Brand Licensing Europe (BLE) has its opened online platform as organizers confirm more than 180 exhibiting companies and thousands of retailers and manufacturers have registered to attend the event, which takes place Sept. 20-22 at ExCeL London.   

From today, registered BLE attendees can use the online planner to drop off a virtual business card, request a call from exhibitors and search for license-ready brands and the exhibitors who represent them. Attendees can also plan their calendar during the show and book meetings through the Matchmaking function.  

Registered attendees include Amazon, ASOS, Primark, Unilever, Marks & Spencer, Morrisons, HMV, Clementoni, Difuzed, Panini France, DeAgostini and many more.   

BLE is Europe’s leading licensing and brand extension event. This year it is jam-packed with brands, educational sessions, keynotes, networking opportunities, activations and brilliant content bringing this year’s fashion theme to life, including daily catwalk shows.   

The event boasts a wide range of exhibiting companies from around the globe with a strong representation of Europeans and internationals as well as the U.K. Together, they represent thousands of brands, from sports and lifestyle to TV and movie characters and franchises, celebrities and influencers, artists, publishing, music, video games, theme parks, museums and galleries.   

Related:Brand Licensing Europe Launches Annual Country Spotlight Initiative

Brands represented on the show floor include Barbie, Peppa Pig, Care Bears, Sonic the Hedgehog, Banana Republic, Barbapapa, Dobble, The Batman, Peanuts, Bluey, Gudetama, Shaun the Sheep, Asterix, Kellogg’s, Monopoly, V&A Photography, Pringles, Peter Rabbit, Formula 1, Le Petit Prince, UCLA and thousands more. The Brand Directory will help attendees understand who owns each brand’s rights and whom to meet with during the event.   

“The BLE Online Platform is so much more than a meeting facilitator,” says Anna Knight, senior vice president, licensing, Informa Markets. “If you’ve ever wondered who owns the rights to which brands, the Brand Directory allows you to pinpoint who owns what IP. You can also view company profiles, see the content at the show and plan it into your calendar to better manage your time at the event. Having all this in one place is like having a pocket PA – it’s a brilliant tool for maximizing your time at BLE and planning everything ahead of time, so you know exactly what you’re doing and when. You can even build in breaks for browsing, recharging and networking. We have found that the BLE Online Platform is especially appreciated by newcomers to the industry – and to BLE – who know what brands they’re interested in, but not necessarily who owns the rights to that brand, and to determine which days are most relevant to them from a content perspective to maximize ROI.”