MUMBAI: The conference programme at Mipcom, the world's leading audiovisual content market, will turn its focus on the dynamic industry of licensing & merchandising (L&M), in partnership with Licensing Industry Merchandisers' Association (LIMA) and License! Magazine.
On Tuesday, 18 October, keynote presentations will be given by two leaders in the field as they share their insight into the growing link between the world of audiovisual content and licensing.
In recognition of his professional career, president of Warner Bros. Worldwide Consumer Products (United States) Dan Romanelli - will be the recipient of Mipcom's Lifetime Achievement Award 2005. Romanelli will speak about his remarkable success in guiding his influential company towards an estimated $50 billion L&M business.
He will also be sharing his insight on the trends over the past two decades and telling us what to expect, and if any will recur, in the future, states an official release.
Romanelli adds, "The whole world is becoming wireless. We are now our own individual networks, which gives the consumer much more power. And it's so immediate. Today, L&M requires the ability to reach out wirelessly to somebody who is walking past your product; and get them to buy it there and then." Additionally, Romanelli will discuss the four P's: Property, People, Product and Performance at his Super Tuesday keynote.
The second Licensing Keynote, president of Lucasfilm Licensing (United States) Howard Roffman, will present Star Wars, the world's most successfully branded production, as a case study in how L&M has developed in the entertainment industry during the period in which these six films have been released internationally. He has presided over one of the most successful L&M campaigns the entertainment industry has ever seen. "George [Lucas] wanted to tell his principal story through movies, and he's done that now," Roffman said. "But he's created such a rich universe in the process that he knows there's more to tell. He now wants to move into pure entertainment."
Director of the Television Division at Reed Midem Paul Johnson, stated, "We're delighted to have not one but two of the most prominent players in the L&M arena keynote this Mipcom. L&M has always been present at our markets but has taken on added importance as we strive to create more value for all our global clients in partnership with LIMA."
The L&M track within the Mipcom conferences is presented in three parts, TV to Book and Book to TV (part 1) in partnership with the London Book Fair. Part 2 which focuses on Games to TV, and Part 3 focusing on how to make the most of your brand.
