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Las Vegas, NV (February 10, 2022) – Entries open today for Licensing Expo’s License This! competition* that helps designers, illustrators and animators break into the $292 billion global licensing industry. The competition launched 12 years ago in Europe and premiered in the US in 2021 as part of Licensing Expo Virtual. This year, for the first time, the finale will take place in person in front of a live audience of manufacturers, retailers and brand owners and the highly respected judging panel on May 26.
Licensing Expo, which is run in partnership with industry trade association Licensing International, is the world’s largest licensing trade show and takes place in person at Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas from May 24-26, 2022.
Through its two categories – Character & Animation and Brand & Design – the License This! competition aims to give unlicensed brands from across the globe a welcome leg up into the world of licensing and consumer products by helping them secure new deals or agent representation.
The competition is free to enter online; the cut-off date is Friday, March 25, and the judges are looking for new, creative concepts which have the potential to be applied across multiple product categories.
Judge Steven Ekstract: “License This! does a fantastic job of bringing together innovation and opportunity by helping designers, illustrators and animators to succeed in the wonderful world of licensing. The creativity of last year’s License This! entrants was a joy to behold, so I’m really looking forward to viewing this year’s entries and meeting the finalists in person at Licensing Expo for the first time in May.”
Each category winner will receive:
- Free-of-charge 100 sq ft booth at Licensing Expo 2023 worth $2,500
- One-year Licensing International membership worth $1,000 for a small business
- One-year Products of Change membership, worth up to $450 for a small business
- One-to-one consultation with License This! judges
Last year’s winners – Emily Blumenthal and Lindsay Kaye Lippman’s The Charmsters (Character & Animation), Xavier Smith’s Kujifunza Kids (Brand & Design) and Lawrence Canada, The Goodie Jar – will be exhibiting at Licensing Expo.
“We at the Goodie Jar are excited to have been chosen as the License This! winner,” says Lawrence Canada, The Goodie Jar. “This is a ‘dream’ coming to fruition. We look forward to the opportunities and experiences that accompany this accomplishment at the Licensing Expo 2022.”
*Please note that the contest is open to any artwork, brand, or character with no merchandising deals already in place or pending.
How the process works.
- Entries for the competition are free of charge; applicants are required to complete a submission form, which includes concept overview, audience target, licensed product range and detailed vision about why the idea would be suitable for licensing.
- All applications are reviewed by a panel of judges who select two finalists for each category that make it through to the in-person competition.
- The finale will take place at Licensing Expo in front of an in-person audience of licensing professionals. Judges cast their winning vote and the winners will be announced at the event.
- The winners will receive the prize outlined below to help them develop.
Licensing Expo Covid measures:
All participants at Licensing Expo 22 must either:
- Be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (at least two weeks after final dose) and provide proof of vaccination by presenting either the original vaccination card, a photocopy of the vaccination card or digital proof. Full name and date must be visible and a photo ID is required. Vaccinations accepted as determined by the CDC:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/proof-of-vaccination.html#covid-vaccines. Proof of vaccine boosters will not be required.
- *Receive a negative antigen COVID-19 test within 24 hours prior to attending the event, OR a negative PCR test within 48 hours, and provide proof of a negative result before entering the show alongside a photo ID.
The press credential request form is accessible here.
Follow Licensing Expo on social: #LicensingExpo
About Licensing Expo
Launched in 1980, Licensing Expo is the world’s largest and most influential annual tradeshow dedicated to licensing and brand extension. Every year, more than 5,000 brands and 16,000 retailers, licensees, manufacturers, distributors, and licensing agents attend Licensing Expo from more than 70 countries. Licensing Expo is a part of the Global Licensing Group at Informa Markets, the licensing industry’s leading tradeshow organizer and media partner. Its mission is to provide licensing opportunities around the world by bringing brands and products together.
About Licensing International
Licensing International is the leading trade organization for the $290+ billion global brand licensing industry. Licensing International’s mission is to foster the growth and expansion of brand licensing around the world, raise the level of professionalism for licensing practitioners, and create greater awareness of the benefits of licensing to the business community at large. Founded in 1985, Licensing International members in over 40 countries enjoy access to an array of benefits, including extensive educational programming and worldwide networking events. Visit www.LicensingInternational.org for more information.
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