7 minute read
Special Feature - BLE Preview
Putting the ‘E’ in BLE
Brand Licensing Europe is returning to the ExCel London from 7th-9th October, with an agenda that is really putting an emphasis on the European element of the show. Toy World’s Caroline Tonks sat down with Anna Knight, SVP Global Licensing, and Laura Freedman-Dagg, head of Retail, to talk all things BLE and discover what is on the cards for this year’s show.
Brand Licensing Europe (BLE) is just around the corner, with a soon-to-be packed show floor full of new and returning exhibitors. This is the only pan-European event dedicated to licensing and brand extension, and brings together retailers, licensees and manufacturers for three days of deal-making, networking and trend spotting. With over 250 exhibiting companies and hundreds of brands from all over the world on show, this year is set to build upon previous iterations.
“This year, we’re making improvements to our meeting service which is a really important part of the event to help people plan and make the most of BLE,” says Anna Knight. “Visitors will see improvements in the functionality when they log in and how it helps them navigate the show, which can be challenging.”
In 2025, the show will be really leaning in to the ‘E’ in BLE – the European element of Brand Licensing. Anna has been working closely with visitors and exhibitors from an array of European countries to make sure they will have their needs met and everything will reflect what they want to see. Off the back of those conversations, there will be some key improvements being made to the show.
All the major studios from last year’s show will be returning in 2025. Visitors will see exhibitor space from the likes of Warner Brothers, Paramount, Hasbro, Mattel, Universal, Pokémon and Sega all on one floor. As ever, strong retail attendance is anticipated: in terms of toy retailers, representation is expected from the likes of The Entertainer, Argos, Amazon, Poundland, Harrods, John Lewis and MyFirstYears. Major players from the toy space - including Mattel, Hasbro, Jazwares, the Lego Group and Asmodee - will all be exhibiting. In terms of new exhibitors, there will be a wide range of different companies on show for the first time, including new companies coming into the animation space from areas such as Asia and Eastern Europe.
There will also be a new theatre hosting a variety of presentations this year: the Licence Global Theare. This is where the keynotes and trend, data-driven sessions will be held. The keynote on the first day of the show will be presented by Mattel, which will be leading the conversation alongside Amazon Studios, discussing the relaunch of Masters of the Universe. They’ll be taking a different angle this year, discussing how to successfully bring a franchise back to market – exploring the creative process behind the strategy, and what it means for the consumer products range. The keynote will cover everything from conception to store.
A new area that was first launched at Licensing Expo in May is the Networking Hub, where visitors will have access to networking sessions, from speed networking and ice breaker sessions to happy hours, one-on-one content and sessions on how to do business in different countries with the show’s partners from Licensing International.
On the travel and logistics side, the BLE team works hard to support its international attendees so they can fully maximise their trip. Services on offer include a hotel booking facility where visitors can access preferential rates and optimal availability, while there is also clear information on travel options and details of how to get to the venue. On top of that, it’s about making sure that people plan their time efficiently to make the most of the show. This preview issue of Toy World showcases the key licensing companies exhibiting at BLE, with details of the properties they’ll be focusing on at the show. “In addition,” explains Anna “all attendees can access the meetings service, plan their schedules in advance and ensure that they don’t start looking at their diaries with seven days to go and wonder why they can’t get appointments.”
A big change this year which international attendees should be aware of is the need for anyone coming from outside the UK to check if they require an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) – a new layer of security enforced at UK borders. It is essentially a temporary visa to come to the UK (very similar to the ESTA required to enter the US). An ETA costs £16 and last for two years or until the holder’s passport expires, whichever is sooner. Anna states: “We’ve highlighted this new initiative on the BLE website, but I’ve been very conscious to advise everyone to do this early and not be surprised by it.” Visitor who require an ETA should apply in good time at www.gov.uk/eta/apply.
As in previous years, Laura Freedman-Dagg has worked hard to make the retail industry understand how important BLE is for them. She says: “It’s a retail show; we are doubling down on that. We’ve had incredible retail attendance the last few years, so our big focus is maintaining those visitors’ experience and making sure they come back, with access to the same level of quality exhibitors that they’ve met previously.
“I don’t have to do much more than put our exhibitors in front of retailers and make sure they can meet with them easily. They need to know they can access the major exhibitors at the show. They need to reach out, plan their show, talk to us and understand what they want to achieve.”
For BLE exhibitors, Laura states that it is crucial that they’ve completed the survey which has gone out to everyone, which essentially asks them who their key targets are across retail and manufacturers. It also asks them about category focuses, with all this information going straight into BLE’s campaigns, allowing the team to encourage the most relevant retailers to attend. “We know we’ve got a lot of retailers coming along, but we want to make sure that we attract the right people,” she adds. “It’s a matchmaking job. We are always looking for new potential retailers to invite, so we rely on that insight from exhibitors.”
Exhibitors should have already shared with Laura what will be happening on their stand, whether that may be something experiential or a new launch. In turn, she has used this information to let retailers know what will be happening in advance. “We run smaller events in the UK before the show. The exhibitors need to be front of mind for the retailers as they plan, and anything they can do to shout about what they’re doing is so useful. They should be in front of the audience before, during and after the show.” Indeed, both Toy World and Licensing.biz will be highlighting the latest news ahead of the event, as well as bringing updates from the show each day and in the weeks following BLE.
On site, it is all about listening to retailers and understanding their core objectives. “Our retail audience is really diverse. Some arrive at the show ready to go and they understand brand licensing and will hit exhibitors with all their questions and demands. ‘What can you give me?’ ‘Where are your fans?’ ‘What’s their profile?’ There’s a lot that will come with that level of readiness. They’re like consumers, and they’re excited about being at BLE.”
Ultimately, the end goal is for exhibitors to engage with retailers and licensees with a genuine partnership conversation that goes both ways.
Laura concludes: “This year, we know we’re going to wow the retail and licensee attendees with the brands and exhibitors we have on-site, helping the right people to find each other and develop those connections.”
Team Toy World will see you there. In the meantime, over the following pages you’ll find a comprehensive round-up of the leading brands in the Kids & Family space to check out at the show.
