LIMA Announces Nominees for 2009 International Licensing Excellence Awards

April 7, 2009 | Posted by: Bob Ankosko

(New York, NY) April 7, 2009 – The International Licensing Industry Merchandisers' Association (LIMA) today announced the nominees for the Annual LIMA International Licensing Excellence Awards, recognizing the industry's most impressive and successful licensed properties and products from the past year. Sixteen awards will be presented in seven categories at LIMA's Opening Night Awards Party on June 2 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas during Licensing International Expo 2009.

Licensees and properties from around the world will be honored in the following categories: Art, Character, Corporate, Film/Television/Entertainment, and Sports. In addition to acknowledging the Best Brand Program of the Year, awards for Best Licensee-Hard Goods and Best Licensee-Soft Goods will be presented in the Character, Corporate, Entertainment and Sports categories. The other awards categories are: Best Licensed Promotion, Best Retailer and Overall Best Licensed Program.

Nominees for the Overall Best Licensed Program of the Year are:

The Andy Warhol Global Licensing Program (The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc.)
Bakugan (Nelvana Enterprises/Cartoon Network Enterprises)
Beijing 2008 Olympic Games (IOC/The Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad)
The Dark Knight (Warner Bros. Consumer Products)
Hello Kitty (Sanrio, Inc.)
Jeep Consumer Products (Chrysler LLC/The Joester Loria Group)
Major League Baseball (Major League Baseball)

"The Annual International Licensing Excellence Awards recognize products, companies, and properties that have demonstrated superior performance throughout the year," said Charles Riotto, president of LIMA. "With 82 nominees in 16 awards categories, the 2009 slate is diverse and one of the strongest lineups we've had in recent years."

"LIMA members have their work cut out for them given the top-notch field of nominees," said Mark Matheny, LIMA Awards Committee Chair and CEO of Global Brands Group. "We look forward to honoring our industry's best when we gather at Licensing International Expo 2009 in Las Vegas."

Nominations were solicited from the across the licensing industry and winners are chosen by a vote of the LIMA membership. Voting is done on the LIMA Web site through mid-May. Each winner will receive the coveted etched-glass trophy sporting the LIMA logo.