Brandmate Increases Visitor Numbers After Relocation and Plans Rebranding

BrandMate attracted around 900 participants at the end of June for its first event since moving to Essen, 100 more than last year. A date has already been set for 2026, again in Essen, but under a new name: Brandmania.

BrandMate attracted around 900 participants at the end of June for its first event since moving to Essen, more than last year. A date has already been set for 2026, again in Essen, but under a new name: Brandmania.

However, the renaming does not seem entirely voluntary. According to the organisers, the name change from BRANDmate to BRANDmania – the official spelling – is for trademark reasons. Otherwise, the Spielwarenmesse eG event is running according to plan. In 2025, there were around 900 participants, 100 more than in the previous year when Brandmate was still held in Offenbach near Frankfurt.

Long-standing exhibitors such as Bavaria Media, El Cartel Media, Hasbro Germany, Koziol, Mattel, Paramount, RTL Consumer Products, Seven.One AdFactory, Story House Egmont, Studio 100, The Smiley Company, Universal, Wildbrain CPLG and ZDF Studios were present, as well as new exhibitors including The Pokémon Company.

"As much as we would have liked to keep the name, Brandmania remains a strong stage where creative people, brands with potential and promising industries come together. We look forward to next year and thank everyone who made this edition something special," sums up Christian Ulrich. Brandmania will take place in Essen from 24 to 25 June 2026.

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