Leading party names will be coming together today as Brand Licensing Europe opens its doors at London’s ExCel. Taking place from 1 – 3 October, the international show is now in its 21st year and continues to be an essential visit for many in the party and dress-up sector.
As the only pan-European event dedicated to the international business of licensing and brand extension, BLE is the holy grail for all things licensed – from costumes and balloons to party favours and paper plates.
Now a well-established date on the licensing industry calendar (although this year’s show is a week or so earlier than usual), the three-day show attracts key industry players from all over Europe and beyond.
“Ever since our first licence we have found that licensing has been crucial for the business and is a way to differentiate our company from the rest,” explained Robin Breeman, account manager for Dutch party company OppoSuits.
He continued: “Because we are a global brand it’s great to connect with our licensing partners there who are more focused on Europe. We are always looking for new trends so it’s great to connect with our licensing partners in person at BLE. We will keep looking at new licences for us to potentially expand into and keep evaluating which licences work best for our product.”
In addition to the usual big names (such as Warner Bros, Disney and Nickelodeon) the show will also be host to a number of smaller licensors who look after some of the most important brands for the party industry.
“At BLE, we represent the entire licensing industry with brand owners showcasing character and entertainment, brands and lifestyle, and art, design and image licensing properties, so it’s the perfect place for party licensees and retailers to find the next big thing; the next product that will differentiate their offering to consumers,” said Anna Knight, vp, Global Licensing Group.
For more information about what you can see at this year’s show and to register for free entry, please visit www.brandlicensing.eu
