Each year, more consumers give “Dry January” a try, pledging to avoid alcoholic beverages for the month. Their reasons are varied: to start the new year on the right foot from a wellness perspective, to see how they feel when they drink less, or to cut calories as they begin a new diet. Many sober-curious […]
Archive | Celebrity
Celebrities Try On Compression Gear
High-performance compression apparel is a relatively narrow, but increasingly mainstream, slice of the health and wellness space that has been the focus of a handful of collaborations and endorsement deals involving athletes and other celebrities over the past eight years. Compression garments made from a variety of materials—including many infused with copper—are purported to help […]
Taking a Shot at Pot
Athletes associated with the NBA have been active in the cannabis sector in the past few months. Sports properties have had a strong presence since partnerships with licensed IP began in this industry in earnest around 2015. The difference with these recent deals is that they focus on marijuana strains and related products rather than […]
Rock On
The music sector is one of most active in the licensing and collaboration field these days, with new deals announced almost daily. Initiatives are wide ranging: Ariana Grande has lent her name and likeness to a new bundle of virtual goods, as well as presenting a concert series, in Fortnite; My Chemical Romance released its […]
Clean and Green
Celebrities have long been at the forefront of incorporating green products into their branded, collaborative, and signature lines, especially in the beauty and fashion categories. Recently, the home cleaning space has been a hotspot for celebrity-driven, eco-friendly supplies that avoid harmful chemicals and incorporate organic and plant-based ingredients: Kris Jenner and Chrissy Teigen launched Safely, […]
Athletes Ace Tenniscore Trend
Apparel, accessories, and footwear items taking their inspiration from the sport of tennis—pleated tennis skirts, tennis dresses, skorts, preppy polo shirts, V-neck sweaters, and the like—have been hot commodities in the fashion industry this year. Brands such as Adidas and Nike are involved, but so are designers and labels such as Tory Burch and Dior. […]
An Uncertain Future
By Karen Raugust on September 27, 2021 in Celebrity, International, Licensing, Politics/social movements
China has taken several steps recently to reign in the influence of its celebrities, as well as consumers’ ability to follow them. This could have an impact on licensing, collaborations, and endorsements tied to celebrities in China, and even limit Chinese celebrities’ marketability abroad. Celebrity tie-ins, especially with luxury, fashion, and cosmetics brands, have become […]
Consequences of Commercialization
A Licensing University session called “Spotlight: Sports Licensing,” produced by Licensing International and held as part of Licensing Expo in late August, hit on a number of current trends impacting the sports licensing landscape. One interesting topic that came up in the presentation, moderated by the late Bill Burke, senior VP marketing strategy and communications […]
Augmenting Activism Through Product Alignments
Celebrities are increasingly taking roles as activists, from supporting Black Lives Matter, to promoting women’s rights in light of the Me-Too movement, to highlighting sustainability. Meanwhile, activists working toward various causes are more often becoming celebrities in their own right. Members of both groups are looking at fashion and other product collaborations and brand ambassadorships […]
Raising the Barre
The news this week that ballet dancer Tiler Peck is pairing with sportswear label Stateside for a capsule collection is a reminder of the handful of ballet dancers who have entered into merchandise collaborations over the past few years. Now is an ideal time, as ballet-inspired fashion, sometimes dubbed “balletcore,” has been on trend since […]