Licensing International is excited to announce that the 2020 Licensing International Excellence Awards will take place virtually on Thursday, August 13 from 2pm – 3:30pm EDT. Typically held in conjunction with Licensing Expo in Las Vegas, this year’s Awards ceremony recognizes the unique circumstances of the moment by shifting to an online event designed to bring together the global licensing community for a moment of celebration and connection.
“Now more than ever, we need reasons to come together, and what better reason than to celebrate the amazing work of our industry,” says Maura Regan, President, Licensing International. “Even though we can’t be together in person, we look forward to recognizing the prestigious work of our nominees and our winners virtually.”
This year’s Awards feature 175 nominees across 23 categories, including the brand-new “Best Agency Award.” Nominees were selected from more than 600 submissions from 20 countries and judged by a global panel of 150 experts from all areas of the industry. A full list of the nominees can be accessed here.
Marshall Mizrahi, President of Handcraft by day and stand-up comedian by night, has graciously agreed to host the event, which will also include the official induction of the legendary Martha Stewart into the Licensing Hall of Fame, and a celebration of this year’s Rising Stars. Additionally, this year will see the debut of a modern new trophy design set to be unveiled in the coming weeks.
In response to the global coronavirus pandemic, 2020 fundraising efforts will look a little different than usual, as well. All funds raised through donations and ads in the Awards Program will be used to support the tight-knit licensing community with small business grants available to companies that are members of Licensing International and have been impacted by COVID-19, regardless of location. Qualifying members are invited to apply on the Licensing International website beginning July 1.