Brand Licensing Europe (BLE), the continent’s largest licensing and brand extension event, is gearing up for its 25th edition, which will take place from 24th to 26th September at ExCeL in London, UK.
Registration for the free event can be found here. Attendees can use the event planner to request meetings with over 250 exhibiting brands. This year, over 50 new exhibitors will be introducing new IP to the show.
Ella Haines, BLE Events Director, said: “Over 25 years, thousands of new brand licensing partnerships, deals and products have been born through meetings, networking, opportunity meets and greets at BLE and browsing the exhibition floor.
“This is the annual event for European retailers and manufacturers to connect with the world's biggest brand owners, discover what's new, get inspired and learn how to grow their brands, businesses and careers. We can't wait for everyone to come together and celebrate 25 years of BLE and the incredible evolution of our great industry.”
25 Show Highlights
To celebrate Brand Licensing Europe's 25th anniversary, the team has put together a list of 25 must-see experiences for the 2024 event.
An expo floor with over 250 exhibitors and thousands of brands. Attendees will find a wide range of IP available for licensing across entertainment, sports, gaming, arts, F&B, heritage, publishing, TV, celebrity, music and more. Meetings can be booked through the event planner and a matchmaking lounge is available in D121. Keynote: If Everyone Plays, Everyone Wins: The Next Generation of Consumer Products and Licensing with Xbox. John Friend, Head of Consumer Products at Xbox, and Ben Roberts, Head of Content EMEA at Global Licensing Group, will discuss trends in the video games sector and reveal endless opportunities for brands, licensees and retail partners to deepen the connection with beloved gaming worlds and fans. Tuesday, September 24, 12:30 PM. Keynote: Crafty Licensing: Transforming Your Business with Brand Licensing. As Crafter's Companion grows in a rapidly changing market, entrepreneur Sara Davies MBE shares her incredible business journey and insights into the strategy and transformative potential of brand licensing. Wednesday 25th September, 12.30pm. BLE 25th Anniversary Party. Join the celebration at The BLE Birthday Bar and BLE x One Piece Bar 2024, in partnership with Licensing International. Attendees will enjoy cake, drinks, entertainment, merchandise and networking. Tuesday 24th September, 5pm-7pm. BLE Character Parade. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet BLE Bear and follow the character parade through ExCeL with ample opportunities for selfies #BLE2024 #BLEBirthday #BLEBirthdayBear. Tuesday 24th and Wednesday 25th September, 11.30am. Sports Zone. The 2024 event will include: 24 Hours of Le Mans, AC Milan, Barefoot International, Chelsea Football Club, Dependable Solutions, FANATICS, FC Barcelona, FC Internazionale Milano, FC Porto, Portuguese Football Federation, French Football Federation, FOCO, Formula E, FullAce, Manchester City Football Club, Newcastle United Football Club (new for 2024), Real Madrid C.F., Safejawz, SCRIBOS, Signet Licensing (BLE's first African exhibitor), Sport Lisboa e Benfica, The FA, Tour de France, UEFA Club Competitions and West Ham United Football Club. Brands & Lifestyle Zone. Brands featured include Alchemy England, art ask agency, IMG Licensing, Panini, Artestar, Atlantis, Beanstalk I Tinderbox, Brandgenuity, CAA Brand Management, Dorna Sports, Ford, Global Trademark Licensing, Golden Goose / English Heritage, IBML, Iconix International, Imperial War Museums, JPatton, Laura Ashley, Licensing International, London Zoo, Maui and Sons, Merchantwise Group, Metrostar, Natural History Museum, Octane5, OpSec Security, Perfetti Van Melle Group, Pink Key Licensing, Royal Horticultural Society, Royal Pavilion at Brighton, RSPB, Tempting Brands, The GOOD Shopping Guide, The National Gallery, Van Gogh Museum, Yale University and BLE Brand Experience. Delegates can discover branded experiences at the Netflix Squid Game installation in E151, the ZSL/London Zoo conservation-themed seating area in D271, the Angry Birds-themed