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Licensing International Expo's 29th annual convention wrapped up last week with over 113 new exhibiting companies and 130 new retailer attendee companies, show organizers announced today. With the move from New York to Las Vegas after 28 years, the show was well-received among exhibitors and attendees alike. "It was almost unanimous that this was one of the most productive and global shows for the industry to date," said Liz Crawford, show director. "Over 67% of the retailers in attendance were brand new to the show, and the crowd overall brought a whole new energy to the show floor." "The proof was in the meetings, she continued. "Exhibitors indicated that they were booked to capacity for all three days." "Our individual meetings, the quality of the meetings, I think they even exceeded our expectations. The people who came were very interested in doing business and the key decision-makers were all there," said Darren Kyman, Executive Director of Marketing & Retail Development for Paramount Licensing. Adina Avery-Grossman of Brandgenuity described a vibrant show floor. "There was a lot going on. We had meetings constantly," she said. "But what surprised us was the number of new brand representatives that came up to our booth looking to understand licensing and licensing agents better." Along with a new audience the show coordinators introduced several features to help industry professionals meet, network, & showcase their brands. The show's move from New York City to Las Vegas meant exhibitors could be consolidated onto one continuous show floor and provided an all inclusive campus like atmosphere for those traveling and staying at the convention site. "Everyone got here and had strong, busy meetings during the day," Avery-Grossman commented. "Then they went and saw clients or colleagues at night. It was a very productive show." A new fashion/apparel exhibitor section, called 7th Avenue, highlighted adult and kid's collections of licensed apparel and introduced a new runway show with three daily events — some with live music and special collections. The event's other new exhibitor space, The Interactive Zone, was busy as well. Exhibitor Electronic Arts was quadruple booked with over 100 walk ups and have already expressed interest in expanding their presence next year. "The exhibitors have really gone all out," said Eric Wahl, group marketing director of Advanstar Communications. "Given the reality of the economy, This continues to be an important marketplace for the industry. A lot of business was conducted and everyone is optimistic for a bigger and better show next year.” Another first for the show in 2009 was the integration of social media networks and services such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Exhibitors could use Twitter kiosks live on the show floor to instantly broadcast messages across the entire audience both on-site and online. Contests and giveaways were announced by exhibitors to help drive traffic to their booths and engage the crowd. "The Show's official website this year was fabulous," said William Gardner, vice president of business development at Hollywood Archives Collectibles. "Very user-friendly. I used it before the show to find the right people and set up meetings." Licensing International Expo 2009 marked the 29th year for the industry event that will return to Mandalay Bay in 2010, June 8 - 10. The show organizers hope to capitalize on this year's success with even more new brands and attendees as they move on to a second year in Las Vegas. |
