BBC Exec to Chair License This! Panel

Brand Licensing Europe has announced the judging panel for this year’s License This! Challenge.

Richard Hollis, licensing sales director, consumer products, BBC Worldwide will chair the panel. He is joined by Helen Howells, joint managing director, Hoho Entertainment; Jay Young, vice president, creative EMEA, Warner Bros. Consumer Products EMEA; and Warren Traeger, licensing manager, London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games.

“It is a great pleasure to chair this competition and to be joined by such a strong panel of industry experts,” says Hollis. “Since its launch, License This! has made a significant impact on its finalists, all of whom have already gone on to develop their brands, many with great licensing deals now signed. It’s a fantastic launch platform, and a useful vehicle for creators to receive advice from experts in the industry. The panel and I look forward to reviewing new concepts, and finding a great new brand.”

Now in its third year, this “Dragon’s Den”-style challenge offers those with new creative concepts the opportunity to break into the global licensing industry. The competition is open to any new property that has its roots in publishing, art and design, television or digital media and has no merchandising deals in place or pending.

The judges will select a shortlist of four entries, which will be pitched to the panel in front of a live audience at BLE on Oct. 18. The License This! winner will receive a fully-furnished stand at Brand Licensing Europe 2013, worth £4,500, so that the new property can be brought back to market next year.

Since winning the competition in 2010, art property Animaru has gone on to sign a number of licensing partners including deals with Optipak for optical products, Hedge Betty for apparel lines and The Binary Box for children's wall stickers.

2011 finalist Turizmo, represented by agent JELC, has signed its first licensing agreement with the Australian digital avatar company Mishme Enterprises. Last year's winner, How to... for the Inept, will exhibit its expanded range at this year’s show.

Property creators/owners can enter the License This! challenge now by completing the entry form at www.brandlicensing.eu. Brand Licensing Europe will take place from October 16–18 at London’s Olympia.