In partnership with InventHelp and sponsored by WestEnd Software, License This! is a global competition culminating at Licensing Expo Virtual. The competition provides select illustrators, designers, animators and product inventors with the unique opportunity to pitch their concepts in front of a panel of expert judges. The competition finale can be viewed on demand.

The License This! competition’s 2021 judging panel comprises 18 senior executives from across the industry, including Bioworld Merchandising, Boat Rocker Studio, Crayola, FYE, Hallmark, Licensing International, Lisa Mark Associates, Product Counsel, PowerStation Studios and Redbubble in addition to partner InventHelp and official sponsor WestEnd Software.

Each contestant provided a short video intro explaining the origins of their brand, the work they have already done to launch their product and future licensing plans for their creations. Judges then asked contestants questions about how the product works or to tie up any loose ends that may not have been answered from the pitch deck.

“I thoroughly enjoyed being a part of this year’s panel,” says Steven Ekstract, managing director of global licensing advisors and chair, License This! Judges. “We are really excited to announce the winners and wish them all the very best of luck.”

 
The winners are:

License This! Character & Animation winners:

·       Emily Blumenthal & Lindsay Kaye Lippman, The Charmsters, a diversity-based animation brand.

License This! Brand & Design winner:

·       Xavier Smith, Kujifunzakids, children’s animation brand. Iitribesentertainment.com

License This! Innovations & Product Innovation winner:

·       Lawrence Canada, The Goodie Jar, a snack food brand. Thegoodiejar.com

Along with the consultation and turnkey booth, winners will also receive a one-year Licensing International membership, one-year Products of Change membership and exclusively to the winner of the Inventions & Product Innovations category – consultation with InventHelp.

“We at the Goodie Jar are excited to have been chosen as the License This! Winner,” says Lawrence Canada, The Goodie Jar. “This is a ‘DREAM’ coming to fruition. We look forward to the opportunities and experiences that accompany this accomplishment at the Licensing Expo.”

Brand Licensing Europe’s (BLE) popular License This! competition, which has been running for over a decade, is now open for entries and announces a new third award category: Inventions & Product Innovations.