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NEW YORK, April 19, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- With an exploding international market, millennial shoppers opening their wallets at ever-increasing rates, and a digital landscape that allows for on-demand product fulfillment at lightning speed, there have never been more opportunities to achieve success in licensing. To help licensing professionals capitalize on today's newest business prospects, the International Licensing Industry Merchandisers' Association (LIMA) has assembled an array of Licensing University^™ sessions on these and other hot topics featuring a who's who of experts. Licensing University takes place May 22-25 at Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV. The program is part of Licensing Week, held alongside Licensing Expo, which is owned and organized by UBM and sponsored by LIMA. The Expo begins on May 23.

Cole Gahagan, Chief Commercial Officer of sports-licensing powerhouse Fanatics Inc. will deliver the keynote address, "Licensing In The On-Demand Economy." It's a new era in the licensing business in which the speed at which brand owners, retailers, and licensees fulfill rapidly changing consumer demand will go a long way toward determining the future. Millennials and the generations that follow them have ushered in major changes in how content is consumed and products are purchased and will continue to shape the landscape as we move forward. Gahagan will look at how these forces have shaped the company's strategies, and how it views the road ahead. The keynote session is 8 a.m. – 9 a.m. on Tuesday, May 23.

In addition, some of Licensing University's hot topic sessions this year include:

• Growth Markets – India, China and Brazil – This session will examine three of the global marketplaces most often cited as having the greatest growth potential for sales of licensed goods; offering real-world insights about business conditions, and how to maximize the opportunity. Speakers: Rohit Sobit, Brand Monk Licensing; Clara Yang, UYoung Culture & Media Co., Ltd.; David Diesendruck, Redibra. Moderator: Jiggy George, Dream Theatre Pvt. Ltd
• Planning - And Executing - Your Social Media Strategy– This workshop will provide the latest stats/insights/trends on where social media is today and where we are going —as well as provide an overview of the process for developing an effective social media strategy that is both targeted and flexible for fast changes, defining your marketing goals, identifying your target audience personas, choosing the platforms to use for communicating with your customers and prospects, establishing key performance indicators and monitoring the effectiveness of your content strategies. Presented by Natalie Cupps DiBlasi of LACED Agency
• Eight Key Steps in Extending a Brand – What is over licensing and should I be concerned? Is this a common problem? What kind of thinking or circumstances contribute to over-licensing. Is there such a thing as under-licensing? Why do managements want to license? What is it that other managements are afraid of? How do you know you are targeting the right categories for licensing … choosing the right licensee partners? Is damage from over-licensing measurable? If I have over-licensed, can I pull back? What are my options? Speakers include Christian Mayer, Telefunken Licenses GmbH; Vera Tsekeris, HP; Ted Curtin, Leveraged Marketing Corp. of America (LMCA) and ProdigyWorks. Moderator: Allan Feldman, LMCA
• Basics of Sports Licensing – Attendees will learn how to integrate sports into their product portfolio and what the growth potential is for local, national and international consumers, and more. Speakers: Carl Banks, G-III Sports; Matt Chavlovich, Major League Soccer; Matt Dyste, Fermata Partners. Moderator: Steve Scebelo, NFL Players Inc.
• The Changing Landscape of Digital Entertainment – A discussion about the video game and digital entertainment landscape and how to navigate the many choices an entertainment or corporate brand holder has to understand and make. Speakers: Javon Frazier, Studio71; Arthur Madrid, Pixowl; Travis Rutherford, Evolution USA Ltd.; John Sutyak, DDM; Clint Waasted, Zynga. Moderator: Mark Caplan, BD Labs Inc.
• Capsules, Collaborations and Limited Editions: Opportunities and Pitfalls – Licensing partnerships that are narrow in scope, including capsule collections, limited editions, and collaborations, have taken the place of traditional long-term licensing agreements in many situations. What are the benefits and challenges associated with these deals? What do you need to know about payment structures and contract terms that are different from standard licensing agreements? What are best practices for a successful partnership? The presentation will include a brief overview of the landscape (who's doing what and how), plus two case studies and a Q&A. Speakers: Christine Cool, Perfetti van Melle Group; Pamela Deese, Arent Fox; and Carla Silva, King Features; Moderator: Karen Raugust, Raugust Communications
• Studies in Food and Beverage Branding – The food and beverage categories offer licensees and brand owners both unique opportunities and unique challenges. You'll hear a trio of presentations offering very different perspectives on this growth area of the licensing business. Speakers: David Lee, MillerCoors; Sondra Newkirk, Meredith Corp.; Ernie Savo, The Hershey Company. Moderator: Ricardo Yoselevitz, Seltzer Licensing Group

For an up-to-date schedule of sessions and to register for the full slate of Licensing University sessions, visit the Licensing Expo website.

About LIMA
LIMA - the International Licensing Industry Merchandisers' Association - is the leading trade organization for the global licensing industry. LIMA's mission is to foster the growth and expansion of licensing around the world, raise the level of professionalism for licensing practitioners and create greater awareness of the benefits of licensing to the business community at large. Founded in 1985, LIMA maintains offices in New York, London, Munich, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Melbourne, and Mexico City, with representatives in Canada, India, Italy, Korea, and the Middle East. Members in over 35 countries enjoy access to an array of benefits, including extensive educational programming and worldwide networking events. LIMA is the exclusive sponsor of events organized by UBM's Global Licensing Group: Licensing Expo, Brand Licensing Europe, Licensing Expo Japan, Licensing Expo China, and NYC Summit. Visit licensing.org for more information and to utilize licensing's definitive online resource. 

About Licensing Expo (www.licensingexpo.com)
Launched in 1980, Licensing Expo is the world's largest and most influential annual trade show dedicated to licensing and brand extension. The show floor is merchandised into two zones: Characters and Entertainment and Brands, Agents and Design. More than 16,200 retailers, licensees, manufacturers, distributors and licensing agents attend the Expo from more than 67 countries. Licensing Expo is owned and organized by UBM Americas and is sponsored by the International Licensing Industry Merchandisers' Association (LIMA).

About UBM
UBM plc is the largest pure-play B2B Events organizer in the world. In an increasingly digital world, the value of connecting on a meaningful, human level has never been more important. At UBM, our deep knowledge and passion for the industry sectors we serve allow us to create valuable experiences where people can succeed. At our events people build relationships, close deals and grow their businesses. Our 3,750+ people, based in more than 20 countries, serve more than 50 different sectors – from fashion to pharmaceutical ingredients. These global networks, skilled, passionate people and market-leading events provide exciting opportunities for business people to achieve their ambitions. For more information, go to www.ubm.com; for UBM corporate news, follow us on Twitter at @UBM, UBM Plc LinkedIn.

SOURCE UBM