I am back from Las Vegas and Licensing Expo 2013. I always enjoy this show. Unlike most shows, there is a mellowness about it that leads to great conversation, new and / or enhanced relationships and an education on what is going on in this massive industry. In fact, it felt more like a Schmooze Fest than a trade show so why
the mellow mood? Here are some ideas:
- Licensing is a more schmooze based industry than
toys and other consumer products. Trading
in intellectual property is a softer, longer term, transactional process than
buying and selling consumer products. It
takes time and talk to do a deal.
Therefore, the Licensing Show is a center point to a longer conversation
rather than a do-or-die moment to close a deal. - The election is over and the doubts as to who
would be the next President are settled.
Whether a person was happy with the outcome or not, there are now, to
quote former Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld, known knowns. - Washington seems a little more settled down
with, at least the Senate, trying to operate in a more bipartisan fashion. Kids don’t like it when their parents fight
and neither do businesspeople so the attempts at national familial peace are a
nice change of pace. - Licensing is currently dominated the
aforementioned known knowns as well.
Superman is back and Despicable Me is too. As a result, there is the resulting sense of security
that comes from dealing in established properties. - Alcohol!
Each night while leaving the show floor, I was held up in a human traffic
jam. Why the traffic jam, because there
was a very busy bar, the first of many, welcoming exhibitors and attendees
looking to talk and relax. That’s when
it hit me that people tend to drink more while in Las Vegas. Combine that with a schmooze based show and
you have a lot of slightly hung over people who are….well mellow.
All in all, I found it to be a very enjoyable show. What did you think?