BLE Launches Toy, Health and Beauty, and Housewares Showcases and Property Finder

Advanstar's Brand Licensing Europe, which takes place in London in September, is launching three product showcase areas for 2009 designed to highlight how licensing opportunities can translate into merchandising programs.

The exhibition is also introducing a Property Finder for this year's show, after research revealed that visitors would like more help identifying the rights' owners of the properties at the show.

The Toy Store, Salon and House & Home showcases will display licensed products for the first time at BLE. Each area aims to give retailers, licensees and sales promotion agents an insight into the innovative licensed products that hit the market each year and a taste of the new properties that are launching during the exhibition. Each product will be labeled to identify the brand owner and its stand number.  

"The three new showcases are being introduced in response to feedback from our visitor research that shows people want to see more product at BLE," explains event director Jessica Blue. "There's no question that Olympia is the only place where retailers and manufacturers can find the hottest properties and licensing opportunities throughout Europe, but research suggested that seeing more product would help retailers make the connection between the licensing concept and its product and marketing potential, and provide inspiration for manufacturers, especially when it may be years before some licensed goods make it in-store."

All BLE exhibitors are eligible to display products in the showcases, which will be positioned close to visitor seating areas within the hall. Sponsorship packages for the three areas are available.

"While retailers and manufacturers are becoming more aware of the business opportunities the licensing industry offers, with over 2,000 properties on display, it's impossible to know each one inside out," says Blue of the new Property Finder. "The Property Finder will clearly identify the brand owners, stand numbers and licensing categories relating to each property at the show and will be placed in strategic positions throughout the hall to help visitors find their way to the right stands and see as many exhibitors, properties and products as possible."

Brand Licensing Europe 2009 takes place on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 at Olympia's Grand Hall in London.

For more news or information about Brand Licensing Europe, please click here.