Brand Licensing Europe (BLE) 2021, in partnership with trade association Licensing International, will support the industry as it collectively looks to a post-pandemic future with a ‘What’s Next’ theme weaving throughout this year’s event.

BLE returns this year with a new multi-platform format taking place in-person from 17-19 November at ExCeL London. Following this will be an online event from 30 November – 1 December.

The What’s Next theme will give a platform to the people, ideas and practices set to change the face of brand licensing; all while focusing on three distinct areas to give attendees an overview of the most important considerations for doing business in 2022 and beyond.

• Who’s next

  Attendees can discover and celebrate the licensing change-makers in the all-new Agents of Change gallery; the disruptors, the rising stars, the professionals, and the trailblazers who are brave  enough to go back to the drawing board and affect real change.

The ‘Agents of Change’ Roll of Honour gallery will be at the entrance of BLE. A welcome back to the live event, it will draw from License Global’s Influentials list of 2021 that will feature in December.

• Innovation in Sustainability Showcase

  In partnership with Products of Change, this feature area will inspire attendees on their journey towards a more sustainable future; learning how pioneering businesses from both inside and outside the licensing community are addressing the challenge of moving forward more ethically.

The interactive space will tell the stories of the branded products on show; where they came from, how they were made, and the partnerships and collaborations featured. There will also be advice on how the licensing industry can unite to tackle these vital issues.

• What’s next for retail

  Finally, visitors will get the chance to explore an interactive retail space. The showcase will reveal how brand licensing can create unique, creative, and entertaining consumer experiences; critical to the much-needed transformation of retail.

Commenting is Informa Markets’ VP of Licensing, Anna Knight. “Identifying new trends, change-makers and upcoming challenges is what makes an industry gathering like BLE unmissable. This past year has shown how adaptable we are. As we move into a post-Covid world, that pace shows no sign of slowing down. Looking towards the future has never been more vital. This is precisely what our ‘What’s Next’ theme is designed to support.

“We hope that this year’s theme, and all of the amazing content that envelops it, will help to take the guesswork out of strategic planning; supporting our attendees to drive forward their visions for the future.”

Registration for the event is now open. Retailers, manufacturers, and brand owners wishing to take part in this year’s event are invited to register for free here. For further information, please click here.