Over the last couple of days, news has come to light about the oversight of three significant entertainment franchises changing or expected to change hands. The three situations, each of which is unique in its specifics, involve merchandising as well as other rights, and the goal, at least in part, is to refresh and rejuvenate […]
Archive | Character/Entertainment
Tigers Burning Bright
Last year around this time, as the start of the Lunar New Year ushered in the Year of the Ox, we considered how some cartoon characters represent a good fit with the signs of the Chinese Zodiac. As such, they are ripe for fashion collaborations when their turn comes around every 12 years. We noted […]
Binge-worthy Spin-offs
Streaming platforms are becoming increasingly active in the licensing and merchandising arena. Leading players are launching outbound licensing programs for properties in which they have an ownership stake, as well as, in some cases, those they represent on behalf of the IP owners whose content they stream: Netflix, credited as the first streamer to have […]
Food for Fans
While entertainment/character-based products for adults represent a relatively small part of the world of licensed food and beverages, several recent initiatives show that this type of pairing is alive and well in today’s licensing environment: In honor of the 50th anniversary of The Godfather, ViacomCBS Consumer Products partnered with Corleone Fine Italian Foods. Products under […]
Preschool Pop Stars
The children’s audio sector has been expanding as parents look for engaging alternatives for their kids that do not involve a screen, and as more and more audio-centric projects have proven popular with young listeners. In addition to podcasts and dedicated audio devices and content, children’s music albums have also been on the rise, especially […]
Food Truck Feast
By Karen Raugust on October 21, 2021 in Character/Entertainment, Content, Design and content themes, Licensing, Toys/Games
Food trucks have become ubiquitous on street corners across the U.S. and in some other territories since at least the mid-2010s. As a result, they have emerged as a frequent element within children’s storytelling—including both food-centric and non-food-centric TV shows, books, games, and movies—as well as a common theme in kids’ consumer products, especially toys. […]
Of Hot Markets and Halloween
By Karen Raugust on October 11, 2021 in Character/Entertainment, Hot markets, International, Licensing
The South Korean television series Squid Game, which launched in September, is currently the top Netflix show in 90 countries and is trending to be the most-viewed series ever on Netflix in the U.S. Its fast rise, which has occurred through word of mouth, despite a lack of promotion to back the show, has naturally […]
It’s Anyone’s Game
TV competition shows are a growing area of interest for brand extension, particularly for properties from the worlds of board games, interactive gaming, and character/entertainment. Some of the IPs, gaming-based and otherwise, that are lending their names to current and upcoming reality competition shows include: Harry Potter. A four-part quiz show, Harry Potter: Hogwarts Tournament […]
Kids in the Kitchen
By Karen Raugust on September 20, 2021 in Character/Entertainment, Content, Design and content themes, Food/Beverage, Licensing
Kids’ cooking- and food-themed content continues to proliferate, including in the form of TV shows, social media content, cooking and baking competition shows, and spin-offs of existing children’s IP. Several of these properties have dipped their toes into licensing, consumer products, and promotions, to various degrees. Here’s a sampling of some of the properties and […]
Tokens for Tots
Non-fungible tokens are the newest and certainly one of the hottest categories for licensing deals right now, with sports entities, celebrities, corporate trademarks, comic book and video game IP, fashion labels, and more getting into the game. While there are exceptions, the most active properties in the NFT space tend to be those with a […]