Brand Licensing Europe 2025 report

overview

This year’s Brand Licensing Europe (BLE) brought together over 2,500 brands under one roof at London’s ExCeL.

In addition to a buzzing show floor filled with meetings and conversations, BLE 2025 featured inspiring panels and keynotes on the License Global Theatre stage, along with exclusive insights from executives across a diverse mix of brand owners, agencies, and attendees.

Couldn’t make it in person, or were you too busy at your booth? Don’t worry! We’ve rounded up our favourite stands, experiences, standout products, and key trends from the show.

Check out our highlights below!

Perfetti Van Melle

As one of the largest confectionery companies in the world, Perfetti Van Melle caught everyone’s attention with its striking Chupa-Chups-themed stand, which was a vibrant love letter to Pop Art.
The booth wouldn’t have looked out of place in an art gallery. Beautifully designed, bursting with colour and, of course, Visitors were treated to a free Chupa Chups lolly to take away.

Paramount

Much like last year, the first stand to greet visitors upon entering BLE featured Paramount’s iconic logo, a striking presence on the show floor.
Around the outside, big panels showcased the studio’s extensive portfolio, including the new “World of TMNT” branding and apparel, celebrating both past and present incarnations of the legendary crime-fighting Turtles.

Smurfs (The Peyo Company)

The Smurfs stand took a simple approach in its layout, but was full of charming details waiting to be discovered. From whimsical toadstool statues to a fun photo opportunity with Smurfette and Vanity Smurf.
Our favourite touch? The custom Smurf-themed carpet that covered the stand featured subtle, doodle character art.
There were also high-end fashion pieces on display, ranging from sleek leather jackets to cosy cardigans adorned with knitted Smurf scenes.

Guinness x Fatti Burke

This stand really stood out thanks to its simple art style and beautifully crafted, designed products.
Guinness teamed up with artist Kathi “Fatti” Burke on a range that includes Hawaiian shirts, flasks, and tote bags. Centred around the “Lovely Day for a Guinness” theme, the collection features the famous toucan and the iconic black and white drink, all infused with summer and Hawaiian vibes.

Warner Bros. Discovery

Warner Bros. Discovery returned with its massive stand, largely based on last year’s backstage movie set theme, but refreshed with new properties and exciting details. Our favourite, The Wicked Witch of the East’s legs, complete with Ruby Slippers, is a hidden gem that visitors could only spot by following the Yellow Brick Road that wound its way around the stand.

SMiley

This stand was sparse but impactful, effectively showcasing all the exciting collaborations in the pipeline, including Adidas x Sesame Street. The display featured excellent products, and towering above it all was a giant Smiley face watching over the stand. Photos hardly do it justice; in person, it was enormous!

Hasbro x Irregular Choice

Hasbro teamed up with the eccentric British brand Irregular Choice for a playful collection of Monopoly-inspired shoes and bags, a delightfully fun range that really caught our eye.

Photo Ops

There were plenty of photo opportunities across the show, but we’ve picked our favourite four this year:

“I Have the POWER!”: Visitors got to wield He-Man’s iconic sword from the Masters of the Universe movie, posed perfectly against a striking concept art backdrop.

Hello Kitty: As always, Hello Kitty delivered a thoughtfully designed photo-op. This year featured a custom sofa, complete with a Kitty lamp and plush tree.

Eh-oh!: The beloved Teletubbies wandered the floor, giggling and causing mischief. They stopped for countless photos and even playfully ruffled my hair before sending me on my way.

Strawberry Shortcake: This photo-op featured a branded food van as well as a mascot, Strawberry Shortcake herself!

Themed Areas

The Smurfs’ Cosy Café had a very autumnal feel, decorated with designs and patterns from their fall style guides alongside Smurf statues. The warm, seasonal vibe was perfectly complemented by pumpkin-spiced lattes on offer.
The Peppa Pig Café was inspired by Peppa’s house and featured a playful photo-op where visitors could join Peppa and her family jumping in muddy puddles.

Pickleball anyone?

The sporting world featured prominently this year. Visitors were invited to book a slot for a game at the Lotto x Erve-branded pickleball event on the show floor.
One rally on Thursday morning drew a particularly enthusiastic crowd, proving that the sporty excitement was a hit with attendees!

Arcade

The BLE Arcade provided plenty of fun distractions between meetings. There’s only so many coffees you can drink!
Highlights included a high-energy Space Invaders spin-off, Mario Kart, and our personal favourite, a 3D Pong game that played much like an air hockey table, bringing a fresh twist to a classic.

Difuzed X Pokémon: Difuzed develops official licensed lifestyle products across gaming, entertainment, and global brands. Their range of Pokémon handbags was a real highlight.

Moulin Rouge Paris: Celebrating 135 years, Moulin Rouge showcased beautifully crafted products, including sequinned purses with embroidered windmills, every bit as flamboyant as the iconic show itself.

Tubbz X Attack on Titan: Just about every piece of pop culture has been immortalised as a Tubbz duck, and the oversized Attack on Titan-inspired Tubbz of the Giant is a particularly creative example, capturing the character’s likeness brilliantly.

British Museum: Drawing from their extensive catalogue of artwork, the British Museum produced ornate bags that almost look antique, blending history with contemporary fashion.

Lego Bags: These clever Lego-inspired bags feature creative zip pockets and playful Lego block shapes.

Bravado: A brand that fuses music and fashion, Bravado had plenty of unique pieces on display. Our favourite was a Sex Pistols T-shirt embellished with pearls, combining punk attitude with unexpected elegance.

Bazuuyu Toys

Known for their food-themed plush, Bazuuyu Toys brought their latest food market–inspired collection to life. Highlights included a cooked chicken on a grill and a roasted pig, which had us doing a double-take!

Motorsport

There was a very strong Motorsport/Racing trend that ran through this year’s BLE, which could be seen in the toy and gaming sector as well as with RedBull Racing and Ford. Their stands were always very busy, and with this in mind, we expect to see this reflected in the high street and beyond.

Newstalgic

The number one category for licensed consumer products remains entertainment, and the BLE show floor reflected this perfectly, with countless classic IPs taking centre stage.

A key trend this year was “Newstalgia,” which reimagines classic IP with a modern twist. Many of these revitalised brands have also been elevated through high-end fashion applications, giving beloved classics a fresh, contemporary appeal.