BBC Studios and XBOX are the latest big names to join the Brand Licensing Europe content agenda, with two new sessions exploring franchise building and the fast-growing location-based experiences market at this year’s event, taking place October 6-8 at Excel London.
BBC Studios: Building franchises for generations
BBC Studios’ EVP Global Consumer Products Suzy Raia will take to the License Global Main Stage on October 7 at 11:30 a.m. for The ‘Bluey’ Effect: Building Franchises for Generations, a fireside chat exploring how authentic storytelling can evolve into a global, multi-platform franchise.
With the Bluey movie on the horizon, Raia will explore how one of the world’s leading content companies transforms authentic stories into global franchises. Discover how Bluey continues to grow beyond the screen ahead of the upcoming movie, and how BBC Studios is building the next generation of entertainment IP.
Drawing on Bluey’s remarkable global success, Raia will also explore BBC Studios’ approach to long-term franchise building, from nurturing established IP such as Doctor Who to developing the next generation of globally iconic brands.
The session will be moderated by McKenna Morgan, Senior Content Editor, License Global.
Key takeaways will include:
- How BBC Studios approaches taking Bluey beyond the screen while protecting what audiences love about the brand
- Why audience behavior and emotional connection are central to long-term franchise building
- How products, experiences and partnerships can add to a brand’s story
Raia said: “I’m looking forward to discussing how authentic storytelling can evolve into a global, multi-platform franchise. As Bluey continues to grow beyond the screen ahead of its upcoming movie, we’ve seen how emotional connection, audience engagement and thoughtful partnerships can help build lasting brands. I’m excited to share some of the lessons from Bluey’s remarkable journey, and how BBC Studios is helping shape the next generation of iconic entertainment IP.”
Minecraft to share the realities of location-based experiences
On BLE’s opening day – October 6 – Bob Brennecke, Director of Experiences and Music Licensing at XBOX, will take to the stage at 3 p.m. for a candid fireside chat looking at what it really takes to bring a global brand like Minecraft into the physical world.
Location-based experiences (LBEs) are one of the fastest-growing revenue streams in brand licensing – but they’re also the most difficult to execute. You’re not just licensing IP, you’re building a physical business.
Brennecke will be joined by Paul Moreton, EVP and Chief Development Officer, Merlin Entertainments, who will provide the operator’s perspective on what makes brand partnerships successful – and what red flags to avoid. The session will be moderated by Gianna Rosenbach, Digital Editor, License Global.
Actionable insights will include:
- The essential due diligence checklist before entering a location-based deal
- How to structure agreements that protect your brand while enabling operational flexibility
- Timeline realities: from concept to opening (spoiler: it’s longer than you think)
- How to future-proof experiences for longevity
- The operational considerations brand owners often overlook
Location-based experiences give fans the chance to step into the worlds they already know and love, but creating a successful experience requires a very different approach to a traditional licensing deal,” said Brennecke. “At BLE, we’ll get into the practical side of that process and share some of the lessons we’ve learned along the way.”
Ella Haynes, BLE Event Director, said: “We’re thrilled to welcome BBC Studios and Minecraft to this year’s agenda, giving the BLE audience exclusive insight into two hugely successful global franchises.
“Attendees will hear first-hand what it takes to build a franchise with lasting global appeal and get practical advice on taking brands into location-based entertainment, leaving with ideas, lessons and strategies they can apply to their own licensing programmes.”
The latest session additions join a 2026 content program featuring Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products celebrating 25 years of Harry Potter in the License Global Main Stage at BLE, and Carrefour, Sun City and Jazwares revealing how powerful partnerships can unlock opportunities in European retail. The full 2026 agenda is available to view here.
