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Smiley Licensing, the owner and licensor of the globally famous Smiley face and associated images since 1971, will be showing a wide range of products from its many licensees at Brand Licensing 2008 in October. And there is certainly no shortage of licensees to choose from. The billion-dollar brand has hundreds of licensing partners and is registered in over 100 countries for 25 types of goods and services. It also has one of the highest recognition rates in the world, which means that visitors to Brand Licensing Europe should have no problem identifying stand number 335, situated on the main show floor. There they will see a showcase of products from licensees of the two main Smiley brands. 
Products under the Smileyworld heading have a target audience from zero up and are fun and colourful, with a strong merchandising appeal. Smiley Collection, by contrast, is a brand that targets fashion and ethics-conscious teenagers and young adults. It aims to spread positive spirit both through vintage graphic designs and through an ethical approach to trade and materials. That spirit is also reflected in the Smiley World Association (SWA), created in 2005 by Smileyworld Ltd to help people in need. Smileyworld Ltd donates ten per cent of its gross receipts to the SWA. The show comes hard on the heels of the latest Smiley success, the launch of the Smileyworld brand for teenagers at 350 Jennyfer stores across Europe. The range will reproduce fresh summer icons and positive messages on t-shirts, sweat shirts and underwear. The Jennyfer deal underlines the continuing popularity of the brand in the apparel sector, adding to a presence in such major chains as C&A, Tammy, Oviesse, Stradivarius and many others. It’s a list that Smiley Licensing expects will expand significantly over the coming year. 
The show itself will highlight the launch of the spectacular new Smiley photo gallery, a style guide based on an amazing image bank of land art photos. It will be used exclusively on books, calendars, greeting cards, stationery and gifts. Nicolas Loufrani, CEO of Smiley Licensing, says: “The Smiley brand is globally recognised both in its own right and as a logo with a positive message – that’s why it is still making waves 37 years after its launch. In fact we expect that many more contracts will be signed in the run-up to the show, making Brand Licensing a great opportunity to spread the news of the continuing Smiley success story.” Smiley Licensing will be one of more than 200 European exhibitors showcasing thousands of exciting new licenses at Brand Licensing Europe in London, 1-2 October. For more information, please click here. |
