Tag Archives: Licensing International

Global Licensing Group details new dates for BLE 2021 – a hybrid of in-person and online events

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Global Licensing Group, a division of Informa Markets and event organisers of Licensing Expo and Brand Licensing Europe, has detailed its 2021 and new event format, bringing with it a hybrid of in-person and virtual offerings.

Licensing Expo will take place live and in-person at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas on August 10th to 12th, while accompanying the tradeshow is an online event, which will be held two weeks later on August 24th to 25th.

Meanwhile, Brand Licensing Europe will take place live and in-person at ExCeL London on November 17th to 19th, 2021, with an online event also following two weeks later on November 30th to December 1st, 2021.

The new format has been devised to meet the demand for face-to-face meetings with the flexibility and convenience of an online event setting as a means of encouraging  IP exploration, new connections and thought leadership.

The shift to a multi-platform format will blend the best components of in-person and online to create an enhanced experience for all participants no matter their circumstances or location. Supported by a robust online platform, exhibitors and visitors will have access before, during and after the events to schedule and host meetings, enjoy on-demand content and thought leadership and search and discover the widest range of properties available for license anywhere in the world.

The Las Vegas and London events will be organized in accordance with Informa’s AllSecure health and safety standards designed to ensure all participants can attend events safely and with confidence. AllSecure practices are comprised of learnings and best-practices from across the leading trade event companies around the world, in accordance with the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations, to create physical environments that meet industry standards for gathering.

“We truly understand the importance of relationships and in-person connections to the licensing industry and have therefore made the decision to move both events to a time later in the calendar year,” said Anna Knight, vice president of the Global Licensing Group.

“In addition, we have also seen a fantastic response to Licensing Week Virtual, which we ran in June, and October’s month-long celebration Festival of Licensing. Following consultation with many of our customers, we have decided to carry forward the successful elements of these virtual events and learnings from them to run alongside our in-person events in 2021 and beyond.

“Multi-platform events are definitely the future, and the combination of live and online offers no limits to global participation.”

Maura regan, president, Licensing International, Global Licensing Group event sponsor, added: “I know I’m not alone in eagerly anticipating the moment when we can all gather again in person, and this revised timeframe and hybrid solution for our industry’s two flagship gatherings will offer the best chance for that to happen soon and safely.

“While we certainly learned this year that nothing can replace actual face-to-face interaction, the unique value of virtual events is their global accessibility. This plan for the 2021 iterations of Licensing Expo and BLE will allow us to have the best of both worlds.”

Licensing International launches its Accelerator Program to fuel diversity in the licensing industry

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Licensing International has unveiled a new Accelerator Program aimed at bridging the gap between under-represented, diverse entrepreneurs and the resources they need to build their companies within the licensing industry.

The move is the latest in Licensing International’s ongoing efforts to help its members and the broader licensing community build diverse and inclusive workplaces.

The Diversity & Inclusion Accelerator Program was developed by Licensing International’s IDEA Committee (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Accessibility), a group of high-level executives from across the global brand licensing industry working to advance this cause and conversation.

The launch of the Accelerator Program was announced at the latest Diversity & Inclusion Workshop Wednesday, November, 18th which saw executives from Horizon Group USA, Encantos, Marquee Brands and WildBrain discuss challenges and share insights.

Maura Regan, president, Licensing International, said: “We have always been committed to attracting, developing and retaining the best and brightest from all backgrounds to our incredible industry.

“The findings of our study of diversity in the licensing community – conducted by the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media at Mount St. Mary’s University and released back in August – made it clear that there is still much work to be done in this regard, and our Accelerator Program is another important vehicle to continue creating meaningful change.” 

Companies chosen to participate in the Accelerator Program will receive benefits valued at over $100,000 including monthly mentoring meetings with industry leaders, enrollment in the Coursework in Licensing Studies professional certification program and a one-year Licensing International membership.

To be considered companies must be in the brand licensing business, can be either for-profit or non-profit, and all applicants must be diverse (whether along the lines of race, gender, sexual orientation, age or physical attributes).

