Entertainment and character brands are worth more than $104 billion at retail, with licensed products capturing more than $230 billion in total retail sales.

World-renowned brands such as a Doctor Who, Star Trek, Plants vs. Zombies, Pokémon, Dr. Seuss, Barbie, Transformers, Power Rangers, Angry Birds, SpongeBob SquarePants, The Simpsons and many more will be on display at Licensing Expo 2014. This year’s show will take place June 17-19 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nev.

“Licensing Expo marks an important annual event in our business as it brings together the entire industry in one place and allows for meaningful, in-person conversations,” says Pete Yoder, vice president, consumer products, North America, Cartoon Network Enterprises. “Each June, Cartoon Network’s domestic and international licensing teams’ schedules are packed with meetings with current and potential licensing and retail partners, and from those appointments, we’re able to secure new deals. We return this year with news about our core brands including Adventure Time, Ben 10 and the vast Cartoon Network originals portfolio that is sure to energize our partners and create new opportunities.”

The trade show, which is organized by Advanstar Licensing, connects more than 15,000 licensees, manufacturers and retailers with the industry’s most recognizable intellectual properties. Eighty percent of the top global retailers attend in search of exclusive partnerships.

“DreamWorks Animation attends Licensing Expo as a way to showcase our brand for domestic and international retailers and potential licensees. It also serves as a great opportunity to gain perspective on the focus of our competition,” says Michael Connolly, head of global consumer products, DreamWorks Animation. “DWA will be showcasing our autumn/winter priority properties this year and our top seven property initiatives including Penguins, Kung Fu Panda, Where's Waldo?, Trolls, B.O.O.: Bureau of Otherworldly Operations and others.” 

Leading companies slated to exhibit at Licensing Expo 2014 include Warner Bros. Consumer Products, Activision, Sony Pictures Consumer Products, Mattel, DreamWorks Animation, Cartoon Network Enterprises, Hasbro, Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures, CBS Consumer Products, Ubisoft Entertainment, Saban Brands, Rovio Entertainment, Universal Partnerships & Licensing, Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products and BBC Worldwide.

Joining the entertainment brands at Licensing Expo will be more than 2,200 art, consumer goods and fashion brands.