More Than 23,000 Attendees Converge In New York To Stake Claim In $180 Billion Licensing Industry

Licensing 2007 International is the marquee event for the $180 billion licensing industry and this year marks another milestone for the annual convention. More than 525 exhibitors and 23,000 attendees signify an all-time high for the convention and reflect solid growth in the licensing business. At this year’s event more than 6,000 properties and brands will be represented and pursued for merchandising and promotional opportunities across a full range of licensing categories including apparel/fashion, art & design, interactive/video games, food & beverage and others. With 86% of deals initiated during the three-day confab, many new partnerships forged yield results that will be revealed to consumers for years to come.

“This show has a tremendous impact on what consumers will find on retail shelves and in stores across the globe in the future. It is truly a vital force and focal point for the licensing industry and amazing predictor of future trends,” said Georgiann Decenzo, Vice President of Advanstar’s Licensing Group. “As licensing grows so to does our show and this year we have more international exhibitors than ever before. We also have our first retailer on the floor, with Ty’s Toybox, and we’re really looking forward to grow that portion of the show in the future.”

Advanstar Communications Inc., the show’s organizer, welcomes a record number of exhibitors for Licensing 2007 International including numerous high-profile companies that are exhibiting at the show for the first time including: Bolder Media, Boy Scouts of America, Madison Square Garden Entertainment, The New York Times and Girls Gone Wild. These exhibitors join industry heavyweights such as Disney Consumer Products, General Mills, NASCAR, Warner Bros. Consumer Products and others who return to the show after multi-billion dollar returns in annual licensing revenue.

Now in its 27th year, Licensing International will be the springboard for important news across all licensing categories.

INTERNATIONAL LICENSING
The growth of licensing in emerging markets such as China, India and Latin America is making a significant impact at the show this year.

Although in its early stages, many companies are looking to gain a foothold in these markets and are establishing offices or representation to help serve those regions. There are several leaders in the international expansion of licensing including Disney Consumer Products, Cartoon Network, FremantleMedia, United Media and 20th Century Fox Licensing & Merchandising who will exhibit at this year’s show.

SPORTS LICENSING
Sports licensing generated an estimated $18.8 billion in worldwide retail sales in 2005. This year’s show will host one of the biggest leaders in the industry, NASCAR, as it introduces several new licensing extensions to prospective partners as it extends its brand into children’s and food licensing. The Professional Bull Riders, Inc. will also attend the show as it looks to increase brand awareness for its national bull-riding circuit.

INTERACTIVE LICENSING
As the video game industry continues to explode, so does its impact on licensing. The biggest names in the industry including Nintendo of America, CAPCOM Entertainment, Inc. and Sega of America will make their presence known at the show this year. Each company will seek innovative ways to extend their brands beyond the interactive space, translating their intellectual properties into lifestyle brands that will impact consumer purchasing.

ENTERTAINMENT/CHARACTER LICENSING
This is the largest category in the licensing industry representing more than $60 billion in worldwide retail sales. As the summer is rife with the return of the major movie franchises such as Spider-Man, Shrek, Harry Potter and Pirates of the Caribbean, many companies will highlight what they hope will be their future franchises. Scholastic Media and New Line Cinema will finalize plans for the much anticipated release of The Golden Compass, while Warner Bros. will set its sights on Speed Racer. LucasFilms will push one of the most successful film franchises of all-time, Indiana Jones, as it prepares for the fourth installment of the series. Other companies on hand to highlight major film and tv projects include: 20th Century Fox, DreamWorks, Sony Pictures Consumer Products, MGM, Nickelodeon and Sesame Workshop.

CORPORATE BRAND LICENSING
Corporate branding has become a major revenue channel for the licensing industry reporting more than $1 billion in earned royalties last year alone. Among the many brands to be represented at this year’s show are American Greetings, Procter & Gamble, Ford Motor Company, General Mills, JEEP, United States Post Office and others.

These brands are finding lucrative revenue streams from licensing their existing intellectual properties to a variety of consumer products. From apparel to sporting goods, everything is covered as companies realize the importance of developing strong brand awareness.

FOOD & BEVERAGE LICENSING
Of the major licensing categories, food and beverage continues to be among the fastest growing segment. One of the developments at this year’s show includes the express interest of companies to extend their brands into healthy living and organic food and beverage products. Many entertainment companies including Disney, Nickelodeon, HIT Entertainment, Scholastic Media have already launched healthy living initiatives and this particular growth area is expected to be a major focus at this year’s show.

ART LICENSING
The Licensing Art and Design Gallery on the show floor has grown from 20 exhibitors in 1994, to an astounding mark of more than 200 artists and designers accounting for $175 million in reported royalty revenues for 2005. Many artists have witnessed the power of licensing and have extended their original creations to be duplicated in a full range of product categories including home furnishings, stationery, giftware, textiles, paper goods and more. Some of the industry’s leaders such as Thomas Kinkade, Lassen International Inc. and Art in Motion will seek partnerships bridge the gap between art and commerce, allowing artists to find alternative revenue streams for their creative expressions.

More information on this year’s Licensing 2007 International can be found at www.licensingshow.com.