RAINBOW PRODUCTIONS TO RETURN TO SMMEX 2014

Brondus mascot for Danish football club, secured from a past SMMEX event.

On Monday 10 March 2014, the Sports Merchandise and Marketing Exhibition (SMMEX) takes place at Wembley Stadium between 9am and 5pm and Rainbow Productions is set to return to this event.

The SMMEX event has been running for 15 years and gives manufacturers and distributors the opportunity to meet with buyers and marketing contacts from sporting clubs and associations from across Europe.

Primarily targeted at the sports industry, the 2014 edition of SMMEX will also take on an even broader remit further to the event joining forces with Brand Licensing Europe (BLE) - the definitive exhibition for the European licensing industry.

For the fourth year running, Rainbow Productions will exhibit at SMMEX.  Company representatives will also attend a networking evening event on Sunday 9 March, which is jointly hosted by both show organisers.

Rainbow Productions, supplier of walk around mascots to London 2012, specialise in the manufacture of mascots on behalf of sports, leisure and retail brands – both licensed and unlicensed.  The firm also represents under licence over one hundred children’s characters – such as Dennis the Menace and Fireman Sam – managing the personal appearances of these famous brands at live events across the UK, include family match days.

Chris Stanton, Sales Executive with responsibility for sports accounts at Rainbow Productions and Georgina Huckle, Sales & Marketing Executive, will welcome visitors to Stand 28, where they will be able to see examples of Rainbow Productions’ custom-made mascots, including Rory, one of The FA’s Three Lions.

Rainbow Productions is already working on a number of key sporting events for 2014, including the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games and The Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Normandy.

Chris Stanton comments on the presence on the SMMEX 2014 show floor of Rainbow Productions, the company behind many walkabout mascots seen on pitches and at events across the UK, Europe and the Middle East:

“SMMEX provides a great opportunity to make contact with clients from across Europe looking for brand mascots to support their sports events and brand marketing programmes.  Previous SMMEX events have resulted in us working with sports clubs in Denmark [Brondus football mascot, pictured], Russia and UK – and we’re looking to build on this, especially with the new opportunities available through BLE and SMMEX joining forces”.

 Commenting in December 2013 when the new relationship between SMMEX and BLE was announced, Event Director for BLE Darren Brechin says:

“BLE is delighted to be partnering with SMMEX.  We hope that this partnership will open up new opportunities for exhibitors and visitors at both shows and help to engage more people in the world of licensing”.

Michael Corbett, Sales Director at SMMEX Event comments:

“SMMEX at Wembley Stadium is the perfect place for any licensor to visit for free and potentially find a new partner.  The show may have started for the sports teams, but … the event has grown to welcome all kinds of people.  We are confident that teaming with BLE will bring both parties a host of new opportunities”.