Licensing Expo Sees Attendance Surge

Advanstar Licensing, organizers of Licensing Expo, saw another successful show earlier this month with a 33 percent increase in retail attendance, and a 27 percent increase in attendance among licensees, and advertising and sales promotion professionals.

From June 17-19, 15,702 licensing professionals attended the show, representing a 5 percent increase from last year’s event, according to internal numbers collected by Advanstar. The show featured 482 exhibiting companies and more press attended than ever before, with 120 journalists working the show and covering news from those exhibitors.

Attendance from retailers saw the biggest boost, with representatives from Target, Kohl’s, Amazon, Pottery Barn, J.C. Penney, Old Navy, Claire’s, Cost Plus World Market, Best Buy, Forever 21, Walmart, Hot Topic meeting with exhibitors. International retailers were also well represented including Tesco, H&M, El Palacio de Hierro, Argos, Toys ‘R’ Us Asia, Liverpool, BHS, Debenhams America, C&A Brasil, Falabella, Soriana and Myer Department Stores.

The show also experienced a growth in licensor exhibitors, touting the most ever in the show’s history.

All product categories were strongly represented, as well, from toys and games to automotive, mobile and home décor. Significant increases in attendance were seen for the second year in apparel and accessories (up 14 percent), food and beverage (up 12 percent) and publishing (up 10 percent).

The show, sponsored by the International Licensing Industry Merchandisers’ Association, also saw attendance from China increase by 69 percent and a 38 percent rise in attendees from Japan. Licensing Expo continued to attract people who are the licensing decision-makers within their organization, with 90 percent of attendees holding that key role. 

Highlights from the show included the opening keynote address from DreamWorks Animation co-founder and chief executive officer, Jeffrey Katzenberg, the Motorsports Café sponsored by Shell, the Opening Night Party co-hosted by the Country Music Association and sponsored by NFL Players Inc. and LIMA and The Big Interview Q&A session with actress and House of Harlow 1960 creative director Nicole Richie. 

“We focused our marketing efforts for this year’s show on bringing more retailers to Licensing Expo, and we’re thrilled the hard work paid off,” says Jessica Blue, vice president, Licensing Expo. “So much business was being done and the feedback on the quality of the attendees was overwhelmingly positive. The Advanstar Licensing team has already started to build on this success for 2015.”

More than 70 percent of the 2014 floor space was re-booked for 2015 at the June show, a testament to the success of the event.

Licensing Expo 2015 will take place June 9-11, 2015, at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nev.