Anna Knight, SVP of Licensing, Informa Markets, shares how this year’s Vegas Licensing Expo is shaping up and how exhibitors and visitors should be preparing for the occasion. 

“We’re really happy – we’ve got over 300 exhibitors confirmed, the most we’ve had since Covid, and an amazing roster of brands lined up to appear on the show floor,” explains Anna. “All the big names are back, which is great to see, with really strong representation across Toys & Games as well as Gaming.”

“We’re also seeing some awesome visitor registrations coming through. Of course, the power retail triad – Amazon, Target and Walmart – are on the list, and this year it looks like we’ll be welcoming some big groups of buyers too. This reflects all the work we’ve done as a group on attracting more retailers. We’re pleased to see it’s paying off.”

When asked about how the Brands at Play theme will be brought to life across the show and why visitors should be keen to get involved in activities relating to it, Anna says that this year, more than any other, it’s important that anyone new to the licensing industry truly feels a part of it by the time they leave Expo.

“We’ll have people across the whole campus, including at our official pavilion, ready and willing to help attendees with any question or query they may have,” she added. “Happy Hours will be taking place between 3-4pm in all the cafes and bars during the show. Open to all, these are a great opportunity for people to mingle and network in a more informal, relaxed manner, especially if you don’t know anyone.”

Anna tells Toy World readers that in order to prepare for the show, they must first of all decide on what they want to get from the show, then go through the exhibitor list and brand directory and start booking meetings. Or they can check out all the talks and networking events and the various associations at the show to gain an overview of the industry.

To read the full Q&A fro our May edition, in which Anna talks about more opportunities which this year’s theme presents for those in the Toys and Games category, among other interesting points, click here.