Judging panel announced for BLE License This! 2013
LONDON, July 30, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Brand Licensing Europe, the Advanstar organised licensing exhibition, has announced the judging panel for this year's License This! challenge.
David Riley, Managing Director of Egmont Publishing Group, will chair the judging panel, and he will be joined by Darran Garnham, Chief Business Development Officer at Mind Candy; Aysha Kidwai, Managing Director of Indigo Lens and Bettina Koeckler, SVP EMEA at Fox Consumer Products.
Now in its third year, License This! offers new creative concepts the chance to break into the global licensing industry. It is open to any new property with roots in publishing, art and design, television or digital media and which has no merchandising deals already in place or pending.
David Riley said: "I'm very pleased to be chairing such an expert panel of judges for License This! Over the past three years, License This! has brought many strong new properties to the attention of a wide audience of potential licensees. A number of these properties have gone on to deliver significant licensing deals. I look forward to being part of this panel and to hearing industry experts evaluate a wide range of new concepts. It's going to be fun!"
The judges will select a shortlist of four entries which will be pitched to them in front of a live audience at the BLE on 17th October 2013. The winner will receive a fully-furnished stand at Brand Licensing Europe 2014, worth £4,500, so that the new property can be brought back to market next year.
Last year's winner was Pink Chillies, a brand built around a love for elephants. Its founder, Suzanne Till, said: "In the last year sales of our core products have gone very well and we have launched two new elephants into the range. Now we are getting ready to focus on the licensing and retail opportunities that being at BLE will bring. We feel that our brand messaging is very positive and that the elephant characters are very well suited to a wide variety of products so we are excited about the the future."
2011's winner 'How to … for the inept' returned to exhibit at BLE last year. Sarah Watts from the design company Two Little Boys, which created the winning concept, says: "After re-launching the brand at BLE 2012 'How to…for the inept' signed licenses with Jeego for Facebook covers and with Cover Yours for mobile phone accessories. We are now moving forward with a gift deal with Gift Creation Ltd, which includes mugs, coasters, hip-flasks and drink ware. The offering has been expanding at an extraordinary rate and Two Little Boys are looking forward to showcasing the new designs at BLE 2013.
Past finalists include Marsh Mellow, now the subject of a global deal with Penguin, the digital interactive story book game, Made in Me, and the Portuguese pre-school animation, Gombby's Green Island.
Property creators/owners can submit their property to be part of License This! by completing the entry form, found at www.brandlicensing.eu. Brand Licensing Europe 2013, takes place from 15th – 17th October 2013 at London's Olympia.
Registration is now open at www.brandlicensing.eu. Follow us on Twitter for the latest show news and updates @bleurope.
Notes to editors:
About Brand Licensing Europe
Brand Licensing Europe 2013 (www.brandlicensing.eu) takes place from 15-17 October 2013 at Olympia, London. It is the only pan-European event dedicated to licensing and brand extension. Now in its 15th successful year, Brand Licensing Europe 2012 hosted 284 exhibitors and 6,875 visitors from 73 countries.
About Advanstar Licensing Group
Advanstar Communications Inc. (www.advanstar.com), producer of Licensing Expo and Brand Licensing Europe, is a leading worldwide media company providing integrated marketing solutions for fashion, life sciences and power sports industries. Advanstar serves business professionals and consumers in these industries with its portfolio of 147 events, 68 publications and directories, 267 electronic products and web sites, as well as educational and direct marketing products and services. Market leading brands and a commitment to delivering innovation, quality products and services enable Advanstar to "connect our customers with theirs". Advanstar has approximately 1,000 employees and currently operates from multiple offices in North America and Europe.
SOURCE Advanstar Communications Inc.
Share this article