Each year, the licensing industry converges on Las Vegas for Licensing Expo, the world's largest and most influential trade show for brand licensing. Held at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, the event brings together major Studios and Entertainment Companies, brand owners, retailers, manufacturers, and licensees from across the globe to forge the partnerships that shape what consumers see, wear, play with, and buy for years to come. This year's event drew more than 12,500 people with 400 exhibitors representing over 5,000 brands from 78 countries across all continents.
For Paramount Products & Experiences, Licensing Expo 2026 was a statement moment, and the first one for the company under the leadership of Josh Silverman, President, Global Products & Experiences. And by every measure, the team delivered.
Before a single word was spoken from the stage, partners first walked through the Paramount Insights Gallery, an immersive installation offering a curated look at key cultural and consumer trends shaping entertainment, design, and brand engagement — from the increase in spend on miniature luxury items, to the booming analog revival driving demand for vinyl, cassettes, and nostalgic IP.
The gallery wasn't just decorative. It was the thesis for Paramount’s presentation.
"We took the time to really understand the consumer today: their likes and dislikes, what's driving them from a psychological and emotional perspective, and we went through a huge amount of data and research," Silverman explained to nearly 1,000 assembled partners. “[And] the reason it’s so important to be insight-driven is because the market moves quickly, and we need to be front-footed, progressive, and flexible in our approach.”
The main presentation itself broke from industry convention. Rather than a traditional auditorium setup, Paramount created a theater-in-the-round experience: one continuous semicircular screen wrapping the stage, with partners completing the other half of the circle and a round stage at the center. The result was an intimate, almost cinematic atmosphere.
Silverman set the tone for the new Paramount era early: "I have seen far too many examples where an opportunity came and went because the other party wasn't ready to act fast enough, or they were too focused on telling you and our consumers what they should want, rather than using insights to really understand and anticipate what they actually need."
The showcase made clear that the company's transformation is already well underway. Silverman pointed to a recent collaboration with Travis Scott's Cactus Jack label as proof of the new operating model — a full Scream product range conceived, developed, and approved in five days, followed shortly by an 11-piece Gangster SpongeBob collection that became a fan sensation.
"The Cactus Jack partnership is a perfect example of how we are approaching this business with energy, excitement, an understanding of what consumers want, and a very open mind," Silverman told the room. "We want to challenge you, our partners, to help us deliver on this promise, with products and experiences that are grounded in our exceptional storytelling, while also being innovative, inventive, inspiring and insight-led."
Josh Goldstine, President of Global Marketing and Distribution at Paramount Pictures, then took the stage and made the case for theatrical as the industry's most powerful brand-building engine. With 15 films set for release from Paramount Pictures this year, up from eight last year, Goldstine outlined a slate built for franchise longevity, including next year's K-Pop Superstar: The Movie, produced in partnership with HYBE and timed to one of the fastest-growing fandoms in the world; the first-ever Call of Duty film arriving in June 2028 with Paramount controlling consumer products rights; and a new Star Trek film.
"Built on massive global campaigns that pierce the zeitgeist, movies deliver a shared experience with the power to drive IP, foster franchises, and build brands that can grow and thrive for generations," Goldstine said.
Rebecca Mall, President of Brand Marketing, Franchise and Cross-Company Initiatives, then introduced partners to Paramount One — a new company-wide framework that ensures every major priority is activated across the full breadth of Paramount's assets, from streaming and linear to social, publicity, live sports, and beyond. The proof of concept is already in: the UFC launch on Paramount+ generated 3 billion media impressions for the first fight alone, and the landmark Survivor 50 finale delivered the franchise's highest-rated episode since Season 42. "When we win together, we win big," Mall told the room.
Next, Mike Benson, President and Chief Marketing Officer for Paramount's TV Media division, zoomed out to talk about the connective tissue behind it all: fandom. Whether it's Marshals delivering the #1 new series premiere in the 2025-26 broadcast season or CBS's 100th anniversary arriving in 2027, Benson outlined how Paramount actively cultivates fan communities and then activates them at scale. "At Paramount, we have the ability to connect directly with fandoms and drive deeper engagement — turning fans into advocates and allowing us to grow even bigger franchises," he said. "That's our secret sauce."
Jen Dodge, President of Paramount Animation, closed out the showcase with a look at two of the company’s franchise engines. On Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, she made the ambition clear: “As the new custodians of this franchise, our vision is to push it even further. And we have set into motion a new plan to establish touchpoints for every single demo from preschool all the way up to adult collectors, supported by new content, with new iterations of the turtles and new stories.” That plan includes a new preschool series debuting this summer, a theatrical sequel to Mutant Mayhem in 2027 alongside a multi-year partnership with Mattel and a live-action-CG-hybrid film in 2028.
On PAW Patrol, Dodge anchored the franchise's enduring appeal in the values it inspires – teamwork, confidence, and creativity – which parents of Generation Beta are actively seeking for their kids. PAW Patrol enjoys a robust content pipeline, headlined by this August's PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie.
Across every speaker and every franchise, the message was the same: Paramount knows where it's going and is moving fast to get there. As Silverman put it: "It is a new era at this company, and we are excited for you all to be a part of it."