LICENSING SHOW REVIEW 71
“The dust is still settling, but overall it was a really good show. Our stand was buzzing non-stop and it appeared there was significant
presence from retail this year, so that was really encouraging.
I thought the atmosphere was very upbeat, all things considered.” Tom Roe, Category Manager, Toys & Games, CPLG
“I think there was a bit more of a buzz in the air. The atmosphere was good and there were no problems with the new layout. I
still think they need more seating areas for meetings.
I got fed up with long queues for coffee and snacks.” Will Sharman, Head of Sales, Maps Toys
“We had a really good mix of meetings with existing partners, some new potential partners and an increased volume of
retail buyers. I think we have done a little bit better this year, obviously time will tell. I thought the atmosphere was positive and we were genuinely always busy. My little bugbear is that it would be good to see new companies from ‘new’ business sectors at the show, for example theme parks and holiday companies.” Ian Downes, MD, Start Licensing
“For us, BLE 2012 was the best yet. It was by far our strongest year and we hope everyone enjoyed visiting the Disney and Marvel
stand and our screening room, as much as we enjoyed meeting with and showcasing our content and franchises to licensees and retailers. There was a real sense of productivity – meetings were happening left, right and centre. Although the show was
full to the brim, the wide aisles allowed for plenty of open space between all the impressive stands.” Marianthi O’Dwyer, VP Licensing & Publishing, The Walt Disney Company UK & Ireland
“This year’s BLE was a fantastic, buzzing show. There were more exhibitors than I remember from last time and, as ever,
the meetings in the hallway were better than many fixed appointments. From talking to friends and acquaintances, it seemed everyone agreed this was a great show.” Steve Reece, Founder, Vici Entertainment
“It was a strange BLE – lots of chat but lots of concern at the same time. A distinct air of the unknown. That was retail. Digital was
exciting. The layout at the back was nice, but it did not feel like the flow of people worked back there. It would be nice to get more ‘new’ businesses to the show that may not have been in the licensing business before, and from parts of the world where they are just getting into it.” Simon Kay, CEO, AT New Media
“It’s always a very strong show and a good measure of the value that licensed brands add to the toy industry. The back hall allows
smaller companies breaking through to gain a presence. Although in some ways it’s a shame they are not interspersed amongst the main hall, as this would mean they are guaranteed to be seen by many more attendees, who may not normally venture past their pre-booked meetings.”
Richard North, CEO, Wow Stuff
“The footfall on our stand was
significantly higher than 2011 and there was a noticeable uplift in attendance of agents and
international licensees. There was a distinct buzz on the showfloor with a heightened sense of atmosphere this year; the opening of the back hall improved the flow of attendees throughout the area. We have already booked our new location for 2013, as BLE is becoming a must- attend event in the licensing calendar.” Julie Quirke, Director of International Licensing, V&S Entertainment
“This year was better; the show has grown and there were more visitors. I thought the atmosphere was good and fairly positive given the economic climate. I had a quick look at the back hall and there were certainly some interesting exhibitors, although it did seem like a separate exhibition. It will be interesting to see how opening upstairs will work.” Richard Woolf, International Licensing Director, Withit
“Brand Licensing Europe was definitely better for us. Our stand was bigger and in a great location. My team has doubled in size
so we were able to cover so much more and the meetings we had were good quality, with key licensees and a lot more retailers.”
Pindy O’Brien, VP Brand Licensing & Retail UK, FremantleMedia Enterprises
“I think in what is a pretty poor current trading climate, BLE held up well. Very few companies will have their best year in 2012, but in
general I think the mood was pretty positive. I’ll be back next year.” Paul Jackson, MD, The In Thing
TURTLE POWERED: Raphael, Leonardo, Michaelangelo and Donatello pose with ToyNews. The brand had a big presence at BLE, with ever-present sponsorship, a keynote featuring Turtles co-creator Kevin Eastman and a Turtle van delivering pizza to hungry visitors outside Olympia
NOVEMBER 2012
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84