Licensing Blog

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Dubai, work on the new Guide, Christmas and the year is done!(Posted: 16-12-2009)

Where has the time gone? I remember thinking the same the week before last Christmas, but it seems impossible that we’re here already.

The Dubai Character Fair is almost a distant memory! I was a bit worried when my taxi driver from the airport had to stop to call his cousin to find out where my hotel was – eventually I persuaded him to call the hotel direct. I know I’ve stayed in a few dumps, but this was actually mainstream. Although having met a colleague at the Crown Plaza and seen that nearby there was Wagamammas, KFC and TGI Fridays, it did put my hotel into context that the best I had was TGI Thursdays (really, and I have photographic proof), the Al Wassim Diner and what I think may have been Chemical Ali’s Café.

I also saw a Safestway supermarket on my travels, so look out Mr Morrison.

Pity the poor traveller from Brand Licensing Europe who was slightly delayed in customs whilst they searched every item in his luggage, evening examining the fluff in his coat pockets. Stripped to his underwear in a room with a few burly men, he feared the pinging of the rubber gloves, but luckily for him it didn’t quite come to that.

A memorable evening was spent at Double Deckers – am I the only one who remembers the 60s TV show of the same name? The highlight was definitely a locally based English licensing luminary falling backwards off the bench. He swore he just forgot there was no back to it, but I blame the drink. To his credit, he picked himself up and proceeded to show an unbelievable knowledge of the lyrics of just about every Meatloaf hit record. What entertainment! It was his fault that I didn’t get back to my hotel until 5.30am.

The show itself was once again a success. I had my doubts due to the year the region had just had, but the organizers did a good job in getting a decent range and number of exhibitors for the second year, and the visitors came in steady numbers. Let’s hope the industry continues to support this event, as there is little doubt that the potential is starting to show.

So how was 2009? Well, it didn’t seem to turn out as badly as most people were predicting. Once again, licensing seems to have come through the year pretty well, and I haven’t heard too many hard luck stories. We successfully exhibited at two new events this year, in Korea and Croatia, and this will be reflected in the strengthening of the information for these areas in the 2011 Guide. We are just about to go to print to bring to a close a very fraught few weeks in our office. Thanks to all of you have helped us with your co-operation.

One thing I couldn’t have predicted is that two of us in the office would each have lost 3 stone (19kg to you metricists) since the start of the year. Joanna, the editor of the Guide, although not seemingly overweight, went on a dieting spree and has become positively svelte. I, on the other hand definitely in need of a bit of slimming, was inspired by this and over the course of the last 7 months have managed the same. You could knock me down with a feather – well, not quite.

So it just remains to wish you all a very Happy Christmas, a prosperous New Year, and I look forward to seeing you all in 2010, starting, I hope, with a successful first licensing show of the year in Hong Kong………..