License Global: Just two weeks to go, how is the event coming along?

Anna Knight: It’s going to be a fantastic show this year and I am so proud of how it is coming together. We have more than 2,500 meetings confirmed so far, and more being booked each day – the pace is really starting to pick up so people should start booking as diaries are filling fast!

In terms of attendees there are thousands of high-quality licensees and retailers registered already including Hot Topic, Hallmark, Amazon, Mad Engine, Alibaba, Jakks Pacific, Claire’s, Tomy International, Ravensburger and General Mills to name a few. We are also seeing international registrations from Abysse Corp, The Royal Mail, Primark, El Corte Ingles and more thanks to the convenient virtual format allowing the global licensing community to take part.

Who are some of the latest names to join the exhibitor list? What are other household names attendees can expect to meet?

I’m pleased to say that we have almost 200 exhibiting companies confirmed, with new ones still coming in each day so make sure to check the exhibitor list regularly for the latest additions. The Country Music Association, Global Icons, H3 Sportwear, Bridging Group Korea are some of the latest names added to the growing list and will be joining Beanstalk, Brand Central, Brandgenuity, Buzzfeed, Epic Rights, ITV Studios, Mattel, Penguin Random House, SEGA and many more.

Most importantly, our IP Directory contains well over 1,000 brands covering every category for attendees to discover and search through, including everything from NSYNC, Avatar, Garfield, “Call of Duty,” Minecraft, Peanuts, South Park, Crash Bandicoot, Sesame Street, Star Trek all the way through to 7UP, Banana Republic, Route 66, Harvard, Cheetos, Cap’n Crunch, Assaf Frank Photography, Girls Scouts of USA and thousands more ranging across entertainment, art, corporate and lifestyle brands. It’s never been more convenient to discover the widest range of brands for license all in one place, and our improved search function makes this so quick and easy!

What is new at this year’s event? What can attendees look forward to?

We have some amazing highlights for this year and an exciting agenda focused on the latest industry trends.

New to Licensing Expo includes the Digital Brand Roadshows that aim to highlight compelling brands and IP via a common theme, spotlighted in panel conversations broadcast live at the event. Categories for the 2021 event include:

Other live content offered at the event will include two exclusive keynotes on the first and third day from industry giants:

Additionally, attendees can join us live for the Licensing Awards, produced by Licensing International on Day 1 and License This! Finale on Day 2.  Both are a great way to celebrate the industry so invite everyone to watch! You need to be registered to access both so sign up today.

Finally, registered attendees can make the most from our live ‘Ask Me Anything’ sessions with retail experts on Days 1 and 3. We look forward to welcoming speakers from Retail Monster, IT’SUGAR, Nogin, The Brand Liaison, Pocket.Watch, ACI Licensing and more.

On top of this exciting live content, we have plenty on content available on-demand to bring the industry all the latest trends in one place thanks to:

Keeping one of the best for last, our Licensing U program in partnership with Licensing International is the most comprehensive way for newcomers to the industry to learn everything they need to know with our 20+ sessions covering everything from the basics of licensing to spotlights on the latest topics, all the way through to more advanced tactics and strategies to really excel in this industry. Attendees are invited to buy their pass ahead of the event to secure it at the best rate.

All on-demand content will go live from Monday, Aug. 16 and be available on-demand for three months after the event ends to give everyone more time to prioritize meetings during the live three days and catch-up on the trends at the time that suits them; however, we encourage you to participate live to ask questions and interact live with speakers.

Can you share your top tips to get the most from the event?

Absolutely – we’ve done a lot of work over the past months to optimize the virtual platform to focus on IP discovery and connections, as our ultimate goal is to help to bring together brands and products in a seamless way and enable new partnerships. My top tips for the event would be:

I hosted a webinar with Licensing International last week to give an overview of the event, a demo of the platform, top tips and more – you can watch it on-demand here for a more comprehensive overview: https://licensinginternational.wistia.com/medias/p6mrljvwlo

What else is in store for the rest of the year?

We have a busy calendar for the rest of the year, with our Brand & Licensing Innovation Summit coming to New York this October. We recently announced the first speakers and program overview so check out the news here if you missed it. Don’t miss out on reconnecting in-person this fall – the Early Bird rate ends Sept. 10, so secure your place today at the best rate.

And of course, November will see the return of Brand Licensing Europe – plans are in full swing, and we can’t wait to welcome the European industry in-person later this year.