Apparel and accessories integrating performance and technical characteristics—such as moisture-wicking, extra comfort, easy care, support, light weight, or a range of other traits—have represented one of the fastest-growing sectors in the textile industry over the last four to five years. So it follows that performance wear also has been an active area within licensing. This […]
Archive | Character/Entertainment
Girls Gravitate Toward Licensed Literature
Mattel and one of its key publishing licensees, Random House, announced last week that they would launch a middle-grade chapter book series called Malibu Mysteries, starring Barbie. This is just the latest example of the strong role licensing plays when it comes to fiction series for girls, especially those of elementary and middle school age. […]
Fake Languages, Real Licensed Content
By Karen Raugust on March 19, 2015 in Character/Entertainment, Content, Education, Licensing, Publishing
A handful of entertainment properties, especially in the sci fi and fantasy genres, feature well-developed languages used by characters from alien planets or fictional cultures. These languages sometimes make their way into content-based licensed products such as books and language-learning courses. A recent example occurred when HBO partnered with Living Languages last summer for Living […]
Day of the Dead Lives As A Licensing Theme
A handful of properties featuring imagery associated with Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), most with roots in the worlds of entertainment or art, have launched limited licensing programs. Properties such as the animated series Muertoons, created by actor Wilmer Valderrama and his WV Enterprises, focus mostly on the U.S. Hispanic consumer segment. […]
Artful Interpretations of Comics and Cartoons
Licensors of classic comic strips and cartoons are partnering with contemporary artists to offer fresh graphics and a publicity hook. Three examples from the past year include: DC Thomson Consumer Products creating two new style guides for The Beano and Dennis the Menace, one with British designer Wayne Hemingway and the other with artist Jon […]
Buy It Now
Late 2014 and early 2015 have brought a wave of consolidation to the licensing business, on both the licensee and licensor sides of the equation. The entertainment portion of the business has been the nexus of most of this activity. Some of the recent deals involving licensed manufacturers, all of which have been announced or […]
Crafting a New Entertainment Genre
Licensors in the sectors of art, sports, fashion, and especially character and entertainment have, over the past several years, increasingly been licensing their properties into the arts and crafts category. A more recent trend is for arts and crafts to be the central theme of entertainment content: Air Crafters is a CG and mixed media […]
A Cold One With Character
Licensed beers have represented a growth area within the food and beverage sector over the last year or two, with properties that have dabbled in the category ranging from apparel brands (e.g. Carhartt) to musicians (Grateful Dead). A particularly active niche of late has consisted of beers tied to entertainment properties. This is especially true […]