LIMA GERMANY Brings All Major Licensing Companies Together

About 600 visitors came at LIMA Germany’s invitation and joined for the “Tag der Lizenzen” in Cologne. – The event once set new records and firmly established itself as “get-together” for outstanding licensing professionals and showfloor for top-class licensed properties.

Heike Winner, managing director LIMA Germany, welcomed decision makers from licensing and retail; 27 right owners and licensing agencies provided exciting presentations for a diversified programme. Again, the Rheinterrassen in Cologne provided a fantastic background for the “Tag der Lizenzen” – a perfect combination of presentations and inspiring informal discussions. Big names like Super RTL, Disney Consumer Products and Warner Bros. Consumer Products, Merchandising Media and many other well-known licensing professional introduced their leading properties and innovative ideas for marketing activities to trade experts, revealing the future potential of licensing business in Germany. Most impressive: Major companies like RTL Enterprises, Studio Hamburg or Deutschrock Merchandising made their debut and actively shaped the day’s programme.

Strong well-established brands were showcased along with promising newcomers – classic licenses as well as brand new properties and brands. Topics target all age groups – from preschool children through to adult age. Licensors provided top-class ideas for high quality design and secondary exploitation. The industry appeared self-confident and optimistic. They set out to track new licensing opportunities, develop high-quality products and search new ways of target group appeal. All business professionals are agreed on the fact that optimizing the value creation chain for licensed characters, TV series, movies, celebrities, sports and music decides on their future success. The “Tag der Lizenzen” has become a well-established information platform for licensing professionals: Agencies, manufacturers and retail professionals come together in Cologne – this year big players like Karstadt, Rewe, Metro, Toys’R’Us and many others joined in. They ensure a high standard and contribute to the rising popularity of this annual highlight. Heike Winner praised the great interest in the “Tag der Lizenzen” in her opening speech: The event had been fully booked early this year. Today about 200 companies are affiliated to the licensing association in Germany and allow the German division to take an important position within the international association. And LIMA Germany is determined to expand their influence in the upcoming year.

Within only five years the “Tag der Lizenzen” has become an important business forum. The event owes its quick rise mostly to the dedication of sponsors like TV Mania, ZDF.Enterprises, Super RTL, Fipo Group, Merchandising Media, Copyright Promotions, Kauka Promedia and MTV Nickelodeon. This year also new sponsors supported LIMA Germany, including Bip, Egmont Ehapa and Foreign Media. And, of course, top-class media partners had their share in the overwhelming success of the LIMA Germany event with large-scale advertising campaigns and extensive media coverage.

Retrospectively, Heike Winner commented on the event: “Rising popularity made the ‘Tag der Lizenzen’ a ‘Jour fixe’ for licensing professionals. We are proud to provide major players on the German licensing market with an important platform for talking, contact making and celebrating.“ The busy day of information and new impulses ended with the LIMA Spring Festival 2008 in the wonderful atmosphere of Cologne’s Wolkenburg. And much of the new information flew into new business strategies and product worlds the very next day.
In addition, business professionals have the opportunity to take part in even more LIMA supported business networking: At the Licensing Show “Licensing International 2008” from 10 to 12 June in New York and at various networking events regularly arranged by LIMA and well-receive by the industry. Professionals should not forget to mark the date of “Licensing Market 2008”: On 4 November 2008 numerous exhibitors will present their licensing portfolio in the Bayerischer Hof in Munich, Germany. High-quality seminars and workshops for beginners and professionals as well as the annual LIMA Gala with the presentation of the coveted LIMA Germany Awards will round off the prestigious event.