VEGAS 2010: Day two - the licensing industry gets its groove back
The expo showed no signs of slowing down for the second day as the crowds continued to surge into the hall and contacts started to turn into deals.
Okay, let's get this out of the way immediately. It doesn't happen very often, but LTW was wrong. Quite, quite wrong. Apparently, the 10am start hasn't proven popular with everyone - and this morning it was clear to see why. Outside the entrance hall waiting for the doors to be opened were scenes reminiscent of downtown New York at rush hour, as literally hundreds of people 'queued' by the doors, all trying to get in as soon as possible so they could rush to their first appointments. As more than one casual observer has pointed out, being able to sashay out of bed, do your emails, grab a coffee and still head down to the hall with time to spare might be terribly civilised, but perhaps it isn't the most conducive start to a day of back to back appointments. LTW would like to also point out that most Europeans are awake from 5am, twiddling their thumbs and waiting to start work. LTW isn't actually one of those Europeans and has more problems getting up than sleeping, but that's hardly the point...
Apology and correction out of the way, what did the rest of day two have to offer? Would it be too crass to say more of the same? Where people were tentatively saying the show was good yesterday - it's dangerous to make such proclomations on the first day, after all - they were shouting it from the rooftops today. More than one person has gone so far as to say they actually prefer Las Vegas to New York; that the hotel/show/function setup is more convenient and the industry as a whole is better placed to network after hours. Whether that's true or not is probably very much a matter of personal taste, but it's a great endorsement for a move that was the subject of a great deal of doubt just one year ago. The footfall is also well up on last year - one suggestion is that yesterday's attendance was greater than all of last year combined. Advanstar haven't quite corroberated that, but needless to say, they are delighted with how well attended the show has been so far.
The atmosphere within the show was even better and more positive than yesterday (maybe the rumours about oxygen being pumped into the air are true after all!) as the industry as a whole seeemed to breathe a collective sigh of relief that the last twelve months are behind us and people are generally looking towards the future now. As exhibitors have been able to put more effort (and expense!) into their stands, so licensees and retailers are starting to look for new properties by taking risks and making deals that would have been unheard of at the show last year. Essentially, the licensing pursestrings have been loosened, and while no-one is being frivolous, the conservative approach that was taken last year is certainly a thing of the past.
LTW spent most of today running round being five minutes late for meetings - once that first one goes ten minutes over, you are doomed to play perpetual catch-up for the rest of the day. Catching up with Warner Bros. was great - Paul Bufton said the team are delighted with the response to their presentation which took place earlier in the week. With the senior management taking part in a Hangover-inspired spoof, 3D screens and dancers, it sounds like the company went all-out to ensure that they kept the attention of the 740-strong audience. The company is currently focusing strongly on the Green Lantern, which will be released in 2011, but is being careful not to neglect the rest of the DC portfolio. A new Batman movie will be released in summer of 2012, while a new Superman film will follow that Christmas. Of course, Harry Potter, Looney Tunes and Gossip Girl were discussed as well, and one thing's for sure - these guys have got a busy few months ahead of them!
LTW also caught up with Vicki Willden-Lebrecht, MD of The Bright Group. Vicki is incredibly enthusiastic about the industry, and it's great to hear her talk so passionately about possible deals and business ventures that are in the pipeline. Although obviously LTW's lips are sealed! Because there are so many strings to the Bright bow, the literary and illustration agency complements the publishing agency, making Bright a natural partner for properties that need a little help in those areas. Having recently cemented a 12-book deal with London Zoo (LTW has seen the books and they look fantastic!) Vicki was keen to emphasise the importance of content integrity when creating a new publishing campaign. She said: "Label-slapping never really works, but this is particularly true in publishing. The right publishing programme can provide licensors with a way to present their message to the public and extend their customer reach, so we really focus on working with each individual brand in its particular market." This intuitive approach seems to be working well for Vicki, as Bright continues to extend its reach across a number of areas.
The rest of the day threw up a whole host of developments - far too many to go into detail here. Although LTW did find it interesting that both 4Kids and King Features spoke about the various new art properties which have been added to their (otherwise largely character-driven) portfolios. 4Kids has even gone so far as to introduce 4sight, which will handle all the art licensing activity for the agency, but both companies have selected the design work extremely carefully, ensuring it complements their existing brands.
BBC Worldwide's cocktail evening at the Four Seasons finished the night off perfectly, celebrating the US launch of In the Night Garden. It might be best if LTW stops talking now, and draws a veil of respectibility over the rest of the evening... Although there was one last thing, as best quote of the day goes to a certain person who shall remain nameless. But here's a tip for the rest of you - when a client (of the opposite sex) is trying to place a surname and says: "You're on the tip of my tongue...", it's probably best not to reply: "That's where I like to be". Although it is certainly one way to ensure you are remembered!
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