Joeydolls celebrates Asian heritage and culture by producing a high quality, and authentically representative toy line. Now available in 19 stores across the world, you may be surprised to know that this small toy business began during the COVID-19 Pandemic, and was funded by 1 powerhouse mom, Samantha Ong. The brand has won three awards for its effort towards creating more inclusivity and diversity during a period of Asian-hate, has just paired up with five new retailers to make its diverse, award-winning dolls more readily available to the public.

Toy licensing is the intersection of entertainment and consumer products, playing a crucial role in the modern toy industry. Licensing involves obtaining rights to use popular characters, brands, or intellectual property (IP) from various media sources to create and market toys and merchandise. This practice allows toy manufacturers to tap into the immense popularity of beloved franchises from movies, TV shows, video games, and books.

The process benefits both parties involved: toy companies gain access to recognizable and marketable properties, while IP owners expand their revenue streams and increase brand visibility. This symbiotic relationship has led to countless successful toy lines based on everything from blockbuster films to classic cartoon characters.

Licensing is a viable option for small brands and small manufacturers to grow their reach and revenue. But before you can join the world of toy licensing, you’ve got to understand 2 key terms, licensor and licensee.

This year's event features the return of Licensing U, produced by Licensing International, the US market debut of License This!, and an opening keynote address from senior executives at Warner Bros. Consumer Products, plus the launch of Digital Brand Roadshows, Retail Clinics, Sustainability Clinics produced in partnership with Products of Change, along with GLG educational content. "We are so excited to reveal this year's agenda as we tailor-made each offering to mirror the industry's most pressing and ever-changing needs," said Anna Knight, vice president of Licensing, Informa Markets. "As a result of extensive conversations with our exhibitor and attendee community, we have devised the strongest agenda to date that is geared toward inciting collaboration, drawing hundreds of IP to the forefront, and addressing the challenges our attendee-base faces daily."

When you’re a toy inventor or entrepreneur, you’re probably used to doing it all. You want to have a hand in every part of the invention and production process. However, there may be some times you need some help, and that’s OK. A great entrepreneur knows when to delegate tasks instead of taking on too much for themselves.

Taking place over four weeks with each week dedicated to a global region from October 6-29, the all-virtual event serves as a large-scale digital gathering that aims to bring together the global licensing industry to connect, learn, strike deals and do business on an international stage. Live and on-demand content will span keynotes, educational sessions, plentiful networking opportunities, and even entertainment.