Unlocking the Power of Brand Licensing
Insights from Licensing Horizons in the Middle East
By Adeeb Alghoufary
The brand licensing industry in the Middle East has emerged as a fundamental force in the regional business landscape, driving the expansion and depth of brand influence across various sectors.
The industry’s growth reflects a broader global trend in which brands leverage licensing to extend their reach, diversify their product offerings, and engage new audiences.
In the Middle East, licensing has not only helped international brands solidify their presence but also enabled local brands to scale and compete on a global stage.
The significance of brand licensing in the region is on full display at strategic business gatherings, among which Licensing Horizons stands out as a premier event in terms of catalyzing industry growth and fostering unparalleled networking opportunities.
The Role of Brand Licensing in the Middle East Brand licensing is a smart way for companies to grow in the Middle East, a region known for its young, brand-loving consumers, strong online presence, and high spending power.
In the wealthy Gulf countries especially, branded items are in high demand.
Through licensing, brands team up with local partners that know what people like and how to reach them.
In this way, brands launch products that fit well with local tastes and are likely to prove popular with customers. For brands from other countries, licensing offers an easy and cost effective path to enter or grow in the Middle East without the expense of setting up a new local business from scratch.
As a result, brands increase their sales and reach more potential customers while keeping risks low.
At the same time, local brands benefit from licensing by partnering with well-known global brands, increasing their appeal through association with an internationally known name.
Such partnerships are highly valuable in a region characterized by a preference for global brands. Licensing Horizons: Fostering Industry Growth Licensing Horizons, created by Markettcom Licensing Agency and BrandTrends, showcases the commitment to growth and teamwork in the Middle East’s brand licensing sector.
This event has quickly become crucial for business leaders looking to understand and take advantage of the region’s brand-licensing opportunities.
Held at the Sofitel Dubai Downtown Hotel on February 27, 2024, this year’s event, the second of its kind, drew more than 100 business leaders from the region and beyond.
Titled Immersive Odyssey, the event focused on the growing importance of blending the real and virtual worlds in brand licensing. Featured were 14 speakers from various industries associated with licensing in some way.
Among the standout speakers was Maura Regan, CEO and president of Licensing International, who traveled from New York to Dubai to attend.
Her participation served to support the region’s growing industry, and she freely shared her insights with local business leaders.
The conference consisted of five sessions, each of which considered a specific aspect of the industry. In the first session, the discussion focused on the connections among licensing, media, and sports, highlighting new strategies, the role of entertainment in sports, and how creativity is changing audience engagement and opening new collaboration opportunities. The second session provided a glimpse at the latest technologies for immersive experiences, how they shape interactive environments and storytelling, and their use in entertainment, marketing, and events. The third session explored the future of art licensing, in particular, the impact on the ways in which artists reach audiences beyond galleries and museums and the challenges and opportunities involved in protecting art in the digital age. The impact of generative AI on brand licensing was the focus of the fourth session. The event wrapped up with the keynote by Maura Regan, who summarized the day’s discussion and offered some thoughts about the future of immersive licensing in the entertainment industry. The strong attendance and high quality of the speakers were indicative of the event’s success. Licensing Horizons is crucial for sharing knowledge, networking, and building partnerships in the brand licensing world. The event brings together a wide range of industry players to discuss trends, challenges, and opportunities. This year, the emphasis was on the increasing role of the Middle East in the global licensing market and exploring new strategies to tap into this potential. Plans are already underway for the third Licensing Horizons event, expected to be held in the first quarter of 2025 in Dubai. There are plans to look for venues in Saudi Arabia, a growing market for the licensing and entertainment industry. This planning highlights the importance of the event in driving future brand licensing in the Middle East and creating a community of innovators to tackle the industry’s challenges.
The Impact of Business Gatherings on the Industry
Business gatherings such as Licensing Horizons have been instrumental in the growth and evolution of the brand licensing industry in the Middle East. They serve several critical functions. Knowledge Sharing. Licensing Horizons and similar gatherings offer insights into global and regional trends, consumer behaviors, and technological advancements, equipping attendees with the information necessary to make informed business decisions. Networking Opportunities. These events provide a unique setting for networking with industry peers, potential partners, and market experts, thereby facilitating collaborations that can lead to new licensing opportunities and ventures. Showcasing Innovation. By highlighting innovative approaches and success stories in the industry, these events inspire companies to adopt creative strategies in their licensing endeavors. Addressing Challenges. By bringing together a wide range of industry participants, these events foster discussion of shared challenges, from legal and regulatory issues to market entry strategies, and provide opportunities to explore collective solutions. Conclusions The brand licensing industry in the Middle East is at a pivotal juncture, with immense potential to influence the region’s economic landscape and the global positioning of its brands. Events such as Licensing Horizons are a crucial part of this ecosystem, serving as a platform for industry leaders to converge, share insights, and forge partnerships that drive the business of licensing. As the industry continues to evolve, the success of Licensing Horizons underscores the importance of collaboration and innovation in navigating the complexities of the market. The region’s growing significance in the global licensing landscape and its potential to serve as a hub for brand expansion and cultural exchange fuel the demand for such events. In the dynamic environment of the Middle East, the future of brand licensing is bright, promising new opportunities for growth, diversification, and strategic alliances that will shape the business landscape for years to come.
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Source: Total Licensing 2024 Spring Edition
By Amer Bitar Markettcom Ltd CEO
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