A Return to Power for Celebrity Estates?

Back in the day, celebrity licensing focused more on celebrity estates, or “dead celebrities,” than on currently active celebrities, as is the case today. Working with estates was viewed as a way for licensees to capitalize on a famous person’s fame and following, while eliminating the risks of unpredictable behavior. 

Celebrity estates still have a role to play in licensing, of course; last month Brooks Brothers announced a limited-edition capsule collection with Marilyn Monroe, marking her 100th birthday. But the days when dead celebrities were routinely favored over current personalities are long gone, as celebrity culture has become so important as a way for manufacturers and others to generate awareness, especially through social media, and to spur sales. 

That said, the pendulum seems to be swinging back a bit. Some companies, especially larger corporations, are increasingly trying to shy away from risk and controversy in an age of polarization, and that can make long-ago celebrities more attractive. One potential indicator of future expansion in the dead-celebrities sector is the number of celebrity estates that have retained licensing agencies in the last year or so: 

• Iconoclast, the management company charged with maintaining the legacy of Tony Bennett, retained Moxie & Co. to help expand the singer’s name into retail products including men’s accessories, apparel, and ultimately other lifestyle categories. This year is the centennial of Bennett’s birth. 

• Paul Newman’s estate, working through the Newman’s Own charitable organization, which donates royalties and profits from Newman’s Own- and Paul Newman-branded products to children in need, is now being represented by Renaissance Licensing. The actor, philanthropist, and race car driver will be pitched for opportunities that reflect “substance, soul, and style with purpose.”

• The estate of George Barris, a famed automotive designer and King of Custom Cars, who designed the original Batmobile and the Munster Koach, among many others, is working with the Xavie Agency to expand his name in the world of licensing. His name is well-known in the toy industry, with many of his car designs making their way into the Hot Wheels, Matchbox, and Mego portfolios over the years. 

• The estates of F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald signed a global representation deal with IMG Licensing to create products and experiences tied to the jazz age writer of The Great Gatsby, as well as his wife, a style icon and artist in her own right. The program will start with luxury categories, including apparel, accessories, beauty, home goods, travel, and food and beverage. The products will be inspired by the Fitzgeralds’ 1920s-era style, glamor, and romanticism. 

Celebrity estates continue to maintain a relatively small portion of the celebrity-licensing market. But more companies, especially in the U.S., are becoming uncomfortable aligning with live celebrities, and by extension their opinions and beliefs, preferring to stay away from areas of political or cultural division if they can. And these companies may find legacy celebrities, such as the newly agented examples listed here, to be a safer, more predictable option for licensing and collaboration. 

Watch for our coverage of the licensing trends noted at last week’s New York Toy Fair, which will be posted soon. We’ll include a link in the next edition of RaugustReports.