Several ventures launched within the past year are testing the potential of licensing to tie together content and merchandise in the hopes of spurring more sales of both:
- Johnson Publishing debuted a digital store for its Ebony and Jet brands. The shop allows customers to purchase content (including streaming and downloadable audio, video, music, and e-books) as well as merchandise (t-shirts, mugs, accessories, and cookbooks).
- HIT Entertainment and its parent Mattel partnered with Amazon to exclusively introduce the British animated TV series Fireman Sam via download or streaming. The online hub also includes digital content such as apps, games, and e-books and physical products such as toys and more.
- Fisher-Price, another Mattel brand, simultaneously launched a web series and a line of preschool products in 23 countries in collaboration with musician Shakira. The video series is directed at parents, while the six products under the First Steps Collection moniker are linked to the stages of preschool development. Etailers such as Amazon feature the video on the same page as the product listings.
- The NBA and American Express debuted a digital destination called Home Court Advantage on NBA.com. It includes exclusive videos, player roundtables, and interactive chats, as well as tickets and NBA merchandise.
- Country singer Garth Brooks’ new downloading service, GhostTunes, enables musicians to offer their recordings, concert tickets, and licensed products, all in the same place.
- Chinese e-commerce operator Alibaba strengthened the connections between its entertainment unit, its websites Tmall and Taobao, and its payment company Alipay. The intent of the new synergies is to allow the company to better promote its in-house-produced movies and work with merchants to create and sell merchandise based on those films. Alibaba will also use consumer data from Tmall and Taobao to create movies and TV shows that meet its customers’ desires.
Each of these initiatives is unique in terms of the partners involved, the specifics of the ventures, and how the physical product and digital content are connected and cross-promoted. But together they signal an increase in experimentation when it comes to integrating licensed merchandise with the content on which it is based.
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