Brand Licensing Europe (BLE) will pay tribute to a legend when it opens its doors for an in-person event this November.
The Kelvyn Gardner License This! Competition honors the late licensing executive who died suddenly in January, just four days past his 66th birthday. The category continues the legacy of the License This! program that has been helping brands and designers to break into the licensing industry for more than a decade. Applications for this year’s competition are being accepted through Oct. 11 with finals set to take place in-person at BLE on Nov. 19.
Additionally, Nov. 18 has been dubbed Colour for Kelvyn Day. Attendees are invited to wear bright colors in honor of Gardner’s affection for eye-catching jackets and to make a donation in his name to industry charity The Light Fund.
“Kelvyn was someone that I — and everyone else in the licensing industry — genuinely loved and truly admired,” says Anna Knight, vice president of licensing, Informa Markets. “He chaired License This! from day one and was a massive advocate for making the sector accessible to everyone, particularly new blood with exciting ideas. He was so generous with his time — not only through the judging process — but also with the mentoring he offered the finalists and winners, that it seems only fitting it’s now known as the Kelvyn Gardner License This! Competition.
Start Licensing Director Ian Downes steps into Gardner’s former role as chair for the program.
Kelvyn Gardner License This! Competition Judges include:
- Phil King, managing director, Trademark Products Ltd
- Sabrina Segalov, senior international licensing manager, Sanrio Global Ltd
- Emily Aldridge, head of global licensing, Abysse Corp
- Dan Grant, licensing director, Danilo
- Teri Niadna, managing director, Brandgenuity
- Sarah Ward, chief executive, The Giftware Association
- Clare Piggott, managing director, Larkshead Media
- Billy Langsworthy, co-founder, Mojo Nation & Brands Untapped
- Rob Goodchild, commercial director, Aardman
- Sarah Lawrence, director, This is Iris
- Jehane Boden Spiers, founder, JEHANE Ltd
- Karen Hewitt, buying director, Character.com
- Maxine Lister, head of licensing, Natural History Museum
- Dale Boreham, senior design manager, Moonpig
The in-person version of Brand Licensing Europe takes place November 17-19, 2021 at ExCeL in London. An online event will take place Nov. 30-Dec. 1.
