TOTAL LICENSING CHINA
Smiley announces expansion plans for Greater China The Smiley Company continues to enjoy growth and success in China, 2019 was its best year yet, and this comes after almost a decade of annual growth. Nicolas Loufrani, (pictured), CEO of Smiley, said, “We’ve had great success in China. Thanks to a long-term approach that has allowed us to gain a lot of local knowledge and curate partnerships that we know are likely to work. By collaborating with established partners, who understand our way of working and know how to build a real brand, with a real strategy, we’ve been able to grow the business steadily, laying a platform for the future. China is such a sophisticated market nowadays and to succeed; you need to have the local insight to create relevant products, supported by engaging marketing and do it with
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the right partners, properly supporting them in their efforts to capture the minds of consumers. We have invested a lot of time and resources to build our business in China, exhibiting at the local licensing shows, recruiting
a leading marketing agency in Shanghai and putting a team in on the ground.” Loufrani continues to spend a lot of time in China himself, regularly attending PR and influencer events, trade
