Licensing Expo Entertains the Industry

LOS ANGELES, March 19, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Entertainment and character brands are worth more than $104 billion at retail, with licensed products capturing more than $230 billion in total retail sales. This summer, world renowned brands such as a Doctor Who, Star Trek, Plants vs. Zombies, Pokemon, Dr. Seuss, Barbie, Transformers, Power Rangers, Angry Birds, SpongeBob SquarePants, The Simpsons and many more will be on display at Licensing Expo 2014. Scheduled for June 17-19 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nev., the trade show, organized by Advanstar Licensing, connects more than 15,000 licensees, manufacturers and retailers with the industry's most recognizable intellectual properties. Eighty percent of the top global retailers attend in search of exclusive partnerships.

Leading companies slated to exhibit at Licensing Expo 2014 include Warner Bros. Consumer Products, Activision, Sony Pictures Consumer Products, Mattel Inc., DreamWorks Animation, Cartoon Network Enterprises, Hasbro, Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures, CBS Consumer Products, Ubisoft Entertainment, Saban Brands, Rovio Entertainment, Universal Partnerships & Licensing, Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products and BBC Worldwide.

"Licensing Expo marks an important annual event in our business as it brings together the entire industry in one place and allows for meaningful, in-person conversations," says Pete Yoder, vice president, consumer products, North America, Cartoon Network Enterprises. "Each June, Cartoon Network's domestic and international licensing teams' schedules are packed with meetings with current and potential licensing and retail partners, and from those appointments, we're able to secure new deals. We return this year with news about our core brands including Adventure Time, Ben 10 and the vast Cartoon Network originals portfolio that is sure to energize our partners and create new opportunities."

"DreamWorks Animation attends Licensing Expo as a way to showcase our brand for domestic and international retailers and potential licensees. It also serves as a great opportunity to gain perspective on the focus of our competition," says Michael Connolly, head of global consumer products, DreamWorks Animation. "DWA will be showcasing our autumn/winter priority properties this year and our top seven property initiatives including Penguins, Kung Fu Panda, Where's Waldo?, Trolls, B.O.O.: Bureau of Otherworldly Operations and others." 

Joining the entertainment brands at Licensing Expo will be more than 2,200 art, consumer goods and fashion brands.

For more information and to register for free, visit www.licensingexpo.com.
For more Licensing Expo news, visit www.licensingexpo.com or follow on Twitter (@licensingexpo), on Facebook or via Linked In.

About Advanstar Communications Inc. (www.advanstar.com):
Advanstar is an event and marketing services business that serves business professionals and consumers in the Fashion, Licensing, Life Sciences and Powersports industries with its portfolio of 134 events, 30 publications, over 200 electronic products and websites, as well as educational and direct marketing products and services. Market leading brands and a commitment to delivering innovative, quality products and services enable Advanstar to "Connect Our Customers With Theirs." Advanstar has approximately 600 employees and currently operates from multiple offices in North America and Europe.

About Licensing Expo (www.licensingexpo.com):
Now in its 34^th year, 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 five zones: Character & Entertainment, Fashion & Lifestyle, Art & Design, Brands & Agents and Sourcing & Production. More than 15,000 retailers, licensees, manufacturers, distributors and licensing agents attend from more than 90 countries. Licensing Expo is owned and organized by Advanstar Communications, Inc. and is sponsored by the International Licensing Industry Merchandisers' Association (LIMA). Advanstar Communications, Inc. also owns and operates License! Global magazine and Brand Licensing Europe.

SOURCE Advanstar Communications, Inc.