Applications are being accepted now through April 30, 2021, and the 2021 Accelerator Program Cohort will be announced the week of May 24, 2021. 

To learn more about the Licensing International Diversity & Inclusion Accelerator Program and apply click here.

Results of the first-ever global study of diversity in the licensing business community, conducted by the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media at Mount St. Mary’s University, and the Diversity & Inclusion Toolkit are available to download for free.

The work of Licensing International’s IDEA committee is supported by Champion-level sponsor, NFLPA and Supporter-Level sponsors, Sony Pictures Entertainment and Peanuts Worldwide, a division of WildBrain.

Licensing International launches its Scholarship Program to inspire the generation into the business

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Licensing International has launched its Licensing International Scholarship Program, a new initiative designed to inspire the next generation of talent and advance the understanding of licensing in society.

The programme will grant scholarships to individuals who are interested in a career in brand licensing.

Maura Regan, president, Licensing International, said: “This program is all about investing in the future of our industry and placing the business of brand licensing front and center among young leaders at the start of their career journey.

“So many of us stumble into brand licensing by chance. By introducing our industry to students at the start of their professional life, we hope to create a generation of passionate, skilled professionals who actively pursue careers in licensing.”

The Licensing International Scholarship Program will be funded by donations made to Licensing International’s Foundation. Companies and individuals wishing to contribute can do so in two ways: By making a direct donation in any amount, or leave their legacy with a named / sponsored scholarship.

Named scholarships give donors an opportunity to celebrate their commitment to education and the licensing industry. These special scholarships provide an enduring legacy for individuals, families and organizations to pay tribute to an individual or achievement.

Named / sponsored awards supported by corporations or foundations also offer the right to impose certain criteria that may include, but is not limited to, a declared major, internship availability, year in school, personal background, etc. Named Scholarship: $10,000.

Fund-raising for the Scholarship Fund will formally begin with the upcoming Licensing International Holiday Party, a global, virtual get-together set for December 3. The event is free to attend, but registrants are encouraged to make a small donation to the Scholarship Program if they are able.

Licensing International will begin accepting student applications for scholarships in January 2021. Scholarships will be awarded to students seeking degrees in business, marketing, design, engineering, entrepreneurial studies and other brand licensing industry-related programs, who also meet a number of other eligibility requirements.

Licensing International launches its Scholarship Program to inspire the generation into the business

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Licensing International has launched its Licensing International Scholarship Program, a new initiative designed to inspire the next generation of talent and advance the understanding of licensing in society.

The programme will grant scholarships to individuals who are interested in a career in brand licensing.

Maura Regan, president, Licensing International, said: “This program is all about investing in the future of our industry and placing the business of brand licensing front and center among young leaders at the start of their career journey.

“So many of us stumble into brand licensing by chance. By introducing our industry to students at the start of their professional life, we hope to create a generation of passionate, skilled professionals who actively pursue careers in licensing.”

The Licensing International Scholarship Program will be funded by donations made to Licensing International’s Foundation. Companies and individuals wishing to contribute can do so in two ways: By making a direct donation in any amount, or leave their legacy with a named / sponsored scholarship.

Named scholarships give donors an opportunity to celebrate their commitment to education and the licensing industry. These special scholarships provide an enduring legacy for individuals, families and organizations to pay tribute to an individual or achievement.

Named / sponsored awards supported by corporations or foundations also offer the right to impose certain criteria that may include, but is not limited to, a declared major, internship availability, year in school, personal background, etc. Named Scholarship: $10,000.

Fund-raising for the Scholarship Fund will formally begin with the upcoming Licensing International Holiday Party, a global, virtual get-together set for December 3. The event is free to attend, but registrants are encouraged to make a small donation to the Scholarship Program if they are able.

Licensing International will begin accepting student applications for scholarships in January 2021. Scholarships will be awarded to students seeking degrees in business, marketing, design, engineering, entrepreneurial studies and other brand licensing industry-related programs, who also meet a number of other eligibility requirements.

