Brand Licensing Europe 2023 Content Agenda Announced

Brand Licensing Europe (BLE) has announced the content agenda for its 2023 event, which takes place Oct. 4-6 at London’s ExCeL. The full BLE 2023 content agenda, including speakers, is available now. All sessions are free to attend and focus on the trends defining brand licensing, extensions and collaborations with sector-specific sessions, covering gaming, location-based experiences, fashion, food & beverage, anime and animation. Seating is allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, so arrive early to avoid disappointment.

The news follows the announcement that BLE’s opening day keynote will be, “Passing GO: Bringing the world’s #1 board game to life,” and will feature Matt Proulx, vice president, LBE, Hasbro, and David Hutchinson, chief executive officer, The Path Entertainment Group.

The Day Two keynote features a fireside chat with Nails.INC founder Thea Green MBE.

Last week, Brand Licensing Europe confirmed a host of new exhibitors, a new Licensee Pavilion and Advice Centre, while thousands of exhibitor and visitor meetings have been requested and visitor and retail registrations tracking ahead of last year.

Register for your free visitor ticket for Brand Licensing Europe 2023.

Brand Licensing Europe 2023 Content Agenda

License Global Theatre 

Wednesday, Oct. 4

9:15-9:45 a.m.: Brand Licensing Europe Orientation Session & Licensing 101
This session is a must-attend for new attendees flying solo or previous attendees eager to see what is new this year. You’ll also get key information on the basics of licensing.

Anna Knight, senior vice president, licensing, Global Licensing Group, Informa Markets
Susan Bolsover, managing director, founder, Lightbulb Licensing
9:45-10 a.m.: Brand Licensing Europe Tour 
Join members of the BLE team to tour the show floor, discover the must-attend activations and know where to go or whom to ask for help or advice. The tour is open to anyone visiting the show for the first time or those who need a refresher.

10-10:30 a.m.: State of the Nation: The Licensing Landscape of 2024

License Global takes a deep dive into the latest trends, spotlights the strategies brands, agents and licensees are adopting for 2024 and the collaborations defining the future of licensing. 

11-11:30 a.m.: Building Trust to Enhance and Drive Value in Brand Licensing Partnerships 

Panel conversation with PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers)to discuss how organizations can drive greater value in their brand licensing partnerships. This will provide insights on how to build trust in licensing arrangements and strategies for enhancing value and strengthening relationships between brand owners and licensees. 

11:45-12:15 p.m.: Couture Culture: How to Curate Impactful Fashion Collaborations  

SECTION 1: IMPS – The Smurfs 

An introduction to IMPS – The Smurfs, what makes it unique and how its history enables “outside the box” fashion collabs. Examples from two recent collabs with Emporio Armani and PUMA 

SECTION 2: COMING SOON 

12:30-1:15 p.m.: KEYNOTE: Passing GO: Bringing the World’s #1 Board Game to Life.
Hasbro and The Path Entertainment Group explore the creative pursuit, potential and problem-solving required to turn MONOPOLY into one of the most talked-about activations on the experience market today. Find out more about the day one Brand Licensing Europe keynote.

Brand Licensing Europe 2023 "Monopoly: Lifesized" Keynote

2-2:30 p.m.: Location-Based Experiences Trends
LBE is a $3.29 billion market and is expected to grow 30% to 2030. The experience economy is of growing importance to licensors and brand owners to create experiences for fans and customers to engage with their brands in new and exciting ways. Find out the key trends impacting LBE in this session from a brand, operator and media perspective.

2:45-3:15 p.m.: Milano Cortina 2026 Licensing: Once in a Lifetime

During the session, Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026 will introduce the next Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, hosted in Italy, starting February 2026 and will present the unique and exclusive licensing opportunities to join the Games and to be an active part of the whole project.

3:30-4 p.m.: What’s the State of Play in Sports Licensing?
A look at the sports licensing landscape and what led to sports becoming the third-largest licensing category. The global licensed sports merchandise market is expected to reach $49 billion by 2030. This session will explore what new opportunities this presents and the trends to be aware of. 

4:15-5 p.m.: Ignite Brand Pitches
Open to all signed Brand Licensing Europe exhibitors, the new Ignite Brand Pitches session will spotlight five unlicensed brands looking to break into the licensing industry. Join this fast-paced session to hear them speed-pitch live.

Thursday, Oct. 5

9:15-9:45 a.m.: Brand Licensing Europe Orientation Session & Licensing 101 

10-10:30 a.m.: Why Gaming is Taking Over the World
License Global spotlights the entertainment medium that has now captured the imagination of over 3 billion people. We break down the platform’s power, the potential for collaboration, the success stories dominating the market, the immersion of digital storytelling and how brands can engage the global fandom at play.  

10:30-noon: Crunchyroll: Amplifying Anime’s Global Impact, LOCATION: PLATINUM SUITE

Crunchyroll, a leader in anime streaming and distribution, is inviting you to an insightful journey into the world of the cultural phenomenon that is Japanese anime and the remarkable impact it has achieved globally. 

Featuring speakers from Crunchyroll’s consumer products team 

11-11:45 a.m.: Story Board: Why Europe is an Exciting Market of Animation, IP and Storytelling.
From Lithuania to Ukraine and beyond, the European region is emerging as a new hub for smash-hit intellectual animation properties.  

Noon-12:45 p.m.: KEYNOTE: Thea Green Talks Beauty, Retail and Experiential Engagement 

Thea Green, founder, Nails.INC, joins Ben Roberts, EMEA content director, License Global, for a fireside chat with audience Q&A. Find out more about the Day Two Brand Licensing Europe keynote.

Thea Green MBE, Nails.INC

2-2:45 p.m.: LBE: How to Master the Experience Economy
Location-based experiences have created a new layer of engagement for fans and families worldwide, but how can brands navigate the market, find the right format to maintain authenticity and work with best-in-class partners?  

3-3:30 p.m.: Navigating the Food Aisle

Three of Europe’s biggest licensing agents will dive into some of the most successful food and beverage deals, partnerships and collaborations in the past 12 months. 

3:45-4:15 p.m.: Partners, Promotion and Protection 
As a customer-centric company, Amazon works hard to earn and maintain customer trust. That trust includes making sure customers know that when they shop on Amazon, they are choosing from authentic and safe products. This panel provides insight on how to eliminate licensee disruptions, promote brands and licensees and protect against infringement and counterfeits on Amazon stores.  

Friday Oct. 6

BLE and License Global’s Day of Purpose  

From social responsibility to sustainability and brand ethics, Day Three of Brand Licensing Europe – in partnership with Products of Change and Diversity.Org – is a platform for change and a catalyst for good.  
9:15-9:45 a.m.: Products of Change Session
Session will be confirmed shortly.
10-2:15 p.m.: Diversity Bridge in Partnership with Diversity.Org

Diversity Bridge connects students from underrepresented communities to career opportunities, empowering them to rise to their potential and find success. Working alongside Diversity Org and members of the licensing community, we will welcome 60 students to BLE to take part in this program educating them on the potential of brand licensing as a sector and a career choice.

This content agenda is subject to change and the full program will be released shortly. Visit the Brand Licensing Europe website for the latest BLE 2023 content agenda.

Register for your free visitor ticket for Brand Licensing Europe 2023.