Ella Haynes, BLE Event Director, on 25 years of the show – and what to make time for at this year’s event

Ella, always lovely to tie-in! This year’s BLE is just around the corner! What are some highlights that attendees should make time for this year?
The big one must be our 25th birthday celebrations: we are hosting a party in partnership with Licensing International and sponsored by The Insights Family from 5PM to 7PM on Tuesday, September 24th and we would love everyone to join us. It will be a celebration of BLE – but more importantly of our incredible community and the people that make this industry what it is today.

Sounds great! Where will this be?
The party will take place across the BLE Birthday Bar and the BLE x One Piece Bar 2024 – and there will be cake, entertainment, props, selfies and very short speeches! There’ll be great networking opportunities and a chance to unwind after a busy first day.

You had me at cake. What else would you say are the big draws this year?
Our brilliant exhibitor line-up is another highlight – 259 exhibitors are now booked in, making it bigger than last year. We also have an incredible list of attendees and retailers coming from across the whole of Europe and further afield.

“The industry has changed so much since we launched – and we’ve made sure BLE has evolved to reflect these changes.”

And don’t miss the brand activations. You’ll find Squid Games on the Netflix stand, London Zoo has a conservation-themed seating area and there’s an Angry Birds lounge celebrating its 15th anniversary. We also have the Care Bears-sponsored Retail Lounge with claw grabber arcade machine, the BLE x One Piece Bar 2024 from Toei, the Hasbro Monopoly Bar – which will be a showstopper – and the BLE Birthday Bar with inspiring products and pieces from the Brands & Lifestyle exhibitors.

Fantastic. You also recently detailed the conference programme for this year…
Yes! Content spans the world of licensing from our keynotes – Xbox’s John Friend and crafting entrepreneur Sara Davies – to the inspirational adaptive clothing session from Character.com. Plus, we have sessions on Wellbeing in the Workplace inspiring positive mental health, sustainability, building a heritage brand, resilience and much more.

You mentioned this year’s event is the 25th BLE – which I think means it began before either of us were born…
Billy… if only!

Ha! What do you feel are some of the biggest ways that BLE has evolved in that time?
The industry has changed so much since we launched in 1999. We’ve seen the emergence of new categories like LBE and huge growth in areas like food and beverage, sports, museums, heritage and charity, which is exciting.

Product development has also changed… There are new ways of manufacturing, including the use of more modern sustainable materials. On that, sustainability and inclusivity have become huge and real priorities.

People are consuming content in so many different ways and that’s reflected in how fans are engaging with brands, which has influenced how we create product. And despite all the barriers impacting the industry – cost of living crisis, supply chain problems to name just two – the want and desire for licensed product continues to increase.

The role of licensing in delivering brand perception and values is better recognised and we know and understand our customers better than ever thanks to data access. That’s resulted in more innovative products delivering meaningful messages that feed fandom and loyalty – and far less logo slapping.

And we’ve made sure that BLE has evolved to reflect these changes. The depth and range of brands and categories at the show is incomparable to the first event in 1999 when the target was 50 exhibitors and 2,000 visitors – we’re five times the size now.

Wow. And how do you and the team ensure the show stays relevant? That it reflects what is an ever changing and evolving licensing landscape?
The first rule is no matter how successful you are, never risk complacency. We are always asking and listening to our visitors and exhibitors. We really value hearing from them and that helps us shape the show; we want to be led and driven by customer needs.

We have an advisory board, and we draw from License Global and Licensing International market insights to pre-empt what BLE attendees need from us to experience outstanding ROI. License Global has its ear to the ground 24/7. This helps us to identify trends and interests, which – combined with our own insight and knowledge about the industry – ensures we stay abreast of trends and opportunities to fulfil the needs of our customers.

“Inspiration is everywhere at BLE…”

Licensing is interesting in that the big trade shows are not run by the trade body. That said, would you say that you and the team run the show with that spirit? That you still have a kind of ‘obligation’ to grow, nurture and educate the industry in the same way a trade body might?
BLE has always had a close relationship with Licensing International, the industry trade association. And while we, as organisers, have no obligation as such to grow, nature and educate the wider industry, we do all of that and more because it’s in our DNA to do so.

We exist to support the future success of the global licensing industry, and, at times, that requires understanding and buy in from wider industry. It’s worth remembering that, for many, licensing is still an unknown… We’re not ‘old’ compared to other industries. We are passionate about educating wider industry and channelling new generations of talent into licensing to support its future prosperity.

Good to hear. Now, for any creatives reading, why do you feel BLE is a good source of creative energy and inspiration?
Inspiration is everywhere at BLE… From the products on stands and the stands themselves, the brand activations, the collaborations driving fandom… To the people behind those collabs and the content and stories in our conference sessions. It seeps throughout the entire show.

Creativity comes from people and how they collaborate. BLE is about connecting those people to create incredible special products.

I imagine the show is creatively energising for you and the team. Seeing all the work come to fruition?
Right now is the most creative part of planning for the show – where the design, visuals, concepts and strategy all come into play, and we start to improve the show’s direction and the look and feel and styling. Now is when we are thinking about the customer journey and what our attendees are experiencing from the second they arrive to the second they leave. We’re thinking about every single touchpoint along that journey and how unique we can make each of those moments.

To wrap up, what helps you have ideas for future shows?
The licensing industry itself – and all the peripheral businesses aligned with it – inspires me. At the show itself, I’m particularly inspired by the products, video and images on display, the attention to detail in the stands, just how much IP is on show and how creative all the brands are in using that IP and applying them in different lenses.

The collabs, too; they always flick a creative switch in my brain… Especially when you get two IPs colliding that you personally would never have connected, and yet they work perfectly. That gives me such a sense of pride as to how incredible and innovative this industry is and it’s only getting more creative and inspirational.

Absolutely. Thanks again Ella – see you at BLE!

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