Licensing International’s Graham Saltmarsh on the shape of things to come for the UK’s licensing scene

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One month into his new position as MD of Licensing International’s UK division, the licensing industry stalwart Graham Saltmarsh has already begun to cook the plans with which he aims to give the organisation the shake up that the year 2020 has required of it. Whether it’s the proposed introduction of master classes from the industry’s leading experts, or the plans so clandestine he simply can;t share them yet, there’s one thing that Saltmarsh promises, they certainly won’t be boring.

As the world now begins to find new footing in the shifting sands of current events and develop and fine-tuned what has been dubbed ‘the now normal’, so too does Licensing International’s UK arm look to move with them.

As Festival of Licensing gets underway today, celebrating the global licensing industry with a month-long virtual experience of content from each of its corners, Licensing.biz grabs its moment to talk with Licensing International UK’s new managing director, Graham Saltmarsh about his own plans for the role, his proudest moments in licensing, and why his mates thinks he works in a pub.

So, MD of Licensing International’s UK division – that’s a great title to have. What does the move mean to you?

I have been talking to Licensing International for a while about how we can help promote licensing as an industry, not only within our own ranks but to a wider audience. I have worked in licensing for many years and still when I explain what I do to people outside the industry they either say “Oh, so do you work in a pub?” (sometimes!) or they say “your like Tom Hanks in Big and you just play with toys all day” (if only). I am very excited about my move to Licensing International and I’m looking forward to making people see the benefits of licensing and how amazing we are as an industry.

Bringing an established industry figure such as yourself to the fold is quite the win for Licensing International, too. How will this, and you, help shape a new era for Licensing International?

I intend to start with the basics and make sure we are getting these right, I have been in touch with as many Licensing International members as I could get hold of to ask what we are getting right and what we could do better, we need to provide our members with information and services that they actually want and will find useful. Even non Licensing International members have been in touch to offer their opinions (there are no wall flowers in licensing).

I have had a very exciting and varied career in licensing and so many people have helped me along the way so working with Licensing International, it feels like I am able to give something back and build a stronger more recognised industry.

An illustrious career across the licensing industry to your name, what spurred the move over to this side of the business? And what learning do you think you will bring to the table to shake things up for the UK division?

When you work for a big organisation there is a lot of pressure to bring in the next deal or launch the next big property but this huge pressure sometimes means that properties are launched too soon or with not enough research / insight or with the wrong partner. Licensing International has terrific global insight and can help put property and product launches into a bigger perspective which hopefully reduces the risks.

I have plans for short master classes (30 mins max) from industry experts and from people outside of our industry to give practical help and advice, I have some exciting plans for 2021 but it’s a little too early to reveal them just yet but you know me, they won’t be dull…

It’s been a… funny old year, that has seen big changes across licensing – what do you make of the resilience of the UK licensing space in the face of the pandemic and the changes it has brought to almost all aspects of the business – from retail, to what licensing means in 2020?

The old adage, Fail to prepare then prepare to fail, has never been so true. Some companies I have spoken to immediately embraced the new normal and pivoted their business to a more online proactive way of doing business while some have sat and waited to see what happens.

Some areas have found life tough but the counter balance is that the games, wheeled, puzzles, art & craft, apparel and many other areas have seen very positive results. Licensees are never slow to spot an opportunity (branded face masks) so I am very positive about the future. Retailers still need to sell product so are more open than ever to offer their customers something a little different or special. The Natural History Museum and Roald Dahl collaboration with M&S is a great example.

It’s been a period that has sped up a lot of those more inevitable changes, i.e, the lean in to digital and virtual platforms – how have we seen the licensing space adapt and evolve? What of these changes do you think the industry will carry with it going forward?

I’m sure I’m not alone in saying I was dreading moving to online meetings with all the potential technical pitfalls, I would normally be calling for the IT team because someone wanted to actually see me on my computer… However, the reality is that we have all had to just get on with it and learn new skills and it looks like we will be working from home for some time to come.

