BLE 2013 BLE 2013: The verdict
On the face of it, last month’s Brand Licensing Europe seemed busy, buzzy and there was an air of optimism among both exhibitors and visitors. But what did the attendees themselves think? Samantha Loveday canvasses opinion
“This year’s event built upon the momentum of last. It felt as though
there was more confidence amongst the attendees and a greater buzz around properties. The floor also felt busier than in previous years, especially at the Nickelodeon booth. We were very happy with both the quantity and quality of visitors to our booth. We met with key partners and retailers, as well as new potential partners. We had a good mix of UK- based and international visitors. An increased range of in-booth catering choices would make the event even better.” Mark Kingston GM & SVP Consumer Products, EMEA & Australia, Nickelodeon
“The show was superb this year – the overall atmosphere was better
than I’ve seen it for many years, with both retailers and licensees very upbeat about future business opportunities. We could quite easily have filled a fourth day with meetings,
40 November
so there were definitely plenty of people at the show. What struck us most though was the increased level of general awareness in the business of licensing from all sectors which led to very high quality meetings with key players across retail, manufacturing and promotions. We will definitely be back next year; BLE is a must do event for us and a key part of our business planning each year.” Rob Corney
MD, Bulldog Licensing
“There was a fantastic buzz at BLE this year. We were busier than ever and the show felt like the attendance was up. The whole team were booked out for every second of the show with retailers and licensees, so we were very pleased. The new layout was a great improvement, downstairs felt less cramped given the extra amount of people.” James Walker VP, Hasbro Brand Licensing & Publishing EMEAP
“It was very upbeat with good quality meetings. Exceptionally busy, aisles were full. Notably, Thursday remained busy.
“My impression of this year’s show was extremely positive. The
floor was very busy for all three days and there seemed to be a sense of new found optimism for the future of the industry. We were delighted by the number of retailers, licensees and agents that we met across the three days. It was a highly productive show which was vital in building our future business throughout Europe.”
Jonathan Baker Head of International Licensing, Dreamworks Animation
We couldn’t have physically seen anyone else – it was booked solid every day. Key however was the quality of meetings – decision makers intent on reaching agreements and finding solutions. Also the growth of retail buyer attendance and international. At least 50 per cent of the meetings were with international visitors which is fundamental to the growth of the business.” Andrew Carley
Head of Global Licensing, Entertainment One
“There was a great vibe about the show this year from start to
finish. Thursday felt like a proper ‘show’ day this year and was still busy into the afternoon. It was good to see all the large studios with presence down the main aisle. There was a strong contingent of retailers attending the show this year and it was good to have the chance to showcase our brands to them outside of an office environment. The stand is already booked for 2014.” Sam Kelly
Head of UK Licensing, Carte Blanche
“The show was absolutely buzzing this year and the overall mood was very upbeat. A lot of retailers were really getting behind our new kids licence Invizimals and generally people seemed to be less cautious than in previous years, which I think bodes well for the marketplace overall. Our stand was incredibly busy from day one and didn’t really slow down.” David Evans European Licensing Manager, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe
“It was the best BLE I have
attended in a long time. There was a
great mix of visitors – we had a number of retailers that were pre-booked to visit, but we also had a number that just turned up. It is very good that the retailers are taking BLE seriously. The showfloor split worked well for us, but not sure how the agencies like Beanstalk and TLC thought about it.” Sam Ferguson
Head of Licensing, Mind Candy
“It felt better [than last year]
although the last day was very quiet
and attendance did seem down. I liked the new layout. We don’t tend to work on lifestyle brands and so it meant that more exhibitors on the ground floor were relevant and of interest to us. I would like the stands to be labeled more clearly; it takes two days to work out the floorplan.” Robyn Cowling Licensing Director, Underground Toys
www.toynews-online.biz
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