Leading Executives Join License This! 2016 Judging Panel

LONDON, August 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Brand Licensing Europe (BLE), the largest and most prestigious licensing event in Europe, has revealed the line-up of industry executives judging this year's License This! competition.

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Kelvyn Gardner, Managing Director of LIMA UK will chair the panel. He is joined by:

• Tom Gunn, Senior International Brand Director, Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products
• Jane Evans, Director, JELC
• Sam Ferguson, Senior Director of Licensing & Retail, Jazwares
• Pat Reading, Licensing Director, UU Ltd
• Max Lister, Senior Licensing Manager, Natural History Museum
• Clare Piggot, Director of Licensing and Merchandising, Larkshead Media.

Now celebrating its seventh year, License This! is a unique initiative which runs as part of BLE; organised by UBM and sponsored by the International Licensing Industry Merchandisers' Association (LIMA). The competition offers new creative concepts or brands the chance to break into the global licensing industry. It is open to anyone with a concept that has yet to be published or broadcast, or a brand that has not yet extended to non-core consumer products. It applies to any new property with its roots in publishing, art and design, television or digital media.

Entries are reviewed by the panel of judges, and a shortlist of four properties are then pitched to them in front of visitors at BLE on 13^th October 2016. The winner will receive a prize worth over £6,000, including a fully furnished stand at BLE 2017 in order to bring the property to market. They will also receive LIMA membership for one year and a ticket to the LIMA Licensing Essentials Course & Spring Fling Networking Party in May 2017.

Chair of judges, Kelvyn Gardner, said: "As the second annual LIMA survey demonstrates, retail sales of licensed products are increasing year on year. Platforms like License This!, which expose new talent to industry executives, are therefore essential for the future development of the industry. I am looking forward to working with my fellow judges to review this year's creations."

The competition has provided a successful launch platform for many past winners, including Pink Chillies, RaNT! and Mr Trafalgar, who have gone on to sign licensing agreements as a result. OiDroids, a range of collectable pop out and build robot characters aimed at the pocket money sector, was crowned 2015 winner. Visitors can meet the OiDroids team at this year's show as it brings the property to market on its prize stand in the Art, Design & Image Zone.  

Entry forms and competition rules can be found at http://www.brandlicensing.eu . Deadline for entries is 9^th September 2016. Brand Licensing Europe 2016 takes place from 11-13^th  October 2016 at London's Olympia.

About Brand Licensing Europe, part of UBM's Licensing group  

Brand Licensing Europe 2016 (http://www.brandlicensing.eu) takes place from 11 - 13^th October 2016 at Olympia, London. It is the only pan-European event dedicated to licensing and brand extension. Now in its 18^th successful year, Brand Licensing Europe 2015 was the biggest event to date; hosting 300 exhibitors and 7,203 visitors from 63 countries.

Brand Licensing Europe is owned by UBM which also organises Licensing Expo in Las Vegas, USA. Both shows are produced in partnership with the international Licensing Industry Merchandisers' Association (LIMA). License! Global is the official publication for both shows.

About UBM EMEA 

UBM EMEA (http://ubmemea.com/) connects people and creates opportunities for companies across five continents to develop new business, meet customers, launch new products, promote brands and expand markets. Operating in more than 23 countries, UBM EMEA organises many of the world's largest, most important live events, awards and community sites in a wide variety of industries. Its events include Brand Licensing Europe, Technology for Marketing, eCommerce Expo, Customer Contact Expo and Decorex.