I do miss the buzz of a trade show and the unexpected corridor meetings but as these can’t take place at the moment we have to try new things and the online Festival of Licensing will just be another thing we will have to get used to for the time being. It’s difficult to see how the UK leaving the EU will effect business and in turn how this will effect the Treaty of Rome, tariffs, cross border shipping etc, but we are a very nimble and adaptable industry, so I’m sure we will survive.

As big a negative impact the situation has had around the world, there’s a sense of excitement around the potential that changes have unleashed in certain areas of licensing – what stands out the most for you in terms of the UK space?

There are so many changes happening, from multiple source manufacturing (some companies had 100 per cent of their manufacturing in China), smaller companies embracing on-line retail and using sales data to show bigger retailers there is a market for their product, the licensing industry has always been brilliant at innovation and this doesn’t seem to be slowing down during the pandemic if anything people have had a chance to pull back and allow themselves some thinking time which I highly recommend.

What will Licensing International’s role be moving forward in helping the industry adapt and evolve with the changes?

My role with Licensing International will be to offer my UK members insights (there are many reports available to our members!), support, education and somewhere they can just bounce ideas around with like minded industry people. It’s important to know that you have somewhere to turn to if you have questions, if  you want to know who the best person to talk to about counterfeiting, trademarking, design, distribution, promotions and the many other questions I have been asked already. I will listen to the needs of our members and adapt as necessary as we all have been doing.

What are you most looking forward to for the coming year and in the position that you are in? What’s been the proudest moment of your career to date?

I am most looking forward to getting back in touch with the many friends and colleagues I have in the licensing industry and seeing what I can do to help them grow their business and grow the industry.

There are so many things to be proud of, when we won an award at the Licensing Awards – this is the industry we work in saying you are doing something right, I am a very proud supporter of the Light Fund which pulls the whole industry together to raise money for incredible causes. Sometimes it’s the smaller things, like seeing a kid in the street carrying a toy we have developed or wearing a T-shirt for a property we have built up over many years.

I don’t know if proud is the right word but I know a lot of people in the licensing industry called around their friends, colleagues and “competitors” during lockdown just to check in and make sure they were alright – this is the industry I’m proud to work in.

Anything you’d like to shout about?

No I think they will have had enough of me by now….

Licensing International’s Graham Saltmarsh on the shape of things to come for the UK’s licensing scene

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One month into his new position as MD of Licensing International’s UK division, the licensing industry stalwart Graham Saltmarsh has already begun to cook the plans with which he aims to give the organisation the shake up that the year 2020 has required of it. Whether it’s the proposed introduction of master classes from the industry’s leading experts, or the plans so clandestine he simply can;t share them yet, there’s one thing that Saltmarsh promises, they certainly won’t be boring.

As the world now begins to find new footing in the shifting sands of current events and develop and fine-tuned what has been dubbed ‘the now normal’, so too does Licensing International’s UK arm look to move with them.

As Festival of Licensing gets underway today, celebrating the global licensing industry with a month-long virtual experience of content from each of its corners, Licensing.biz grabs its moment to talk with Licensing International UK’s new managing director, Graham Saltmarsh about his own plans for the role, his proudest moments in licensing, and why his mates thinks he works in a pub.

So, MD of Licensing International’s UK division – that’s a great title to have. What does the move mean to you?

I have been talking to Licensing International for a while about how we can help promote licensing as an industry, not only within our own ranks but to a wider audience. I have worked in licensing for many years and still when I explain what I do to people outside the industry they either say “Oh, so do you work in a pub?” (sometimes!) or they say “your like Tom Hanks in Big and you just play with toys all day” (if only). I am very excited about my move to Licensing International and I’m looking forward to making people see the benefits of licensing and how amazing we are as an industry.

Bringing an established industry figure such as yourself to the fold is quite the win for Licensing International, too. How will this, and you, help shape a new era for Licensing International?

I intend to start with the basics and make sure we are getting these right, I have been in touch with as many Licensing International members as I could get hold of to ask what we are getting right and what we could do better, we need to provide our members with information and services that they actually want and will find useful. Even non Licensing International members have been in touch to offer their opinions (there are no wall flowers in licensing).

