JULY 2015 VOLUME 18 ® THRIVES With a strong increase in retail execs and international visitors, Licensing Expo reinforced the international scope of the brand licensing business and mega deals signed in Las Vegas. This special digital edition presents some of the key highlights of the Expo. Brought to you by UNL WITH Licensing Management Rights Validation Sales Analytics FOR MORE www.RSGMedia.com | www.RightsLo A BETTER OCKRELATIONSHIP YOUR DATA Sales Planning & Royalty Accounting Business Intelligence Forecasting MEDIA INFORMATION: ogic.com | [email protected] Licensing Expo News 641 Lexington Ave., 8th Fl. New York, NY 10022 licensemag.com editorialdepartment group publisher contributing editor Steven Ekstract 212.951.6684 Patricia DeLuca 212.951.6702 Licensing Expo 2015 Raises the Bar [email protected] [email protected] global editorial director digital editor Licensing Expo 2015, which took show (Monday, June 8), in which Tony Lisanti 212.951.6740 Nicole Davis 310.857.7689 place June 9-11 in Las Vegas, Nev., saw thought leaders from company’s [email protected] [email protected] managing editor a marked increase in retail attendance such as YouTube, Maker Studios, Amanda Cioletti 310.857.7688 and a 3 percent increase in overall AwesomenessTV and UTA shared [email protected] attendance, making it one of the best- insights into the new medium. That attended shows in the event’s history. was followed up by two keynote artdepartment Over the three-day Expo, 16,150 sessions on June 9. (Read about the art director senior production manager licensing professionals attended the keynotes in full on page 5.) Shawn Stigsell 218.740.6443 Karen Lenzen 218.740.6371 [email protected] [email protected] show. Attendance by retailers was LIMA presented its annual graphic designer up 15 percent over last year. This Licensing Awards on the first Ramprabhu 714.845.0252 ext. 6055011 figure includes a 6.6 percent rise in night of Licensing Expo 2015, with [email protected] international attendance, particularly Disney’s Frozen taking top honors. with Australia (up 31 percent), Brazil The property won Best Overall advertisingdepartment (up 30 percent) and China (up 12 Licensed Program as well as received advertising manager digital sales representative percent) seeing the highest increases. recognition in the Film, Television or Sharon Weisman 212.951.6637 Dylan Pirruccello 310.857.7659 [email protected] [email protected] In addition, executives from the U.K., Entertainment (Animated) Program audience development director reprint marketing advisor Mexico, Canada and Japan also had a category. Additionally, retailer Kohl’s Anne Brugman 877.652.5295 ext. 121 significant presence at the show. received the Retailer of the Year [email protected] [email protected] Outside U.S., U.K., direct dial: The show, sponsored by the award for its Frozen presentation; 281.419.5725 ext. 121 International Licensing Industry and Jakks Pacific won in the Hard Merchandisers’ Association (LIMA) Goods category for its Frozen Snow UBM Advanstar featured 460 exhibiting companies in Glow Elsa doll. (See pictures of all the chief executive officer executive vice president, strategy 232,000-square-feet, an increase of 6.5 winners on pages 13 and 14.) Joe Loggia & business development percent on 2014 On the show floor, many well- executive vice president, Mike Alic “We are delighted that the focus known companies debuted this year, life sciences senior vice president on attracting more retail buyers and presenting their IP to licensees. New Tom Ehardt Tracy Harris executives has meant a significant brands that showcased in Las Vegas executive vice president vice president, general manager Georgiann DeCenzo pharm/science group increase in attendance for the second include DreamWorks Animation’s executive vice president Dave Esola year,” says Jessica Blue, vice president, AwesomenessTV, Fatburger, Imperial Chris DeMoulin vice president, legal Licensing Expo. “We received positive War Museums, Maxim, Major League executive vice president, Michael Bernstein feedback from exhibitors on both Baseball Players Association, National vice president, media operations business systems this and the increase in international Wildlife Federation, Nintendo of Rebecca Evangelou Francis Heid executive vice president, vice president, treasurer and attendance across all product America, Shopkins, Sky Mall, YouTube human resources controller categories.” and more. Julie Molleston Adele Hartwick Professionals from around the Mulitple licensors also used the world turned out for the event. Licensing Expo as a platform for UBM Americas Highlights from the three-day brand summits for its licensees and chief executive officer chief financial officer event include live action-sports