New Format at Brand Licensing Europe 2026 — Our Three Days of London Coverage Begin!
6–8 October 2026 | ExCeL London | New Format Limited
Three days of brands, creativity and ideas that can move beyond the screen and become part of everyday life lie ahead. We will be covering all three days of Brand Licensing Europe 2026 on the newformat.shop blog, sharing our perspective on film, television, gaming and products inspired by the worlds we love.
This article marks the beginning of our coverage. We want to explore how creative ideas meet business, what fans expect from their favourite brands and where new initiatives can find their place. For New Format, this will be an opportunity to discover inspiration, learn more about the industry and ask questions about developing our own projects.
What Is Brand Licensing Europe?
Brand Licensing Europe, known as BLE, is a trade event dedicated to licensing and brand development. This year's edition takes place from 6 to 8 October 2026 at ExCeL London. It brings together brand owners, agents, manufacturers, licensees and retailers to make connections and discuss products and collaboration.
The organiser advertises more than 300 exhibitors. The event website features brands and companies including Pokémon, Warner Bros. Discovery, PlayStation, SEGA, Hasbro, Mattel, Paramount and Ubisoft — a cross-section of the entertainment world that particularly interests us.
Consumer trends, product development and examples of brand collaboration are central to the event. BLE offers an opportunity to look at familiar names from the perspective of the people working on their future.
Event information: official Brand Licensing Europe website.
Why New Format Wants to Tell This Story
We are interested in stories — both those we see on screen and those behind creative projects. When we watch a film or play a game, we notice its characters, atmosphere, visuals and emotions. This time, we also want to explore how that experience can develop beyond the original work.
What makes an object connected to a favourite story meaningful to a fan? Why does one collection feel thoughtfully designed while another quickly fades from memory? How can a story retain its character when its themes move into a completely different medium?
These are the questions we are bringing to our coverage. We want to write as the creators behind New Format and as people who enjoy popular culture: with curiosity, attention to detail and an interest in the thinking behind the finished product.
Film and Television: A Story's Life Beyond the Screen
One of our main themes will be the relationship between storytelling and brand development. We want to look for projects that retain the atmosphere of their film or television origins while offering something worthwhile to their audience.
We will be interested in how fictional worlds are presented, how their visual identity is used and how projects approach different audiences. We will look for examples that open up conversations about design, visual consistency and emotional connections to stories.
For us, this will also be an exercise in close observation. We want to consider what catches the eye, how a presentation guides its audience and which details best convey the character of a particular story.
Gaming, Collecting and Fan Communities
Gaming is another area we intend to explore. We are particularly curious about how a game's visual language — its characters, symbols, colours and environments — can find new applications.
We will look at ideas for collectables, accessories and projects aimed at gaming communities. In our coverage, we want to ask questions about craftsmanship, usefulness and whether a concept feels true to the world that inspired it.
We are also interested in the fan's perspective. Would we want an item on our desk, use it during a livestream or give it to someone who shares our interests? That personal viewpoint will be a useful starting point for discussing the projects that stay with us.
Design, Retail and Ideas for Growth
We will also approach BLE with New Format's development in mind. We want to learn how people think about collections, product presentation and collaboration across creative disciplines.
Our attention may be drawn to large displays as well as small details: interesting packaging, a well-chosen material, a thoughtful display or an idea that meets a specific audience need. We want to explain what interests us and why, giving context to the names and logos we encounter.
We will also look for opportunities to discuss potential directions for collaboration. We see the event as a place to meet people, ask questions and learn which next steps might make sense for our business.
Three Days — Three Stages of Our Coverage
We plan to cover the event throughout its three-day run. The outline below is our editorial plan; individual pieces will develop from what we are able to see and document.
Day 1 — 6 October: First impressions. We will begin by exploring the event, identifying topics that interest us and gathering our initial impressions. We will look for presentations and ideas worth returning to for a closer look.
Day 2 — 7 October: A closer look. We want to give more attention to selected brands, visual approaches and products. This will be a chance for more detailed observations, questions and follow-up on the themes that catch our attention on the first day.
Day 3 — 8 October: Highlights and reflections. We will bring together our most interesting discoveries and consider which ideas mean the most to us. We want to share what stayed with us and the inspiration we will take into future New Format projects.
What Will You Find on newformat.shop?
On our blog, we will publish observations, selected photographs and commentary on the subjects that interest us most. Where possible, we will add video to capture the visual side of the event.
We want our coverage to be accessible both to people who follow the industry and to those who simply love films, games and well-designed objects. We will share our journey through the event and explain why particular ideas make us stop and take notice.
Follow Our Three Days of Coverage
We are beginning with curiosity and a list of topics we want to understand better. Ahead of us are three days of observation, inspiration and discovery at the meeting point of entertainment, design and business.
Follow New Format at newformat.shop from 6 to 8 October and explore Brand Licensing Europe 2026 with us.
Which subjects interest you most: film and television, gaming, collectables, fashion or homeware? Let us know — your interests will help us choose topics for our upcoming posts.
New Format Limited
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