Our team was excited to back in Las Vegas this year for the 2022 Licensing Expo! The show was buzzing with lots of excitement and interest for brand licensing opportunities across all segments. It was a welcomed sight to see familiar and new faces, discuss opportunities on behalf of our brand clients and take in some of the trends we are seeing in our ever-evolving industry. Here are a few highlights from some of our team members that were at the show!
Reginald Thornton, Director, Brand Development
Licensing Expo 2022 was a very productive show for our agency and was a great opportunity to connect with brand partners, potential licensees, and industry colleagues face to face. There was an energy and buzz throughout the show every day. Attendees were optimistic and excited about executing on business opportunities. There were a couple of themes that stood out to me:
Global is Now - The licensing world isn’t going global it is global. Both licensors and licensees were very focused on developing and strengthening their global brand strategy.
Brands Still Matter - Even with so much attention around the proliferation of Retail Private Label Brands the feedback from many manufactures in attendance at Expo was that Brands Still Matter. Specifically in e-commerce where brands increase conversion, and for the DIYers that still place emphasis on brands.
Eliza MacLeod, Manager, Brand Development
It was amazing to be surrounded by such positive energy and see how eager everyone was to get right to business at this year’s Expo. Attendees came to the convention center from all corners of the world, representing a broad range of categories. With more than 11,000 attendees and 250 exhibitors, this event has made me optimistic that despite the ongoing trials we continue to face as a global community, we are in fact moving in a positive direction and if we have not done so already, we are closer to reaching that new ‘normal’ than before. One key takeaway from Licensing Expo was Experiential Marketing – much like at Natural Products Expo West. To break through the noise of competition and distractions, building customer experiences seems to be imperative.
Alex Tomlinson, Director, Brand Development
This year’s Licensing Expo drew thousands of attendees and prospective licensees from around the world. I was excited to see the number of attendees had risen from previous years, most notably retailers. It was great to be back in person to meet friends, colleagues and more importantly, new prospects. There was a definite buzz about the show and I consistently heard how productive the Expo was for both exhibitors and attendees alike. This year did not disappoint with a plethora of new interest for our brand clients, including Hobie, Castrol, Westinghouse and Wurlitzer to name a few. Based on the foot traffic and how busy we were, I think everyone was excited to hear about new properties but also close some licensing deals. I can’t wait until next year’s show!
Ximena Duque M., MD, Latin America
Licensing Expo 2022 was not only the show where we met again but also the show where LMCA showed its international presence and the great power that the brands we represent have. The response from licensees about our expansion and brands was outstanding, which fills us with pride and makes us think that the future of our brands in the hands of LMCA is excellent!
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