Our visit to Brand Licensing Europe 2026
From 6 to 8 October 2026, our colleague Alexander Joos visited Brand Licensing Europe at ExCeL London. It is the leading European event where brand owners, licensing agencies, manufacturers and retailers meet. Here, famous characters, entertainment franchises, sports properties and lifestyle brands find partners to turn them into products.
Brands you can experience
What stood out most were the stands themselves. They were no longer simple booths with a logo on the wall, but immersive worlds built to make visitors feel the brand from the first step.
- Life-size vehicles, themed seating areas and playful signposts invited visitors to stop, sit down and talk business.
- Huge printed backdrops and illuminated wall panels made characters and logos pop from across the hall.
- Sports brands presented their trophies like museum pieces, on pedestals against dark walls with bold colour accents.
The message was clear: in licensing, how a brand looks and feels matters as much as the brand itself.
Where cold foil makes the difference
Every licensing deal signed in London eventually ends up on a shelf, as packaging, a display or a book cover. That is where print comes in. Fans recognise their favourite characters instantly, and a licensed product has only seconds to catch their eye in a crowded store. Metallic and holographic effects are one of the most effective ways to make that happen: think of a shining logo on folding carton, a sparkling POS display or a luxury gift box.
That is exactly what we do at Grafische Groep Matthys. As cold foil printing specialists since 2008, we add metallic effects in 1001 colours to paper and folding carton, in a single print pass. Visiting events like Brand Licensing Europe helps us stay close to what brand owners expect, so our customers can make the difference with shine.
Working on licensed packaging, displays or covers that need to stand out? Get in touch with our team or request our inspiration brochure to discover what cold foil can do for your brand.
