing and design company The London Studio is set to showcase its expanding portfolio at BLE, highlighting its successful in-house brands and collaborations with diverse artists. The London Studio’s presence is rapidly growing, particularly in greeting cards and gifts, with partnerships across leading international retailers and publishers. Notable recent successes include Dreamadelic, a brand inspired by the art and culture of the 1960s and 1970s, which has secured a licensing deal with Oxfam for a 2025 calendar and debut designer bags at New York Fashion Week with Olympia Le Tan.
Another popular brand, The Happiness Club, focuses on wellbeing and has received large orders from retailers like Sainsbury’s and Asda. Its sister line, Note to Self, features positive affirmations and has sold over 50,000 calendars this year. The brand has also collaborated with US motivational speaker Hal Elrod. Additionally, whimsical brands like What Cats Do When We Aren’t Looking and Kitty Cocktails explore humorous takes on feline life.
The London Studio is also fostering new talent through its Artists Collective division, which has garnered multiple nominations at the Henries and Louies awards. Founder Soula Zavacopoulos emphasizes the meticulous development of their brands, leading to significant licensing partnerships. The London Studio looks forward to discussing future opportunities at BLE, located at stand D200.
Licensing Magazine will host the panel “Doing Licensing in Europe” at BLE
This year, Brand Licensing Europe has prepared a comprehensive three-day agenda of conferences. Among these, the panel titled Doing Licensing in Europe: The Distinct Characteristics of the Industry on the European Mainland, is organized by Licensing Magazine and will be moderated by Editor-in-Chief Cristina Angelucci. This session is scheduled for September 25, from 3:00 to 3:30 pm.
Joining Cristina on this engaging panel are three esteemed industry experts: Fabienne Gilles, Chief Commercial Officer of Consumer Products and Family Entertainment at Peyo Company; David Pérez Balaguer, Founder of Mad House; Christopher Becker, Director of Licensing & Partnerships at Tonies.
The panel will provide a comparative analysis of the licensing industry, focusing on the unique features, characteristics, and growth prospects from the perspective of European companies. Attendees can anticipate an open dialogue among leading European brands, licensees, and retailers who have established themselves on the international stage.