I have had a very exciting and varied career in licensing and so many people have helped me along the way so working with Licensing International, it feels like I am able to give something back and build a stronger more recognised industry.

An illustrious career across the licensing industry to your name, what spurred the move over to this side of the business? And what learning do you think you will bring to the table to shake things up for the UK division?

When you work for a big organisation there is a lot of pressure to bring in the next deal or launch the next big property but this huge pressure sometimes means that properties are launched too soon or with not enough research / insight or with the wrong partner. Licensing International has terrific global insight and can help put property and product launches into a bigger perspective which hopefully reduces the risks.

I have plans for short master classes (30 mins max) from industry experts and from people outside of our industry to give practical help and advice, I have some exciting plans for 2021 but it’s a little too early to reveal them just yet but you know me, they won’t be dull…

It’s been a… funny old year, that has seen big changes across licensing – what do you make of the resilience of the UK licensing space in the face of the pandemic and the changes it has brought to almost all aspects of the business – from retail, to what licensing means in 2020?

The old adage, Fail to prepare then prepare to fail, has never been so true. Some companies I have spoken to immediately embraced the new normal and pivoted their business to a more online proactive way of doing business while some have sat and waited to see what happens.

Some areas have found life tough but the counter balance is that the games, wheeled, puzzles, art & craft, apparel and many other areas have seen very positive results. Licensees are never slow to spot an opportunity (branded face masks) so I am very positive about the future. Retailers still need to sell product so are more open than ever to offer their customers something a little different or special. The Natural History Museum and Roald Dahl collaboration with M&S is a great example.

It’s been a period that has sped up a lot of those more inevitable changes, i.e, the lean in to digital and virtual platforms – how have we seen the licensing space adapt and evolve? What of these changes do you think the industry will carry with it going forward?

I’m sure I’m not alone in saying I was dreading moving to online meetings with all the potential technical pitfalls, I would normally be calling for the IT team because someone wanted to actually see me on my computer… However, the reality is that we have all had to just get on with it and learn new skills and it looks like we will be working from home for some time to come.

I do miss the buzz of a trade show and the unexpected corridor meetings but as these can’t take place at the moment we have to try new things and the online Festival of Licensing will just be another thing we will have to get used to for the time being. It’s difficult to see how the UK leaving the EU will effect business and in turn how this will effect the Treaty of Rome, tariffs, cross border shipping etc, but we are a very nimble and adaptable industry, so I’m sure we will survive.

As big a negative impact the situation has had around the world, there’s a sense of excitement around the potential that changes have unleashed in certain areas of licensing – what stands out the most for you in terms of the UK space?

There are so many changes happening, from multiple source manufacturing (some companies had 100 per cent of their manufacturing in China), smaller companies embracing on-line retail and using sales data to show bigger retailers there is a market for their product, the licensing industry has always been brilliant at innovation and this doesn’t seem to be slowing down during the pandemic if anything people have had a chance to pull back and allow themselves some thinking time which I highly recommend.

What will Licensing International’s role be moving forward in helping the industry adapt and evolve with the changes?

My role with Licensing International will be to offer my UK members insights (there are many reports available to our members!), support, education and somewhere they can just bounce ideas around with like minded industry people. It’s important to know that you have somewhere to turn to if you have questions, if  you want to know who the best person to talk to about counterfeiting, trademarking, design, distribution, promotions and the many other questions I have been asked already. I will listen to the needs of our members and adapt as necessary as we all have been doing.

What are you most looking forward to for the coming year and in the position that you are in? What’s been the proudest moment of your career to date?

I am most looking forward to getting back in touch with the many friends and colleagues I have in the licensing industry and seeing what I can do to help them grow their business and grow the industry.

There are so many things to be proud of, when we won an award at the Licensing Awards – this is the industry we work in saying you are doing something right, I am a very proud supporter of the Light Fund which pulls the whole industry together to raise money for incredible causes. Sometimes it’s the smaller things, like seeing a kid in the street carrying a toy we have developed or wearing a T-shirt for a property we have built up over many years.