seating area with a giant inflatable celebrating the game's 15th anniversary in D135, and Hasbro's Monopoly Gaming Lounge in B211. Discovery & Design Zone, showcasing entry-level licensed entrepreneurs and brands with many new exhibitors. Participants in this zone include Mea Mouse, Sophie Jonas-Hill (2022 License This! winner), Vicki Thomas Associates, Jelly Armchair, Aniballers (2023 License This! winner), Kate Merritt, Middle Mouse, Ginger Betty, Greg & Company, Pictufy, Afro Entertainment Studios and This is Iris. Service Provider Pavilion. Pavilions D120 will feature JMW Solicitors, New Alchemy Solutions, Gateley Legal & Adamson Jones, Play Management Company and REMASTER. Licensee Pavilion. C121 will feature Park Agencies, Ashmolean Museum and University, Textiss, Giovas Group of Brands, Rajkrupa Textiles, Pyramid International, Tsume, Smash Industries, Lijnico Groningen and Sakami Merchandise. Free show tours and Licensing 101 sessions. These events are perfect for those new to the show and licensing industry and will take place in E200 on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. Educational sessions in the Licensing Global Theatre. E200's robust programme will include State of the Nation with Ben Roberts, How to Build a Lifestyle Brand, Mapping Sustainable Pathways and more. Licensing Unlocked. Delegates can learn more about BLE with online, on-demand training taught by leading experts from the licensing industry around the world. The first module is free and serves as an excellent introduction to the field. E221. Innovation in Fashion: The Future of Adaptive Clothing in Licensing. Following the launch of the SpongeBob Adaptive Clothing Collection, Character.com provides insight into the rapidly expanding adaptive clothing market and its impact on the licensing field. Data intelligence experts Fabacus. Fabacus will share key information about legislation impacting the field and how to prepare for it in D161. Unleash your brand's potential with BLE. BLE Account Managers Matthieu Battini, Greg McDonald and Cassius Anderson discuss the benefits Brand Licensing Europe can offer brands. E200, Tuesday, September 24, 4pm. Student Support. On the third day, students can attend the show to learn more about the licensing sector as a career path and meet its key players. In addition, local students are also invited to gain work experience at this year's event. In partnership with Licensing International, it will take place at the BLE Birthday Bar in the Brands & Lifestyle Zone. Wednesday 25th September, 5pm – 7pm. The third edition of the Brands Untapped 100. The publication will be launched at BLE and will feature an introduction by Event Director Ella Haynes. It will be available at the Brands Untapped stand in E175 and online. Light Fund Resale Shop. Attendees can find the Products of Change resale stand in A265. Second-hand goods will be sold to raise funds for industry charity The Light Fund. To donate, please email Products of Change at: Fuggler. A Coconut Shy activation by rights holder CPLG will be held in E177 with all proceeds going to The Light Fund. Retail Mentoring Programme. Retail badge holders can meet BLE's Heads of Retail, Laura Freedman-Dagg and Keith Pashley, to find out about applying for next year's Retail Mentoring Programme. E141, Wednesday 25th September, 3pm. Retail Lounge. A dedicated space in E141 for retailers to hang out in partnership with Care Bears. Registered retailers include Celio, Undiz, Aldi, Shein, Tesco, Character.com, Crocs Europe, Five Guys, Game, DFS, Deliveroo, Boots, Zara, H&M, Aldi, Gymshark and Mango. You'll have the chance to win a Care Bear in the Claw Grabber Arcade and the Care Bear team will be available to meet during retail happy hour from 4pm on Wednesday 25th September. Wellness Lounge. A rejuvenation space located on the A272.
The full agenda is available online.
Last year, BLE revealed that a record number of delegates and retailers attended the 2023 edition of Brand Licensing Europe (BLE). The exhibition, which took place at London's ExCeL from 4-6 October, was attended by 9,649 licensing professionals, 19% more than the 2022 event.
