By Karina Masolova
This year’s Brand Licensing Europe (BLE) was bigger than ever, with over 300 exhibitors from 69 countries descending on London to showcase 2,500 brands. Click here to see some of the newly available and assigned brands announced at the show.
From the Big Screen
Dominating the exhibitor space were entertainment brands with film extensions:
- Disney showcased its upcoming films The Good Dinosaur, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War and The Jungle Book.
- Rovio is building up a consumer products program for the upcoming Angry Birds movie, which will hit the big screen May 2016.
- Universal Partnerships & Licensing highlighted its blockbuster films Minions and Jurassic World, as well as the upcoming The Secret Life of Pets. Universal plans to refresh its older programs as in anticipation for upcoming sequels Despicable Me 3 (2017), Jurassic World (2018) and Fast & Furious (Spring 2017).
Click here for TLL‘s list of upcoming movies with licensing potential (last updated Oct. 23, 2015).
What’s Old is New, What’s New is New
- Hasbro showed off new deals for classic properties Transformers, My Little Pony and Stretch Armstrong.
- King Features focused on iconic characters Popeye, Betty Boop, and The Phantom, debuting new retro style guides.
- Mattel and HIT Entertainment featured preschool brands Thomas & Friends, Bob the Builder and Fireman Sam.
- Disney is welcoming new characters and content to the family with the launch of two new preschool TV series “Goldie & Bear” and “The Lion Guard.”
- Activision Publishing showcased the latest sequels to its brands Skylanders, Call of Duty, Destiny and Guitar Hero.
Not Just a Cute Face
Although entertainment/character brands dominated the show, sports and automotive companies are growing their presence at BLE, with adidas, A.C. Milan, Arsenal FC, Chelsea FC, FIFA, Automobili Lamborghini and Moto GP all making appearances.
Contact information in the table below is made available by the Licensing Source Book, TLL‘s new online directory of contacts for the licensing industry.