Character and Entertainment Brands Take Center Stage at Licensing Expo 2017

SANTA MONICA, Calif., May 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading character and entertainment brands from all facets of the licensing industry, including television, film, online, gaming and music, will converge at Licensing Expo on May 23-25, 2017 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV. Produced by UBM and sponsored by the International Licensing Industry Merchandisers' Association (LIMA), the annual trade show brings together the largest audience of brand owners, licensees and retailers in the world.

Jessica Blue, Senior Vice President, Licensing, UBM: "Entertainment brands and characters have been launched and showcased at Licensing Expo for over 35 years. Licensed products in this category capture $113.2 billion in global retail sales annually,* and this is where many of those products are conceptualized."

As the longest-running licensing trade show, Licensing Expo connects more than 16,200 licensees, manufacturers and retailers with both emerging and iconic intellectual properties each year. The 2017 Expo features beloved brands and characters such as Alvin and the Chipmunks, Angry Birds, Dr. Seuss, Grumpy Cat, Hot Wheels, Masha and the Bear, Miffy, Minions, Paddington Bear, Peanuts, Peppa Pig, Power Rangers, Sesame Street, The Simpsons, The Smurfs, Sonic the Hedgehog, SpongeBob SquarePants, The Swan Princess, Trolls and The Very Hungry Caterpillar. For a full list of brands represented at the show, please visit: http://bit.ly/2rdeIcF

Tim Kilpin, CEO and President, Activision Blizzard Consumer Products Group: "This year's Licensing Expo presents an exciting opportunity as Activision Blizzard Consumer Products Group debuts the combined strengths of Activision Publishing, Blizzard Entertainment and King Digital Entertainment, representing some of the biggest entertainment properties in the world. The Expo offers a great platform to connect with partners as we look for new ways to bring franchises such as Blizzard's Overwatch® and Activision's Call of Duty® to even wider audiences."

Over 400 companies representing more than 5,000 brands will exhibit at Licensing Expo 2017. Industry leading character and entertainment brands in attendance this year include Activision Blizzard King, Authentic Brands Group (ABG), BBC Worldwide, CBS Consumer Products, Cartoon Network Enterprises, eOne, DHX Brands, Iconix Brand Group, J!NX, Lions Gate Entertainment, Inc., Mattel, Inc., MGA Entertainment, Nickelodeon, One Entertainment, Paramount Pictures, Rovio Entertainment Ltd., Saban Brands, Scott Living/The Scott Brothers, SEGA of America, Sony Pictures Consumer Products, Striker Entertainment, Tuba n' Co., Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products, Universal Brand Development, Ubisoft and Warner Bros. Consumer Products. For a full list of exhibiting companies, please visit: http://bit.ly/2rnfIr2

Jamie Salter, Chairman & CEO, Authentic Brands Group: "Licensing Expo is one of the industry's largest and most influential annual events. Each year Expo provides ABG a platform through which we make valuable connections and forge strategic partnerships that extend the global influence of our brands. This year we are excited to showcase our enhanced focus on branded content and collaborations of all kinds, as well as introduce the newest additions to ABG's celebrity and entertainment portfolio."

Character & Entertainment attractions featured during Licensing Expo include the show's annual Character Parade on Tuesday, May 23, and Wednesday, May 24, at 10:30 a.m. each day. Highly anticipated by attendees and exhibitors alike, the Parade is the place where character and entertainment licensing comes to life.

Additional entertainment-related calendar highlights for the 2017 Expo include Authentic Brands Group (ABG) hosting a meet-and-greet and photo opportunity with NBA Hall of Famer Julius "Dr. J" Erving on Tuesday, May 23, from 3:30-4:30 p.m. (booth #N214); a meet-and-greet with entrepreneurs, television personalities, authors, home and lifestyle experts and founders of Scott Living, Jonathan and Drew Scott on Tuesday, May 23 at 2:00 p.m. (booth #J96); Zinkia Entertainment S.A.'s new character mascot will appear to promote the new season of their series on Tuesday, May 23, at 3:00 p.m. (booth #B72) and come meet newly inducted WWE Hall of Famer & Olympic Gold Medalist Kurt Angle on Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. (booth #J214) and 16-time World Champion and two-time WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair and his daughter 4-Time Women's Champion, Charlotte Flair on Wednesday, May 24 at 1:00 p.m. (booth #J214), among many other exciting events.**

*Courtesy of the LIMA Annual Global Licensing Industry Survey 2016 Report, page 4
**times and appearances subject to change 

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About Licensing Expo (www.licensingexpo.com)
Launched in 1980, Licensing Expo is the world's largest and most influential annual trade show dedicated to licensing and brand extension. The show floor is merchandised into two zones: Characters and Entertainment and Brands, Agents and Design. More than 16,200 retailers, licensees, manufacturers, distributors and licensing agents attend the Expo from more than 67 countries. Licensing Expo is organized by UBM plc. UBM is the largest pure-play B2B Events organizer in the world. Our 3,750+ people, based in more than 20 countries, serve more than 50 different sectors. Our deep knowledge and passion for these sectors allow us to create valuable experiences which enable our customers to succeed. Please visit www.ubm.com for the latest news and information about UBM.

About UBM's Global Licensing Group (www.licensingexpo.com/global)
The Global Licensing Group at UBM is the global licensing industry's leading tradeshow organizer and media partner. Its mission is to provide opportunities around the world to bring brands and products together to explore and cement licensing partnerships. The following events and information products are produced for the licensing industry by the Global Licensing Group: Licensing Expo (May 23-25, 2017), Brand Licensing Europe (October 10-12, 2017), Licensing Expo Japan (April 28-30, 2017), Licensing Expo China (July 18-20, 2017), NYC Summit (March 2-3, 2017), License Global magazine, License Global Daily E-news and License TV. 

About UBM
UBM plc is the largest pure-play B2B Events organizer in the world.  In an increasingly digital world, the value of connecting on a meaningful, human level has never been more important.  At UBM, our deep knowledge and passion for the industry sectors we serve allow us to create valuable experiences where people can succeed. At our events people build relationships, close deals and grow their businesses.  Our 3,750+ people, based in more than 20 countries, serve more than 50 different sectors – from fashion to pharmaceutical ingredients.  These global networks, skilled, passionate people and market-leading events provide exciting opportunities for business people to achieve their ambitions. For more information, go to www.ubm.com; for UBM corporate news, follow us on Twitter at @UBM

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