Brand Licensing Europe transitions to virtual global Festival of Licensing

By Gill Hyslop

- Last updated on GMT

BLE 2020 has transitioned from a face-to-face event to a virtual global Festival of Licensing.
BLE 2020 has transitioned from a face-to-face event to a virtual global Festival of Licensing.

Related tags Brand Licensing Europe virtual marketplace Kellogg's Hostess brands Perfetti van melle Finsbury food group Festival of Licensing

Informa Markets’ Global Licensing Group – organisers of Brand Licensing Europe (BLE 2020) – has transitioned the 2020 even to a never-before-seen virtual celebration of the business of brand licensing, in partnership with industry trade association Licensing International.

Festival of Licensing – to be held in October – is a four-week, large-scale virtual gathering bringing together the licensing industry to connect, learn, strike deals and do business on an international stage.

It will be the most inclusive global licensing event to-date and builds off of the momentum of the Global Licensing Group’s Licensing Week Virtual event, which exceeded expectations in its inaugural launch in June.

The Festival will showcase more than 100 hours of live and on-demand, territory and category specific content to guide businesses through the new consumer landscape. It will also present live keynote headliners from some of the world’s most influential brands, addressing the most pressing topics of the current and ever-changing business environment.

Distinguish your product with brand licensing

BLE has proven to be a beneficial platform for bakery and snack producers to discover the licensing space.

According to the Steven Ekstract, brand director of global licensing group UBM, the $262bn licensing industry brought is a smart strategy for producers in the F&B space “to distinguish your product from every other product out there.”

It is not only a “no brainer” for major food producers like Kellogg’s, Hostess Brands,Perfetti van Melle​ and Finsbury Food Group​ but also an chance for smaller bakery and snack producers “to expand their footprint into other sectors within the F&B space, as well as completely new arenas,”​ Amanda Cioletti, content director of License Global, told BakeryandSnacks.

Making the previously impossible possible

The festival will comprise of four regionally tailored events, each time-zoned around the territories they serve:

Week 1:​ October 6-8 - Europe, powered by Brand Licensing Europe

Week 2:​ October 14-16 - Asia, powered by Licensing Expo China and Licensing Expo Japan

Week 3:​ October 20-22 – North America and Latin America, powered by Licensing Expo

Week 4:​ October 28-29 - Global C-suite virtual conference - Licensing Leadership Summit

“We are incredibly excited to announce Festival of Licensing and proud of the opportunities and experiences it offers to the global licensing industry,”​ said Anna Knight, VP of Informa Markets’ Global Licensing Group.

“We have had great feedback from June’s Licensing Week Virtual, so we know that there is huge potential and appetite for industry connection during this challenging time when meeting face-to-face is difficult.

“Our partners are telling us that driving domestic and international connections, discovering new IP and brands and learning how to navigate the new consumer landscape are paramount to the health of forward-planning for the business of brand licensing, and Festival of Licensing will support all of these needs.

“We also want Festival of Licensing to offer amazing experiences for everyone who joins us. One of the joys of virtual is that it can make the previously impossible possible, and we plan to use the power of the platform to fuel the imagination, delight and inspire in a fitting celebration of this industry and the people within it.”

Register your interest for Festival of Licensing here.

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