I don’t know if proud is the right word but I know a lot of people in the licensing industry called around their friends, colleagues and “competitors” during lockdown just to check in and make sure they were alright – this is the industry I’m proud to work in.

Anything you’d like to shout about?

No I think they will have had enough of me by now….

OPINION – Asgard Media’s Kelvyn Gardner on the importance of looking outside of the industry

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Next week the ‘virtual doors’ of the Festival of Licensing will open to the licensing world. So, before we’ve even begun to get used to London’s Excel as the new home of Europe’s biggest licensing event, Asgard Media will now be coming to terms with being a digital exhibitor.

We were founded in 1998, the year before the very first Brand License London 1999 – as it was then called. Although the way we go about our work, already different through emerging technologies, is even more radically changed by working through a digital platform, our mission remains the same – to bring new companies into licensing.

Most of you reading this will already be utilising licensing as an important part of your work. You may be an agent or licensor/brand owner, a manufacturer of consumer goods with a license portfolio, a service provider of design, e-commerce and sundry other diverse roles. Licensing is a big business in the UK, and a growing business. We’re all proud of our part in it. 

Here’s an uncomfortable fact, though. Only a tiny proportion of British manufacturing firms utilise licensing. Licensing International’s research shows that the UK, the second biggest licensing market in the world, generated retail sales of licensed products worth $15 billion in 2019. 

MakeUK  (www.makeuk.org) the trade association for manufacturers, calculates total output of our manufacturers at $250 billion. Now, not all of that output is consumer goods, but, even so, this means that only 6 per cent of all the manufacturing output of this country is using licensing. 

What a shame when we all know that licensing could help almost all manufacturers of consumer goods. Put simply, that’s what Asgard Media does. We help manufacturers use licensing to improve their business. 

We call ourselves ‘Licensing Consultants’, but what does that mean to a company not currently involved in consumer products licensing? What is it that we know that can add value to their business?

What we know is that licensing works. Take one of our own newest clients, The Harrogate Tipple. At the beginning of 2019, they were a regional small-batch distiller of craft gin under their own brand. A nice business but confronting huge competition in the craft gin market, many retail doors closed to them. 

Asgard Media took them on. We put them into their first license, Downton Abbey. In just eighteen months they have won major international quality awards for Downton Abbey Gin, opened export markets to USA, Europe and Australia, and even picked up Best Newcomer Award at the 2020 Licensing International Licensing Excellence Awards. Even the Yorkshire Post reported this. Sales, distribution, consumer profile, all boosted fantastically by this wonderful marketing tool, licensing.

And licensing is not just a tool for SMEs. Long-term Asgard Media clients like Finsbury Foods and Yoplait continue to add new licensed SKUs to their ranges every year and enjoy these same business benefits.

So, our mission, every day, and focused on the Festival of Licensing, is to take the lesson of the Harrogate Tipple to the 85 per cent of UK manufacturers who do not use licensing right now. We have no allegiance to any particular brand or property; we look for the right fit between our licensee clients and all the brand opportunities out there. 

We believe that we are a positive force for UK licensing as a whole. However, I really must end with a direct appeal to manufacturers: come and meet Asgard Media at the Festival of Licensing. It will cost you nothing to find out from us just how licensing can boost your sales, your profits and your profile. It just might change your life.

Licensing International names Graham Saltmarsh new MD of UK division

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Industry veteran, Graham Saltmarsh has been named the new managing director for Licensing International’s UK division, marking ‘the beginning of a bold new chapter’ for the trade organisation and its operations in the region.

In this role, Saltmarsh will be responsible for advancing the business of licensing across all sectors of the industry in the UK, creating programmes in support of current members and developing initiatives to meet the needs of future members. 

He has spent the bulk of his career in licensing-focused roles at some of the world’s most influential media companies including BBC Worldwide and Nelvana. Most recently he served as director of licensing and retail for the UK and Nordics at Turner Broadcasting, where he oversaw the consumer product and marketing activities for key properties including Ben 10, Powerpuff Girls, and Rick & Morty.

