
My Feet Hurt | And Other Pains From Loving To Read
"How do you consume your favorite books?"
OK, they don’t hurt anymore. But good golly they did.
And I lost my voice.
Twice.
And why? you ask with genuine concern as you are lovely people.
I found my new Disneyland.
Last week in Las Vegas was the 2025 Licensing Expo, which for most people is a snore-fest of what the heck is that and why should I care–oh look a Starbucks I need a hot creamy, coffee-spiked cup of see you later.
But for me it was a blast, nearly beyond comprehension.
And if you haven’t departed for Coffeetown and are still reading, then I shall tell you why I love it and why what happened last week is the reason for so many of your reading consumption avenues are alive because of.
(Was that a sentence?)
(Let’s see…)
(…math…rereading…scratching my head…)
(I’ll go with it for now.)
So look, let’s head off to an example in bright lights and colors on your phone.
How do you consume your favorite books?
If it’s on your phone there are many different ways.
Ebook on an app.
Audio likely also an app.
Maybe a little choose-your-own adventure story game that you play while waiting in line (at Starbucks?).
(Please don’t leave me for coffee. Just take me with you.)
All those ways you are consuming a great story is from some sort of licensing agreement.
That movie you saw, the merch you buy, the hot sauce you eat…
Yeah, I went by the Edgar Rice Burrough’s booth that was there (Tarzan, to refresh your memory—and many other brands) and they have a Tarzan HOT SAUCE.
What?!?
Exactly.
Makes me want a taco.
But I digress. Into food. Again.
This is not uncommon in my blog writing.
Especially right before lunch.
Which it is for me.
Soooo….
All those neat, crazy, expected day-to-day branded items in your life all came to be through licensing. Much of it at a Licensing Expo.
Hasbro, Paramount, Universal, Lego, and Amazon were all there. And of course. the daddy of them all, Disney.
Game studios and movie studios and artists, and shipping and manufacturing companies. With booths with the square footage of a house, and the price to rent that slab of concrete for 3 days costing up to a 3 bedroom 2 bath in a really nice suburb of anywhere US.
And tens of thousands of people in high-end business attire and running shoes talking, talking, talking—and shaking hands and smiling and trying to look interested, or trying not to look too interested.
Deals were slamming and greetings were thick.
It is hard to express the energy of potential sweeping the miles of temporarily carpeted aisles splashed with tidal waves of yearning and the electric shock of connection. To ends of lookees and lookers—their eyes meeting. The slow running on the beach toward each other with music swelling around them as they realize their two businesses are a match…and they can make great products together.
*sigh*
I love romance. Even in business.
More details next week, as I am stoked to talk a little more detailed shop with you.
But in the meantime, check out this cool logo to this product. It’s no Nike swoop or Amazon…whatever that is. (Awkward.) But definitely something that might just catch your eye. And if it does, and looks like it might be your kinda thing, check out the Kickstarter.
Either way, have a great day!
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