• Fivefinalists chosen for License This! Character & Animation category  
• Threefinalists chosen for License This! Brand & Design category
• Finalconfirmed for Thursday 3 October, 13:00 at BLE
• BLE 2019, 1-3 October, ExCeL London – www.brandlicensing.eu/register-now

Eight exciting entrepreneurshave been shortlisted for this year’s Brand Licensing Europe License This! finalfollowing a record number of entries and an intense judging day last week inLondon.

There are five brandsshortlisted in the Character & Animation category and three battling it outfor the Brand & Design award. The final will take place in the LicenseGlobal Theatre at BLE at 1300 on Thursday 3 October and everyone is welcome toattend.

The five Character &Animation finalists are:

• Adorabubbles
• Carrot and Toast
• Slime Fury (Argentina)
• My Little Opera
• Noodoll

The three Brand & Designfinalists are:

• Orange and Lilly (Hungary)
• Owlasanas
• MINU’ Tiny Little Wonders (Italy)  

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“Having been partof the judging panel for the past three years, it was really pleasing to seesome new and varied proposals in the character and animation category,” saidDan Grant, licensing director at Danilo. “We had a great selection ofproperties to judge this year from all around the world, which shows how muchexposure this event is now receiving. 

“From the longlist of entries, we have been able to nominate five character and animationproperties for the final that all have something different and exciting tooffer. It’s now down to the finalists to convince the panel why theirproperty should win the prize and I’m really looking forward to judging thefinal.”

Chair andLicensing International UK managing director Kelvyn Gardner: “Early Septembernow brings a great new regular feature of licensing life for me: my first lookat the submissions to the annual License This! competition. The contest hasevolved as a filter for genuine new licensing talent not just from the UK butwith a great international dimension. We have responded by now offering twocategories – character & animation and brand & design – which in turnhas boosted entry numbers and quality. With past winners and finalists nowhaving launched successful licensing programmes, License This! really is theplace to go if you’re looking for your start.”

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Thisyear’s License This! winners will receive a free exhibition stand at BLE 2020,one year’s Licensing International membership, PR support and advice from apanel of industry experts. Finalists will also receive legal consultation fromcompetition sponsor Wynne-Jones. Previous entrants – both winners and finalists– have also signed lucrative agent and licensing deals off the back of thecompetition. Last year’s winners – Zara Picken and Sara Burman Designs – areboth exhibitors at BLE 2019 and can be found in the Art, Design & Imagezone.

Thisyear’s judges have been confirmed as:

• Kelvyn Gardner, managing director, LicensingInternational (chair)
• Sarah Ward, CEO, Giftware Association
• Victor Caddy, partner, Wynne-Jones

Character &Entertainment award                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

• DanGrant, director of licensing, Danilo Promotions
• NikkiSamuels, licensing director, Sambro                                  
• ClarePiggott, director, Larkshead Media
• JuliaRedman, head of buying, M&Co

Brand & Designaward                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

• StuartCox, founder, I Like Birds
• VickiThomas, owner, Vicki Thomas Associates                                                               
• Sarah Lawrence,owner, This is Iris                                           
• JehaneBoden Spiers, founder, Jehane  
• WillStewart, managing director, The Point 1888

BLE 2019 takes place at ExCeLLondon from 1-3 October 2019. Register for free at www.brandlicensing.eu/register-now

For media information:

Charlie Le Rougetel at BIGTOP,07736 330676, charlie@bigtop-pr.co.uk

About Brand LicensingEurope

Launched in 1998, BrandLicensing Europe is the only pan-European annual event dedicated to licensingand brand extension. The London event features over 2,500 brands and more than7,500 licensees, manufacturers, retailers, distributors, and licensingagents. Brand Licensing Europe is a part of the Global LicensingGroup at Informa PLC, the licensing industry's leading tradeshow organiser andmedia partner. Its mission is to provide licensing opportunities around theworld by bringing brands and products together.

About Global Licensing Group ­

The Global Licensing Group atInforma PLC is the licensing industry’s leading tradeshow organizer and mediapartner. Its mission is to provide licensing opportunities around the world bybringing brands and products together. The following events and informationproducts are produced for the licensing industry by the Global Licensing Groupat Informa PLC: Licensing Expo, Brand Licensing Europe, Licensing Expo Japan,Licensing Expo China, NYC Licensing Summit, License Global magazine and LicenseGlobal Daily E-News. Global Licensing Group events are sponsored by LicensingInternational.

Brand Licensing Europe,Licensing Expo Japan, Licensing Expo China, and NYC Summit. Visit licensing.org formore information and to utilize licensing’s definitive online resource.