Moomin Director to Give BLE Keynote

Executives from the Finnish brand to share brand strategy and future plans Sophia Jansson, creative director of Moomin Characters and niece of Moomin creator Tove Jansson, will give the keynote address at Brand Licensing Europe's Licensing Academy Oct. 14. Brand Licensing Europe will take place in London, Oct. 13-15. Finnish artist, illustrator and author Tove Jansson created the Moomins in 1945. Over the years Moomins saw global success, but that success had a down side. Licensing and merchandising took over the brand, and by the early '90s the classic characters were more associated with colorful Japanese animations than Tove Jansson’s original works of art. Sophia Jansson joined the family company in 1997, and with a new strategy turned the business around, returning to the core values of the original books. Now, as the Moomin brand celebrates its 70th anniversary, it boasts more than 600 licensees worldwide. In the keynote address, which is free to attend and will take place at 12:30 p.m. GMT, Sophia Jansson will share the story of the Moomin brand journey, joined by Roleff Kråkström, chief executive officer of Moomin Characters, and Gustav Melin, global licensing director at Bulls Licensing. They will also offer insights into the Moomin strategy, brand development and future plans for this classic brand. For more details on Licensing Academy and to register to attend Brand Licensing Europe, visit BrandLicensing.eu.