The 39th annual Expo proved to be a business incubator for both new and established brands leveraging licensing.

Licensing Expo, organised by Informa Markets and sponsored by Licensing International (LI), has released the initial findings from the 2019 show, which took place June 4th-6th at the Mandalay Bay Convention Centre in Las Vegas, Nevada. The results, gathered from a YoY analysis of exhibitor and attendee data, as well as metrics from Licensing Expo’s matchmaking service, reinforce licensing’s growing presence across property categories while affirming the importance of the annual show for licensees, licensors, and retailers alike.

Of the hundreds of exhibitors at Licensing Expo 2019, more than 150 were new to the floor, adding to the show’s diverse catalogue of more than 5,000 brands spanning a variety of industries. In comparison to 2018 figures, many property categories across the show floor saw an increase in the number of exhibitors, with the largest growth from Digital Content & Gaming (+27.78%), Related Services (+26.32%), and Art & Design (25%).

On the attendee side, licensing professionals from more than 70 countries came to this year’s show, up from 65+ countries in previous years. Retail attendance was strong and included new retailer presence from Asda, Primark, Vans and many more. Reflecting North America’s continued presence at the forefront of the licensing industry, US domestic attendance increased 5% from last year.

Furthermore, this year’s Licensing Expo saw a 38% increase in repeat attendees YoY, underscoring how the Expo remains indispensable to those looking to stay up-to-date on licensing trends and opportunities.

Licensing Expo’s Matchmaking Service, a one-to-one business networking tool connecting exhibitors to attendees, proved to be invaluable for helping both exhibitors and attendees make the most of their time at the show. This year, more than 4,900 meetings were confirmed through the Matchmaking Service – up from ~4,600 in 2018. More importantly, the service facilitated quality meetings for exhibitors and attendees alike, as the average user ranked their meetings 4.3 stars on a 5-point scale.

Licensing Expo looks forward to celebrating its 40th year when it returns to the Mandalay Bay Convention Centre in Las Vegas, Nevada, May 19th-21st, 2020.