Judging for the License This! competition will take place ahead of BLE, with winners and finalists to be announced on Day One of the show
The submissions window has opened for this year’s Kelvyn Gardner License This! competition. The popular competition, which has been the springboard for many successful brands and careers over the years, is free to enter, closing at 17:00 BST on 28th August.
Organised by Brand Licensing Europe (BLE) and License Global, the competition propels illustrators, publishers, designers or animators with unlicensed brands into the spotlight, helping them break into the lucrative $340b+ global brand licensing industry, secure new deals and/or agent representation.
License This! is free to enter; applicants are required to submit a written overview, video pitch and detailed vision explaining why their brand is suitable for licensing. The video is replacing the live pitch, which previously took place in front of the judges at BLE.
This year’s judging panel will review each entry based on the level of ingenuity, licensing potential, alignment with today’s marketplace and why it’s unique. The judging will take place ahead of BLE with the winner and three runners-up announced on stage ahead of the Day One opening keynote on Wednesday 4th October.
The winner will receive over £7,000 of free exposure and promotional support to help develop their brand, as well as a free of charge turnkey booth at BLE 2024, a year’s Licensing International membership, a year’s Products of Change membership and bespoke mentorship and contact opportunities.
Three finalists will also receive an editorial feature in the BLE Show Daily, pop-up banner display at Brand Licensing Europe 2024 and one hour mentorship for finalist group with industry experts.
Sophie Jonas-Hill, a License This! winner from 2021, has gone on to have a series of posters featuring her artwork sold through HMV. “Winning License This! has been literally life changing for me and my business,” she commented. “I’ve had the best advice and guidance you really couldn’t buy from all the panel, who have introduced me to so many new contacts and opportunities I wouldn’t have known about otherwise.”
This year’s judging panel will be chaired by Robyn Cowling, Licensing Consultant/Brand director, Rocky Horror Show, Golden Goose, and include:
- Sarah Lawrence – Licensing director, This is Iris
- Dale Boreham – Senior Design manager, Moonpig
- Teri Niadna – Managing director, Brandgenuity
- Dan Grant – Licensing director, Danilo
- Billy Langsworthy – Co-founder, Mojo Nation & Brands Untapped
- Maxine Lister – head of Licensing, Natural History Museum
- Sabrina Segalov – Senior Licensing manager, Sanrio Global
- Emily Fawcett – head of Global Licensing, Abysse Corp
- Clare Piggott – Managing director, Larkshead Licensing
- Charlie Langhorne – Co-founder & MD, Wild in Art
- Phil King - Managing director, Trademark Products
- Ben Roberts, License Global, Content director, EMEA
- Ian Hart, License Global, senior digital editor, UK & EMEA
Robyn Cowling said: “I’m honoured to be working with such a fantastic cohort of licensing specialists to scout, support and nurture new brand creators. The licensing industry is a truly collaborative world, uniquely combining creativity and commercial endeavours and I’m excited to see what untapped talent lies out there and how we can guide them towards making their ideas into real consumer products programmes.”
Entries are welcome now at License This! 2023 competition. For any questions on the entry process, please contact event organizers lily.drennan@informa.com or anna.lommatzsch@informa.com.
To register to attend or exhibit at BLE 2023, visit here.