retailers. AG Properties, Cartoon Sally Shankland Margaret Kohler performances by Nitro Circus, the Network, The Walt Disney Company, chief operating officer first public unveiling of the new Nickelodeon and many others used Brian Field Batmobile from 2016’s upcoming the event to update attendees on film Batman v Superman: Dawn of future brand initiatives. UBM plc Justice, as well as appearances by Licensing Expo was also the chief executive officer chief financial officer celebrities such as Hulk Hogan, Kathy place to discover new brands. Hosted Tim Cobbold Robert Gray Ireland, Mike Tyson, Grumpy Cat and annually by the Expo, in conjunction group operations director chairman Andrew Crow Dame Helen Alexander many others. Popular girl band Fifth with License! Global, is the One to Harmony (courtesy of Sony Music) Watch contest, which identifies new brought down the house at the annual brands that have licensing potential. Opening Night Party, which was held This year’s winner, Manu, presented in association with the Endemol Shine its character Lil ‘Leddy. UBM Advanstar provides certain customer contact data (such as customers’ names, addresses, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses) Group and sponsored by LIMA. Next year’s Licensing Expo is to third parties who wish to promote relevant products, services, and other opportunities that may be of interest to you. If you do not want UBM Advanstar to make your contact information available to third parties for marketing purposes, simply call toll-free 866-529-2922 This year also marked the set for June 21-23, 2016, again at Las between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. CST and a customer service representative will assist you in removing your name from UBM Advanstar’s lists. Outside the U.S., please phone 218-740-6477. first-ever Digital Media Licensing Vegas’ Mandalay Bay Convention License! Global does not verify any claims or other information appearing in any of the advertisements contained in the publication, and Summit, held the day before the Center. © cannot take responsibility for any losses or other damages incurred by readers in reliance of such content. 4 www.licensemag.com July 2015 Brought to you by YouTube Exec Headlines Digital Media Summit YouTube’s director of content partnerships, Malik Ducard, “Over the last few years, we’ve seen creators who began their video opened the inaugural Digital Media Licensing Summit on career with a simple camera in their bedroom evolve into some of the June 8, held in conjunction with Licensing Expo. biggest media brands today,” he says. “A great example of this is Bethany The Digital Summit kicked off the Licensing University Mota who started as a fashion vlogger in 2009 and became so popular by educational series, which is organized by the International 2014, due to the popularity of her YouTube channel, successful clothing Licensing Industry Merchandisers’ Association and line at Aeropostale and the dedication of continued throughout the three days of the show. her fans, that ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Ducard, who oversees business development for YouTube’s tapped her to compete in their show.” family entertainment and educational channels, opened the The half-day summit also summit with a keynote that addressed the strength of the new featured a number of other thought generation of digital content creators and the opportunities leaders from the digital content and that this medium presents to the licensing world. licensing industry including Amy “YouTube facilitates a socially charged, fan-driven global community Kacourek, executive vice president where brands and creators alike can cultivate a direct relationship with and general merchandising manager, their audience–one built on engagement and grounded in loyalty,” says Kohl’s; Jim Fielding, head of global Ducard. “Brands crave authenticity and love from their consumers, consumer products, DreamWorks and YouTube creators and channels are the definition of authentic.” Animation and AwesomenessTV; and Ducard also discussed the swift evolution that a number of YouTube pioneers such Malik Ducard, YouTube, with Zefr’s is taking place in the digital landscape. as Connor Franta and Hannah Hart. Richard Raddon Big Names Open Licensing Expo Licensing Expo kicked off with multiple summits, celebrity appearances, theatrical reveals, educational seminars and much, much more. Licensing Expo 2015 officially launched June 9 with a panel-style keynote that included top-level executives Dow Famulak of Global Brands Group, Richard Barry of Toys ‘R’ Us, Lisa Harper of Hot Topic and Mike Fitzsimmons of Delivery Agent. The keynote, called “The Future of Retail,” was moderated by Marty Brochstein of LIMA.