Before discovering the joys of licensing, Saltmarsh was a sound engineer and made extreme sports films. He is a passionate supporter of the licensing industry’s Light Fund and has run the London marathon and rowed from London to Paris with a team of like-minded lunatics. His future fundraising activities will all be beer-related.

“In these trying times it’s more important than ever to bring all the different elements of this amazing industry together to share knowledge and expertise,” said Saltmarsh. “I am looking forward to working with Licensing International and to connecting people who are passionate about licensing and retail to drive the business forward.”

“We are thrilled to have Graham on board, leading the charge in the UK for Licensing International,” said Licensing International president Maura Regan. “His deep understanding of the UK licensing community, combined with a fantastic ‘can do’ attitude is a wonderful addition to the Licensing International team.”      

Saltmarsh will officially move into his new role on 15 September and can be reached at gsaltmarsh@licensing.org.

Winners of the 2020 Licensing International Excellence Awards revealed in virtual awards ceremony

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The winners of the 2020 Licensing International Excellence Awards have been revealed in the industry’s first virtual awards ceremony that brought together nearly 1,000 executives from around the world for the celebrations.

Hosted by Handcraft VP and stand-up comic Marshall Mizrahi, the event saw licensing powerhouse Martha Stewart inducted into the Licensing Hall of Fame.

It also played host to a showcase of this year’s six international Rising Stars in Krystyna Braxton (NFL Players Inc.); Allison Cimino (RockLove); Carolina Garcia Souza (Cinecolor Colombia, representative of The Walt Disney Company); Gao Qiang (Tencent); Hannah Stevens (The Point.1888); and Louis Yenik (Crunchyroll). 

Newly redesigned trophies for both the main Awards and the Hall of Fame were also unveiled at the event, designed by Alternatives and PowerStation Studios, respectively. 

The 23 Awards winners hail from around the globe, including companies from Brazil, France, Germany, Korea, the UK and the US, and were unveiled by 10 leading licensing executives who each brought their own special flair to the event.

The Coca-Cola Company and Sesame Workshop each “took home” multiple trophies – Coca-Cola swept the Food & Beverage categories, winning Best Product for its Coca-Cola-flavoured Tic Tacs in partnership with Ferrero, and picking up the prize for Best Food & Beverage Brand of the Year. Sesame Workshop’s “Sesame Street” was named Best Live-Action Entertainment or Character Brand and also won for its “A Cautionary Tale” promotion with Squarespace. Meanwhile, Wildbrain CPLG was crowned as the first winner in the newly added Best Licensing Agency category. 

A number of companies supported the Licensing International Small Business Global Grants Fund by taking space in the Awards Program, which was made available digitally Monday. Thanks to their contributions, the Grants Fund has raised more than $110,000 to help small businesses in the licensing community impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. 

“This year marks the 35th anniversary of the International Licensing Awards, and while we had of course looked forward to celebrating in person, this virtual gathering was an amazing event,” said Maura Regan, president, Licensing International.

“Perhaps more than ever it was important to celebrate the incredible creativity and innovation of our industry. Seeing the very best work of this industry on display, alongside some of the dynamic executives who drive it, was a powerful reminder that, in the wake of uncertainty, the power of trusted brands and well-known licenses is more critical than ever before.”

The 23 2020 Licensing International Excellence Awards winners are:

Best Licensed Products

  • Apparel/Footwear/Accessories – Vans for David Bowie Apparel & Footwear Range
  • Appliance/Automotive/Housewares/Electronics – Pro-Ject Audio Systems for The Beatles Turntable
  • Toys/Games/Novelties for ages 0 to 8 – WowWee for Pinkfong Baby Shark Song Puppets
  • Apps/Software/Video games – Story Toys / Touch Press for LEGO Duplo World App
  • Food/Beverage – The Coca-Cola Company / Ferrero for Coca-Cola Tic Tac
  • Health and Beauty Aids – Lipsmacker for Crayola Lip Care Line
  • Home Decor – Dreamtex Ltd for National Geographic Recycled Bedding
  • Publishing/Back-to-School – Party City – Pantone’s 2019 Color of the Year Partygoods & Tableware
  • Toys/Games/Novelties for ages 8+ – LEGO for Stranger Things Lego Set

