Press releases
What’s new at BRANDmania?
Here you can find everything that’s happening at BRANDmania right now. Drop by regularly and stay up to date!
Registration for BRANDmania now open –
the festival for brand power in Essen
Registration for BRANDmania 2026 is now open. The festival for brands, licensing and partnerships will take place once again at Zeche Zollverein in Essen on June 24 and 25. Leading companies from entertainment, media, food, fashion and toys are expected to attend – with many key players returning. In addition to networking in a festival atmosphere, the event offers a diverse conference program in cooperation with Licensing International. The LicenseLounge powered by BRANDmania at Spielwarenmesse will also provide fresh inspiration for the licensing industry.
Successful premiere:
First BRANDbaby Award goes to Barbie x Condor
The first BRANDbaby Award was presented at the Licensing Summit in Munich, with the “Barbie x Condor” project named BRANDbaby of the Year 2025. The Licensing Awards also recognized the “Lustiges Taschenbuch ‘Wacken’ Edition” as Licensing Product of the Year and “Bluey” as Licensing Theme of the Year, while “Harry Potter x Thalia” received the Retail loves Licensing Award. More than 60 entries were evaluated by an expert jury. The next industry highlights are already set: the LicenseLounge at Spielwarenmesse 2026 and the next BRANDmania in June 2026 in Essen.
BRANDmate inspires with innovative ideas and a strong location
The fourth BRANDmate event thrilled around 900 participants with innovative ideas, strong brand presentations, and an impressive venue at Zeche Zollverein in Essen. The focus was on networking, creative formats like the BLINDmate concept, and a varied program featuring inspiring keynotes and thematic sessions. Numerous industry leaders and newcomers provided fresh momentum and a true sense of community. The open atmosphere, high-quality conversations, and new collaborations were especially praised. With its new name, BRANDmania, the event will return for the next edition on June 24 and 25, 2026, in Essen.