It’s arduous to imagine that it’s already been per week for the reason that doorways to Licensing Expo 2024 opened at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. For 3 days (or longer, because of the appropriately-Vegas pre-show occasions and afterparties), executives from all corners of the patron merchandise area gathered on the intersection of bodily and digital merchandise, dwell experiences, leisure, and life-style. By now, the mud has settled, and the thrill — or the managed chaos, as I wish to say — is behind us till the following present.
Our group, together with myself, Jackie Breyer, Ali Mierzejewski, and Stephanie Infantino, lined a lot floor spanning dozens of conferences and gatherings whereas utilizing Sales space No. G234 as our residence base to often regroup and refresh (if you happen to left your contact information whereas we had been away, we will likely be in contact). We unveiled new problems with The Toy Book and The Pop Insider, and between Ali and myself, we racked up 9 TV appearances throughout 4 networks (large because of the Licensing Expo group for serving to us on the present flooring on Wednesday)!
We are able to ponder and debate the explanations endlessly, however there isn’t a denying that one thing particular is occurring with Licensing Expo. The present has grow to be more and more toyetic in recent times, with this yr’s “Manufacturers at Play” theme leaning into the alternatives for inventive collaboration that await discovery round each nook — and provoking a feature within the newest problem of The Toy Ebook.
The Licensing Expo “campus,” which is anticipated to evolve and develop within the coming years, embraced the playful nature of the enterprise as toy and recreation makers expanded their choices to permit guests to go hands-on with their merchandise. From the Hasbro Gaming lounge to the SEGA arcade and past, play was unavoidable. Maybe it’s taken the world just a few years to catch up, however I usually say that “enterprise ought to be enjoyable,” and a mirrored image of that might be seen in what was missing in abundance: fits.
Certain, they’re nonetheless round (navy and grey are the favorites), however pour one out for the tie business, as I can’t recall seeing a single tie across the necks of my suit-wearing pals. Trend decisions apart, the thrill on the ground was that Licensing Expo had returned to a pre-pandemic vibe akin to 2019, the final yr earlier than COVID-19* modified all the pieces. However was it the similar? I say this yr was even higher!
Shock. Inspiration. Appreciation.
Whereas some commerce reveals like Toy Truthful in New York or ASTRA Market & Academy (two of my favorites) really feel like household reunions, Licensing Expo takes issues to a complete new stage. As I’ve said about Toy Fair, our prolonged household contains “the intense ones, the humorous ones, the wacky cousins, the children who don’t get alongside, the cool aunts and uncles, the infants, the elders, and the rock stars with the “hit” product or property of the second. At Licensing Expo you’ve gotten all of that plus the second cousins, the third cousins, the buddies from the previous neighborhood, and so on. It’s a celebration the place stuff will get accomplished.
On the eve of the present, The Toy Affiliation shared the information that business vet Greg Ahearn (Mattel, Toys “R” Us) is joining the organization on June 1 as its President & CEO. Ahearn’s arrival was met with optimistic buzz amid day one chatter.
Throughout the present flooring and within the assembly rooms, the massive shock this yr was the large upswing in retail attendees, an element I imagine we’ll be listening to extra about within the days forward.
Whereas retailers had been at all times current, shopping for groups had been out in pressure this yr making unannounced shock stops at many toy and recreation firm cubicles. This elevated retail presence led to some off-the-record conversations with a few of my business contacts who agree with the drum that I’ve been slamming on since January: The toy retail expertise within the U.S. is in rough shape and must be fastened quick.
The way it’s gone up to now off the rails is a little bit of a thriller with no single reply, however the truth that worldwide retailers are nonetheless delivering massive statements and people oft-touted “shock and delight” experiences frequently ought to be a wake-up name for the home crowd.
And for these trying to make these massive statements, inspiration was in every single place.
Aligning with current pattern studies — and the contents of our 2024 Licensing & Leisure Concern — gaming and anime stay poised to form leisure content material and shopper product licensing for a few years.
Licensing Worldwide dropped some topline data from its annual Global Licensing Industry Study revealing that anime, video video games, and social media properties accounted for 38% of licensing income within the $147.6 billion Leisure/Characters phase. That information arrived alongside a bunch of latest licensing offers for properties in that phase, together with WowWee x Uplift Games for Adopt Me! Fingerlings; Bonkers Toys x Invisible Narratives for Skibidi Toilet; Viz Media x McFarlane Toys for Bleach; and Jazwares x Scottgames for Five Nights at Freddy’s. And that’s only the start as extra offers will likely be revealed in time.
It’s simple to get caught up within the nonstop tempo of a schedule that spans early morning to late evening, but it surely’s vital to step again and soak up simply how a lot respect and appreciation is on show at Licensing Expo. It could be a enterprise primarily based on wheeling and dealing, however which means little with out the nice individuals fueling it — people who actually respect each other and the contributions they make towards shared success.
On that be aware, I need to name out not solely the group at Informa Markets for placing collectively an awesome present but in addition the hardworking women and men contracted by the Mandalay Bay Conference Heart to make all of it occur. These unsung heroes work bizarre schedules to do the heavy lifting in constructing and tearing down the commerce reveals. Having labored numerous occasions in numerous cities, I’ve by no means encountered a extra optimistic group than the one in Las Vegas final week. Commerce reveals are vital however with out expert members of the trades — carpenters, electricians, and so on. — they might not exist.
*So about that saying, “What occurs in Vegas…”
We could also be just a few years faraway from the full-blown pandemic, however COVID-19 stays an actual menace. I returned residence to Illinois with a nasty case of the bug, my second bout following what I picked up at Toy Truthful Dallas again in 2022 (which was even worse). Sadly, I’m not alone on this as I’ve already heard from a number of contacts who’re additionally battling COVID-19 proper now.
That stated, one other optimistic check this morning implies that my plans to attend ASTRA Market & Academy in St. Louis this yr have been scrapped.
Whereas I received’t be there in individual, I will likely be there in spirit as The Toy Ebook’s 2024 Specialty Toys & Presents Concern debuts Sunday, June 2, 2024! Marissa Silva will attend in my place alongside James “JD” Devin and Thomas Stephen Jr. from our advertising and marketing group. Must you see the crew on the present flooring, remember to say hey and allow them to fill you in on all of the methods we are able to work collectively throughout The Toy Ebook and its consumer-facing sister publications, The Toy Insider and The Pop Insider.
Keep protected. Keep wholesome. And keep on the #pulseofplay!
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