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Licensing Expo Reveals First Keynote Panel that will Explore ‘The Power of Brand Licensing for Location-Based Entertainment (LBE)’

Licensing Expo Reveals First Keynote Panel that will Explore ‘The Power of Brand Licensing for Location-Based Entertainment (LBE)’

Licensing Expo 2022, produced in partnership with industry trade association Licensing International, welcomes senior executives from Falcon’s BeyondRobert L. Ward, and Moonbug as 2022 keynote panelists, who are confirmed to speak at the Day 2 keynote.

Slated to be held on the expo floor in the Licensing U Theatre at 12-12:45pm on May 25 and accessible to all free of charge, the expert-led panel, moderated by Bay Laurel Partners, brings together the most respected visionaries in the industry for a trend-driven presentation titled “From Dream to Reality: The Power of Brand Licensing for Location-Based Entertainment.” To tune in to the keynote panel, register for Licensing Expo for free here

Day 2 keynote presenters include: 

  • Cecil D. Magpuri, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, Falcon’s Beyond
  • Robert L. Ward, President and Chief Executive Officer, Robert L. Ward, Inc.
  • Susan Vargo, Head of Live Events and Location-based Experiences, Moonbug
  • George Wade, President, Bay Laurel Partners (moderator) 

From Dream to Reality: The Power of Brand Licensing for Location-Based Entertainment

Location-based experiences have been gaining steam for many years now and are increasingly the next frontier for consumers looking to engage, interact and show their love for brands. They are also highly complex licensing deals that include many stakeholders at various points of the process. This keynote panel brings together the brightest and most respected names in the business to help you understand all the many things you must consider when developing and executing an LBE deal (including how best to protect brand integrity) and will arm you with insight to make your extension dream a reality. Location-based events and experiences are not your average deal, and this is not your average panel.

“It will be an honor to join my esteemed peers on-stage at Licensing Expo as a keynote moderator speaking to a topic that I’m incredibly passionate about,” said George Wade, President, Bay Laurel Advisors and keynote moderator. “LBE tells stories through experiences and has the unique ability to bring people together, transcending generations and fanbases. It’s really a remarkable and expressive way for brands to build long-lasting relationships with their audience and reach new consumers – I hope the panel ignites new ideas and spurs continued innovation! I look forward to the keynote and reconnecting with the licensing community this May for much needed face-to-face conversation.”  

Anna Knight, SVP of Licensing, Informa Markets, remarked, “We could not be more excited to share the first 2022 Keynote details with the Licensing Expo community. Keynotes are a cornerstone of Licensing Expo; our expert-led presentations bring to light new ways of doing business in a way that taps into consumer trends and arms the audience with inspiring ideas that will drive business forward in a meaningful way.” 

This year’s keynote presentations are strategically designed to arm the licensing industry with actionable insights into the latest trends shaped by changing consumer habits and preferences and how brand licensing can be more strategically used as a marketing tool. The Day 1 keynote will be announced shortly; watch this space for additional details coming soon.

Knight continued: “With the shift to experiential marketing and society looking to be a part of something bigger as people step back into the world after lockdown, there is a burgeoning and unmissable opportunity for brands to tap into Location-Based Entertainment to engage with their audience on a deeper level which will be reflected through this year’s LBE theme. More details on this will be revealed next week and will complement the keynote perfectly.”

Essential items of note: 

  • Keynotes are held on the expo floor in the Licensing U Theatre and free to attend – all registered guests are encouraged to attend the Day 1 and Day 2 keynote addresses to learn from world-renowned experts and deliberate with peers after each presentation wraps. 
  • A Licensing Expo badge is required to attend, and seating is limited, so arrive early to grab a seat.
  • All educational content, including keynotes, will be available on-demand on the event platform to revisit at a convenient time. 

In addition to keynote presentations, Licensing Expo and Licensing International offer robust educational programming to provide newcomers and experienced licensing professionals insights into the $292 billion licensing industry, with sessions geared toward arming attendees with new tools to drive business forward. The Licensing U agenda, now live and accessible here, spans a range of topics from the basics of licensing – the new rules of retail, to an exploration into the promising world of NFTs. 

Only six weeks away, the event continues to attract new registrants daily – new and notable attendees include Fanatics, Kohl’s, Alibaba Group, Burlington Stores, Kimberly-Clark, Gamestop, Moleskine, Coppel, Hot Topic, Walmart, Hybrid Apparel, Mad Engine, Hallmarks Cards, Bioworld and more. 

Learn more about Licensing Expo at www.licensingexpo.com and secure a pass for the industry’s most anticipated event today. 

Credentialed press have access to the keynote presentations and all Licensing U programming – register for a press pass here

Follow Licensing Expo on social: #LicensingExpo

About The Author

Rebecca Ash

Rebecca is the Editorial Director at Total Licensing Ltd. She can be reached at becky@totallicensing.com