Tag Archives: SILC

Brand & Licensing Innovation Summit postponed

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The organisers of B&LIS Europe have issued an update about the event, which was due to take place on 21 June, 2022.

Due to national rail strikes on June 21, 23 & 25, and a London tube strike on June 21, the event will now take place later in the year, at a date to be confirmed shortly.

The Sustainability in Licensing Conference, which was slated for 22 June, is also being postponed and will now take place on 18 October 2022.

If you have booked a ticket for B&LIS, you will be issued with a full refund. If you have booked a ticket for B&LIS and SILC, the organisers will refund 50% of the ticket price and leave the remaining 50% to go towards the postponed SILC date. If you are unable to make the postponed date, contact the organisers for a full refund. All questions should be directed to the B&LIS customer service team at brandlicensinginnovationsummitcs@informa.com.

Brand & Licensing Innovation Summit agenda revealed

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The agenda for the 2022 European Brand & Licensing Innovation Summit (B&LIS) is now live, featuring interactive panel discussions and workshops to help delegates evaluate, shape and maximise opportunities around the future brand licensing and retail landscape.

B&LIS returns on 21 June after debuting virtually last year and takes place the day before SiLC (Sustainability in Licensing Conference) to create a brand new two-day event for European industry leaders and decision makers held at the Royal Geographical Society in West London.

Tickets are available to buy now with special rates available for two-day in-person passes for B&LIS and SiLC, with additional discounts for Licensing International and Products of Change members.

Tackling trends including consumer spending, Web 3.0, NFTs and the Metaverse, the role of purpose, and addressing challenges with the licensing supply chain as a whole, the B&LIS sessions will spotlight how brands can create successful post-pandemic retail and licensing strategies with the first few speakers confirmed from KidsKnowBest, Hunter Price, Asda, TrendBible, The Point 1888, The Smiley Company and Products of Change.

The sessions will run from 0930 – 1730 on 21 June, followed by a drinks reception in the evening. The current programme is as follows: 

08:00     Registration Opens

09:20     Introduction from Global Licensing Group

09:30     Evaluating the Modern Brand Landscape

Start the day by setting the scene on some of the key trends coming through in licensing. License Global, alongside other knowledge partners, will unveil exclusive insights into their new and reimagined Top 150 Licensors report, the only research of its kind focused on global licensing brands and trends that will be released later in the summer.

10:10     Leaders Panel: Building a Post-Pandemic Retail & Licensing Strategy

A panel of industry leaders will air their expectations, hopes and fears for a post-Covid future as it relates to retail, whilst giving an insight into the long-term opportunities for licensing and where they will be placing their bets for the coming years. This session will address:

–             Which trends have been accelerated by the pandemic?

–             How do you stay competitive and remain ahead of trends?

–             What new opportunities are emerging for the licensing industry?

10:50     Following the Money: How The New Age of Consumers Spends

The panel will focus their discussion on Gen Z and millennials; where you can find them, what they want, and provide an understanding on how they engage with brands in new and more meaningful ways. Find out how to tap into platforms such as TikTok, YouTube and Snapchat, how to choose the right influencer for your brand, and enjoy practical examples from others who have done this successfully.

11:45     Everything You Need to Know About Web 3.0

This dynamic session will explore some of the hottest topics in our industry right now and provide you with answers to some of the questions you need answered:

–             NFT, Metaverse, IoT, AR, VR… 101 explanations of what you need to know

–             Why should I care about Web 3.0 and is it here to stay?

–             What are the challenges and opportunities behind these concepts?

–             What new licensing categories will emerge?

12.45     Networking over lunch

13:45     Think Tank: Can the Licensing Process be Rebuilt?

From supply chain challenges to the need for faster speed to market, does the licensing process need to be reviewed? Have your say and submit answers that will influence our panel of speakers as they debate some of the key pain-points in the licensing journey.

This session will include a constructive debate with a cross-industry panel who, alongside the audience, will aim to drive actionable outcomes on improvements that can be carried forwards towards getting meaningful products to consumers at the right time.

14:30     Forecasting the Future of Retail through Consumer Trends

Join this discussion on emerging and future consumer behaviours and understand how they influence the retail space. This session will be structured in two parts:

–             Consumer behaviours post-pandemic: from new lifestyle choices to shopping habits, understand which new categories are emerging and how consumers are spending.

–             Retail strategies post-pandemic: how are these changes impacting retail? From new products categories to creating more meaningful experiences in stores, find out how retailers are tackling some of these trends and what they can mean for your brand.

