Page 8 - Toy&Hobby Magazine Aug-Oct 2020

LICENSING WEEK VIRTUAL
Digital deals
Global Licensing Group VP Anna Knight virtually sits down with Imogen Bailey to discuss the organisation’s first all-digital licensing show.
IMOGEN: How long did it take to launch Licensing Week Virtual? What was involved in the process?
ANNA: We launched Licensing Week Virtual in ten weeks; it was quite the whirlwind.
Our ability to produce an event of this
scale in a few weeks’ time is the result of
an all-hands-on-deck global effort, not
only from the Global Licensing Group,
but the depth of support received from
our partners, specifically industry trade association Licensing International, and
the licensing community. The unwavering support from day one was foundational to the event’s success, pointing to the longevity and strength of this industry.
IMOGEN: What was the response to the event?
ANNA: The level of engagement across all five days of the conference and exhibition was strong and consistent, securing 4,477 attendees globally from the US, UK, Mexico, and more, with attendees spending, on average, 23 hours on the event platform.
The calibre of speakers across the toy
and entertainment industry – ViacomCBS Consumer Products, BuzzFeed Tasty, Sesame Workshop, Peanuts Worldwide, and more
– coupled with the immense opportunity licensing poses right now as consumers
are investing in and showcasing loyalty to brands amid pandemic, attracted noted attendees from Build a Bear Workshop, C&A, Selfridges, Target and Toys R Us, among other world-renowned retailers.
Most striking, however, is the 3000+ virtual video meetings scheduled throughout the event reinforcing the foundational importance of business connections to the permanence of the licensing industry.
IMOGEN: What were the challenges you faced in organising the event?
ANNA: It was important to keep the community needs top-of-mind, noting that not every element of a traditional in-person
event is transferable, or even necessary
to execute a successful digital event. We worked hand-in-hand with our partners and sponsors to identify the most critical needs of the industry at this point in time – establishing new and building exciting relationships, and education – which then served as the building blocks for the event.
IMOGEN: What has the feedback been post- event? If you were to do this again is there anything you’d change or improve on?
ANNA: This industry thrives on connections, so unsurprisingly, a standout request from the global licensing community is a continuation of peer-to- peer connections—the quantity of meetings scheduled via our Matchmaking Service were akin to those at an in-person event.
Brands need access to retailers and licensees on a global scale, to accommodate this, we recently announced Festival of Licensing, a four-week regionally focused virtual event running 6-29 October. The large-scale gathering will bring together the licensing industry to connect, learn, strike deals, and engage in business on an international scale, enabling licensors the unique opportunity to reach licensees across global time zones.
IMOGEN: What did the team learn from putting on the show?
ANNA: How agile and innovative this community is.
Each year at our trade shows – Licensing Expo Las Vegas, Licensing Expo Japan, Licensing Expo Shanghai, Brand Licensing Europe, and Licensing Leadership Summit – we’re constantly witnessing new and unexpected trends arise.
Adapting to restrictions surrounding
the current pandemic was critical as event organisers; we saw the industry adapt right in-step. While the current climate has dealt a difficult hand across industries, Licensing Week Virtual highlighted our industry’s perseverance, and at the end of the five-day
“The level of engagement across all five days of the conference was strong
and consistent, securing 4,477 attendees globally.”
Q&A
8 TOY & HOBBY RETAILER AUGUST / SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2020