Best Licensed Brands

  • Art/Designs/Celebrity/Fashion Brand – V&A by Victoria & Albert Museum 
  • Digital/ App/ Video Game Brand – Brown & Friends by LINE Friends
  • Corporate Brand – Cat by Caterpillar  
  • Entertainment/Character Brand: Animated – Peppa Pig by eOne / Hasbro
  • Entertainment/Character Brand: Live Action – Sesame Street by Sesame Workshop
  • Food/Beverage/Restaurant Brand – Coca-Cola by The Coca-Cola Company
  • Sports/Collegiate Brand – Rugby World Cup by World Rugby / IMG

Other Awards

  • Best Licensed Promotion – Squarespace & Sesame Street “A Cautionary Tale”
  • Best Licensed Collaboration – SpongeBob Squarepants x Nike x Kyrie Irving
  • Best Experiential or Location-Based Initiative – The Very Hungry Caterpillar at the Royal Horticultural Society
  • Best Retailer for a Character/Entertainment Initiative – Galeries Lafayette for Batman 
  • Best Retailer for a Corporate/Lifestyle/Sports Initiative – NBA Stores Brazil 
  • Best Licensing Agency – Wildbrain CPLG
  • The Newcomer Award – Harrogate Tipple Ltd for Downton Abbey Gin & Whisky

 

Licensing International hosts first Diversity & Inclusion Workshop and launches toolkit to encourage a more diverse industry

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The licensing industry’s trade organisation, Licensing International held its first Diversity & Inclusion Workshop this week where it brought together leading minds in the business to discuss the challenges and opportunities for companies looking to better enhance diversity and inclusive practices.

It was Madeline Di Nonno, CEO of the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media at Mount Saint Mary’s University who kicked off proceedings with a presentation of the findings of a recent study of diversity in the licensing industry, commissioned by Licensing International.

Among other findings, the research shows that while 30 per cent of companies surveyed currently have a Diversity & Inclusivity programme, only 10 per cent have budgeted financial support to those programmes.

“If you don’t measure, you don’t you have any substantive understanding of where things stand or a benchmark by which to gauge success,” said Maura Regan, president, Licensing International. “This research is the crucial first step in creating real, lasting change in our companies and the global licensing community as a whole.”

The full research study is now available for download at www.LicensingInternational.org.

Following the presentation of the research results, newly elected Licensing International Board Member Steven Wolfe Pereira, CEO and co-founder of Encantos, was joined by Petco’s chief marketing officer Tariq Hassan, for a screenside chat about what it means to create an organization that is truly inclusive and how to go about doing it.

“You cannot only do this from executive-level down,” said Hassan. “If you want to tell people to bring their authentic selves to work, you’ve got to allow them to have a place to express it, and you’ve got to allow it to then influence the decisions of the company. … ‘You don’t have to ask for permission to be who you are’ – we have to create a culture that celebrates that insistence. When you put it that way, it stops being about what’s wrong, and it focuses on the energy and creativity of what’s right.”

The panelists who participated in the third part of the event echoed that sentiment, and shared details about how they are nurturing diversity at their own companies. They included: Bryony Bouyer, senior vice president, Diversity & Inclusion and Multicultural Strategy at Hasbro; Cindy Levitt, senior vice president of Licensing, Mad Engine LLC; Dolores Ordas, vice president of People and Culture, Mad Engine LLC; and Eric Ueno, SVP of Human Resources of Hot Topic Inc.

Much of the conversation throughout the event centered on where and how organisations can start to take action. To that end, Licensing International is proud to share its new Diversity & Inclusion Toolkit, developed in conjunction with the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media.

For the next month, Licensing International is making this Toolkit available to the global licensing community at large, after which time it will continue to be available to Licensing International members and partner trade organizations.