15:45     Category Breakout Sessions

To provide additional depth around emerging categories, join our interactive roundtables as they spotlight them in more detail. Hear a case study and take part in a Q&A discussion with a choice from three categories.

16:30     The Good Fight: How Purpose Breeds Success

What is purpose and why is it important to businesses and customers? What differences can it make? Our panel of industry change makers will debate how leading with purpose can create a competitive advantage for licensors, retailers and licensees alike. Understand what role the licensing industry has to play and most importantly, what opportunities this can create.

17:30     Closing Remarks

17:30     Evening Drinks Reception

Brand, retail, consumer trend and licensing experts who would like to take part as a panellist are invited to contact Ella Haynes at ella.haynes@informa.com ASAP.

“As the industry continues to navigate the ever-changing content landscape and consumer behaviour, the Brand & Licensing Innovation Summit is a critical opportunity to connect with business leaders to discuss, share and learn from one another,” says Anna Knight, VP Licensing, Informa Markets.

“B&LIS will deliver a full schedule filled with practical, action-oriented sessions to help give delegates’ businesses the tools they needs to make the most of new licensing opportunities and maximise impact at retail.”

B&LIS one day tickets are priced at £275 and can be purchased from Brand & Licensing Innovation Summit Europe.  SiLC tickets one-day tickets are priced at £275 and can be purchased from Sustainability in Licensing Conference. POC and Licensing International members can enjoy a 20% discount on these rates (non-cumulative). Alternatively, two-day tickets can be purchased from either site for the discounted rate of £525.

To find out about sponsorship opportunities at the B&LIS Europe 2022 event, fill out this short form.

B&LIS & SiLC unite to create two-day licensing conference in June

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Two leading European licensing conferences are uniting this summer with the aim of providing business leaders and decision makers with action-oriented, thought-provoking content on the future of the licensing industry and create a critical moment in the diary to enable knowledge sharing and networking.

Brand & Licensing Innovation Summit Europe (B&LIS), organised by Informa Markets, the team behind Brand Licensing Europe, and the Sustainability in Licensing Conference (SiLC), presented by Products of Change, will make their in-person debuts on 21 and 22 June (respectively) at London’s Royal Geographical Society following successful virtual programmes in 2021 attended by hundreds of international delegates.

B&LIS will kick-off the two-day conference on 21 June and will spotlight retail and future trends through interactive panel discussions as it tackles next-gen topics such as NFTs, the Metaverse, the ever-changing content landscape, breakthrough licensing categories and how to maximise opportunities at retail.

The following day, SiLC will bring sustainability to the fore on 22 June, deep-diving into crucial issues such as sustainable supply chains, driving social change through entertainment, leading brands, retail treatment and best practice from licensees and suppliers, showcasing what is required of business to be ‘future fit’.

The resulting event is set to be a critical date in the diary for global leaders and decision-makers from the world of brands and consumer products to enjoy panel discussions, live Q&As and roundtables, as well as a lively networking reception on both evenings to build new connections in-person.

“B&LIS and SiLC share the same ethos: a desire to deliver genuinely thought-provoking, action-led content that has the power to challenge leaders and drive positive and profitable decision-making in relation to everything from product development and distribution to consumer engagement and commerce,” says Anna Knight, VP of licensing, Informa Markets. “Uniting the two events means we can create a key moment in the summer when European licensing leaders can connect, learn and share, while also saving on time and travel.”

Amplifying Anna’s belief, Helena Mansell-Stopher, Founder and CEO at Products of Change, adds: “Never before has our industry needed to transition at the scale that is required to achieve the 2030 and 2050 Global Goals. This transition provides both an opportunity to create the future of how the industry operates, as well as commercially benefiting business. SiLC will bring visibility of new solutions, discuss how to implement and showcase new future technologies to lead the industry to a profitable and sustainable future.”

B&LIS one-day tickets are priced at £275 and can be purchased from Brand &Licensing Innovation Summit Europe.  SiLC tickets one-day tickets are priced at £275 and can be purchased from Sustainability in Licensing Conference. POC and Licensing International members can enjoy a 20% discount on these rates (non-cumulative). Alternatively, two-day tickets can be purchased from either site for the discounted rate of £525.

Sustainability in Licensing Conference confirms its return for 2021

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The Sustainability in Licensing Conference has confirmed its return for 2021 with plans to take place at The British Library in London while dual-cast digitally across the SILC21 digital platform.

Breaking new ground in the licensing industry when it launched last year, the 2021 edition of the conference is scheduled to take place on June 24 this year. The event is once again aimed at everyone in the licensing arena, from retailers to licensors, licensees to trade suppliers.

