First Inaugural Licensing Week Concludes with Resounding Success

SANTA MONICA, Calif., June 8, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Licensing Expo, the world's largest and most influential licensing event, returned to Las Vegas, NV from May 23-25, 2017. This year's expo proved to be one of the most successful to date with the debut of Licensing Week, a brand new initiative that incorporated all events surrounding Licensing Expo into one streamlined week of licensing industry happenings. To learn more about Licensing Expo, please visit: licensingexpo.com.  

"Licensing Expo 2017 saw substantial international attendee growth, including an 87 percent increase in attendees from South Korea and a 23 percent increase in attendees from Japan. Several product categories also saw an increase in growth this year, including video games which experienced a 46 percent increase, followed by TV, video, filming and streaming, with a 45 percent increase," said Jessica Blue, senior vice president, Licensing, UBM. "Our rebook total for Licensing Expo 2018 has already hit 84 percent, which proves that this year's show was a tremendous success."

Highly anticipated keynotes, presentations, celebrity appearances, educational Licensing University sessions hosted by the International Licensing Industry Merchandisers' Association (LIMA), and invite-only entertainment showcases drove more than 16,000 attendees and 406 exhibitors, with 185 new exhibitors including BuzzFeed and the Scott Brothers. With a large presence from leading companies such as World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), The National Football League Players Association (NFLPA), Warner Bros. Consumer Products, and Authentic Brands Group (ABG), Licensing Expo proved once again that it is the premiere event for licensing professionals to attend and conduct business.

"Licensing Expo is a key part of our business development strategy because it is the one and only show we exhibit at in the U.S. It's the premier place to put our amazing brands in front of both the North American community, as well as the global community. It gives us the opportunity to have face-to-face meetings with our existing partners and find new opportunities," said Kelly C. Hill, vice president, licensing partnerships, Endemol Shine North America.

In 2016, Licensing Expo introduced Matchmaking, a service designed to connect licensors and licensees. The service was a tremendous success again in 2017 with more than 3,800 meetings scheduled, an increase of more than 1,200 meetings from 2016.

"Licensing Expo for us is the greatest, single point where we have the chance to meet with all potential licensees and retailers from around the world – all in one spot, in a really compact, two-and-a-half-day window. It's a chance for us to talk about what we're doing at retail, in product development, and where we're going with our entire brand – with the goal of securing best-in-class licensees from around the world," said Peter Maule, global head of licensing and consumer products, Nitro Circus.

With the new growth of UBM's global licensing portfolio, these top-notch industry events will continue throughout 2017 with Licensing Expo China taking place on July 18- 20, 2017 and the 19th annual Brand Licensing Europe (BLE) taking place October 10-12, 2017 in Olympia London, United Kingdom. Licensing Expo 2018 will take place on May 22-24, 2018, to stay up-to-date on news coming from the event please visit: licensingexpo.com.

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About Licensing Expo (www.licensingexpo.com)
Launched in 1980, Licensing Expo is the world's largest and most influential annual trade show dedicated to licensing and brand extension. The show floor is merchandised into two zones: Characters and Entertainment and Brands, Agents and Design. More than 16,000 retailers, licensees, manufacturers, distributors and licensing agents attend the Expo from more than 67 countries. Licensing Expo is organized by UBM plc. UBM is the largest pure-play B2B Events organizer in the world. Our 3,750+ people, based in more than 20 countries, serve more than 50 different sectors. Our deep knowledge and passion for these sectors allow us to create valuable experiences which enable our customers to succeed. Please visit www.ubm.com for the latest news and information about UBM.

About UBM
UBM plc is the largest pure-play B2B Events organizer in the world. In an increasingly digital world, the value of connecting on a meaningful, human level has never been more important. At UBM, our deep knowledge and passion for the industry sectors we serve allow us to create valuable experiences where people can succeed. At our events people build relationships, close deals and grow their businesses. Our 3,750+ people, based in more than 20 countries, serve more than 50 different sectors – from fashion to pharmaceutical ingredients. These global networks, skilled, passionate people and market-leading events provide exciting opportunities for business people to achieve their ambitions. For more information, go to www.ubm.com; for UBM corporate news, follow us on Twitter at @UBM.

SOURCE UBM