With just over a week to go to The Greats 2019 awards – which take place on Wednesday May 15 at London’s Grosvenor House on Park Lane – GiftsandHome.net put Anna Knight, event director of Brand Licensing Europe, sponsors of the Best Department Store Retailer of Gifts category, into the hot seat.
What does it mean to Brand Licensing Europe to be sponsoring The Greats Best Department Store award this year?
“Gifts are a key category within the licensing industry and it’s brilliant to see a surge in creativity and engagement from both licensees and retailers year on year. It’s also great to see such a diverse geographical spread on the shortlist, and we wish all the finalist the best of luck.”
Can you tell us some of the exciting highlights that we can look forward to when Brand Licensing Europe opens its doors at the beginning of October?
“This is a big year for BLE as we celebrate our 21st anniversary, move venue to ExCeL London and datelines to 1-3 October. We are launching a host of new features, including our Beyond the Book publishing activation in partnership with Nielsen Book, which will showcase an exciting collection of licensed products from BLE exhibitors, and our Publishing Pavilion, which will offer entry-level pricing to start-ups and smaller brands to help shine a light on innovative, new properties breaking into the sector.”
Continues Anna: “We are also highlighting licensing in animation, gaming and e-sports – three super creative sectors within our industry – with special activations and interactive features, as well launching a series of critical and exclusive presentations delivered by brand new knowledge partners in the Retail Lounge, and developing a very special focus on the world of high-end licensing/interior collaborations, which are all categories that lend themselves well to the gifting market.”
Top: Brand Licensing Europe’s event director Anna Knight.