Launched by Max Publishing along with Products of Change (the online membership platform for sustainable advancement within the industry) and curated by Helena Mansell-Stopher – an experienced licensing executive and founder of Products of Change, SILC 2021 will aim to inspire and inform as to how the sector can continue to innovate and grow commercially while not costing the planet.

The agenda will see leading lights and visionaries from outside and within the industry as well as retail experts, all sharing their inspiring achievements and demonstrating the gains, both environmentally and financially, that can be made.

“It has been amazing to learn of the businesses that were inspired by the speakers last year and have since implemented those learnings into actionable sustainable change, and it’s because of this I am extremely proud to curate the 2021 line up,” said Mansell-Stopher.

“To drive sustainable growth within the licensing industry over the next few decades will require a radical approach to business practices, be it through embracing new materials and production techniques, re-engineering packaging or adopting new marketing methods, all without sacrificing financial growth. Our aim with SILC 2021 is to help both future-proof our industry and our world.”

Already, a number of leading companies have pledged their official support to SILC 2021, underlining their commitment to change within the industry, including BBC Studios, Warner Bros. Consumer Products, Natural History Museum, ViacomCBS, Hasbro, Character World, TDP Textiles, Dreamtex, Amscan and GB Eye with more due to be announced in the coming weeks.

Products of Change is the headline supporter of SILC 2021.

Sustainability in Licensing Conference to be an all virtual event taking place this November

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The inaugural Sustainability in Licensing Conference is to be staged as a virtual two-day event taking place this November 24th to 25th, with a line up featuring never-seen-before research and findings from across the manufacturing and retailing landscape.

SILC 2020 will be the first event of its kind and promises to deliver a full agenda of inspiring and insightful keynote speeches, panel discussions, and research findings from a vast array of experts, retailers, and visionaries all focused on helping everyone in the licensing community to drive sustainable growth.

In a line-up curated by the conference director, Helena Mansell-Stopher, SILC speakers will include leaders from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Tesco, Asda, Marks and Spencer, Teemil Tech/Rapanui Clothing, Retail Economics, Central Saint Martins, Breakdown Plastics, Wastebusters, Kids Insights and the R&A Sustainable Sporting Events.

Mansell-Stopher said: “While all our personal and business lives continue to be disrupted by Covid-19, by taking SILC onto a digital platform means that we can all continue on our sustainable journey. The commitment we have engendered in SILC, as evidenced by the fabulous line-up of speakers and official supporters, highlights the collective drive for change on the sustainable front while also being aware of the commercial realities.”

James George, network development lead at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation will explain why the circular economy is integral to sustainable growth within the licensing sector, while Martin Drake-Knight, the Co-founder of Rapanui Clothing and Teemil Tech will share how this British entrepreneurial business forged a sustainable fashion revolution with its ‘give back’ scheme.

Meanwhile, on the retail front, Jessica Palalagi, Head of Resource Management at Marks and Spencer will reveal details of its ‘Plan A’; Joe Little, Head of Technical, Fabric, Colour, Sustainability and Technology at F&F, Tesco will share the progress of F&F’s sustainable journey, and Jade Snart, Senior Sustainability Manager George at Asda will reveal the great strides the grocer has made on the environmental front.

Providing some real punch on the commercial side, Richard Lim, Chief Executive Officer of Retail Economics will be demystifying how to unlock sustainable finance.

Click here for the full agenda and speaker information.

The digital format of the conference replaces the physical event that was due to take place at the British Library in London on November 25.

Using the respected Hubilo digital platform, not only will attendees be able to watch the presentations in real time on the 24-25 November, but they can also request video meetings with speakers and other attendees in the afternoons on those days, as well as use a chat function to network with other delegates.

The Conference programme of talks will also be run in its entirety on Thursday 26 November for attendees to view and all presentations will be fully accessible by them until Sunday 29 November.

The cost of attending SILC 2020 is £95 (+VAT) per delegate. Bookings can be made by clicking here.

A great number of leading companies have already pledged their official support to SILC 2020, underlining their commitment to change within the industry.

The Products of Change group is the headline supporter of SILC 2020 while the official supporters include Amscan, BBC Studios, Brandgenuity, Change Plastic for Good, Character World, Discovery, Dreamtex, GB eye, Global Brands Group, Hasbro, MDR Brand Management, Natural History Museum, Smiffys, TDP Textiles, Those Licensing People, University of Oxford, ViacomCBS, and Warner Bros. Consumer Products.

For any more details on booking SILC 2020 contact Clare Hollick of Createvents on clare@createvents.co.uk or 01183 340085.