54-55 FOL LSB 2020_muk.qxp_NEW LSB 2008 GRID 24/09/2020 17:10 Page 55
FESTIVAL OF LICENSING
then Asia (14-15) and the Americas (20-22), and culminating with the Licensing Leadership Summit Csuite conference (28-29). The visitor split is expected to be around 40% licensee, 33% brand owner/agent, 15% retailer, 8% professional services and 4% advertising, creative or marketing. Following on from the success at Licensing Week Virtual in June - where almost 3,000 meetings were pre-booked - the popular Matchmaking service will be replicated for the Festival. “At Festival, attendees will have thousands of opportunities to meet, do business and strike deals in the Festival Matchmaking Service, enabling both pre-planned online video meetings and impromptu drop-ins within exhibitor booths,” explains Anna. “Retailers and licensees will be able to request an unlimited number of meetings with exhibitors. IP owners, agents, consultants who choose to attend, but not exhibit will be charged a nominal fee to request meetings using the service. There is also a drop-in video meetings function during the event to catch those that they may have missed. “It’s important to mention that Matchmaking is event-specific, and attendees will only gain access to exhibitors exhibiting within that territory event.” Anna is hopeful that both exhibitors and attendees will really maximise the Festival platform and what’s on offer. “The big lesson we learnt [from Licensing Week Virtual] is how much time we need to spend
educating customers so they can maximise the potential of the virtual environment: how exhibitors can make the most of their online presence, and how attendees can use the platform to make connections,” she says. “We’ve made huge improvements to this for Festival, including holding a series of webinars for exhibitors and visitors. Our customer services team is also reaching out to all exhibitors to lend a hand.” Ultimately, of course, Anna wants the Festival to deliver ROI to exhibitors and attendees most of all: “I’d like them to be able to have productive conversations using the matchmaking meetings service; I’d like them to be able to access the content both ‘live’ and at a time that suits them and gain something from those sessions; I’d like them to have some fun through our evening events and take a break with Community & Wellbeing.” Anna concludes: “Most importantly, I’d like everyone to embrace virtual and realise that although it can never replace face to face contact, it’s an alternative that can deliver results right now.”
License to Move Sponsored by ViacomCBS Consumer Products, License to Move is a global charity fundraiser designed to get the industry moving forward and giving back. Individuals and teams from within the industry are invited to make a donation and pledge to move a combined distance of 19,663km. This equates to almost halfway round the world (that’s 40,075 km, by the way) and the distance from London to Shanghai then on to Las Vegas – the locations of Brand Licensing Europe, Licensing Expo Shanghai and Licensing Expo, the three regional events powering the first three weeks of Festival of Licensing. Donations will be split equally between three charities - The Light Fund, Magic Wheelchair and the Licensing International Small Business Global Grants Fund. The team is encouraging everyone to tag photos and videos of their ‘moves’ with #licensetomove on social media as soon as they have pledged. Highlights will then be posted on the Community & Wellbeing page on www.festivaloflicensing.com. LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2020
55