{"id":26843,"date":"2021-08-04T15:07:26","date_gmt":"2021-08-04T13:07:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.licensingitalia.it\/?p=26843"},"modified":"2021-08-04T15:07:26","modified_gmt":"2021-08-04T13:07:26","slug":"executives-from-macys-microsoft-funko-and-xbox-confirmed-to-address-the-future-of-licensing-and-retail-at-brand-licensing-innovation-summit-north-america","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.licensingitalia.it\/en\/executives-from-macys-microsoft-funko-and-xbox-confirmed-to-address-the-future-of-licensing-and-retail-at-brand-licensing-innovation-summit-north-america\/","title":{"rendered":"Executives from Macy’s, Microsoft, Funko, and Xbox Confirmed to Address the Future of Licensing and Retail at Brand & Licensing Innovation Summit North America"},"content":{"rendered":"

Brand & Licensing Innovation Summit North America (B&LIS)<\/strong><\/a>, a two-day conference bringing together more than 200 delegates to deliver thought-providing content and networking opportunities, today revealed the first wave of speakers confirmed for the in-person Summit set for October 27-28 at Convene New York<\/h3>\n

Following the conference series’ inaugural launch in Europe this past June, B&LIS North America is reconnecting US-based industry leaders and decision-makers face-to-face to propel the industry forward and address critical topics on the future of licensing and retail. Register here<\/strong><\/a> to join the industry’s most prominent players and garner insight into the market’s upcoming trends. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Bay Laurel Advisors<\/strong>, Funko, Macy’s, Microsoft, <\/strong>and Xbox <\/strong>are among the more than 40 companies represented at the conference confirmed to take the stage and impart highly sought-after insights on leveraging brands to transcend a category with licensing.<\/p>\n

The executive-level conference comprises four themes \u2013 Market Trends, Retail Disruption, Digital Transformation, and Product Sustainability \u2013 broken down into two days of keynotes, panel discussions, workshops, breakout sessions, and networking opportunities designed to drill down into long-lasting and emergent themes that play an active role in driving consumer purchasing decisions.<\/p>\n

“We are thrilled to launch B&LIS in the North American market in partnership with Licensing International, serving as the region’s meeting place for thought leaders to connect, collaborate, and influence the future of brand licensing and consumer product innovation<\/em>,” said Anna Knight, VP of Licensing<\/strong>. \u201cThe industry is in the midst of a transformative era as consumers emerge from lockdown and carry with them behaviors formed during the pandemic, such as a strengthened familiarity with digital retail experiences and emerging interests such as self-expression and sustainability. These themes carry immense opportunity for retailers and licensors alike, thus underpin the educational and forward-looking conference<\/em>.”<\/p>\n

Knight<\/strong> continued: \u201cWhat\u2019s more, B&LIS will serve as a reunion for the industry as the first in-person event for the North American licensing community in almost two years. Mark this event on your calendar as a must-attend to garner much-needed insight and to reconnect and network with the industry\u2019s leading decision makers<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Featuring expert-led sessions spanning a breadth of topics, B&LIS North America is strategically designed to be a one-stop-shop for in-depth education and trend analysis. Among the notable speaker lineup includes John Friend, Head of Halo and Xbox Consumer Products, Microsoft<\/strong>, who isconfirmed to speak on a panel entitled \u201cLevel Up: How eSports & Gaming are Dominating Entertainment Licensing. \u201cGaming is the biggest entertainment market in the world today, both in number of consumers and revenue generated. The potential to extend your brand reach and influence this growing segment of consumers is here<\/em>,\u201d commented Friend. \u201cI look forward to sharing examples and learnings from past licensing campaigns, including the recent Xbox Series X|S console launch and upcoming release of Halo Infinite, as well as helping attendees understand how to navigate this expansive and rich part of the entertainment sector<\/em>.\u201d       <\/p>\n

Featured sessions confirmed to date include: <\/u><\/p>\n

Day 1 \u2013 October 27 | Trends, Retail & Sustainability<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n