Rap and anime are two genres that are dominant in pop culture and have a high profile in the collaborative fashion space. And they are increasingly coming together in streetwear collections that pair rap artists with existing anime properties or that integrate anime-style imagery of the rappers themselves. Most of the musicians involved have spoken […]
Archive | Character/Entertainment
A Recipe for Success
Licensed cookbooks historically have been connected to a limited number of closely related properties, such as food brands, restaurants, and chefs, with other property types popping up very occasionally. Over the last few years, however, cookbooks have become a standard format to be considered as part of licensed publishing programs tied to entertainment and pop-culture […]
Opening the Book on European Literary IP
Many literary properties with European roots rank among the top licensed character IPs globally, but they have historically had a difficult time gaining a footing in the U.S. market, remaining niche brands even after decades of attempts to broaden their publishing and licensing efforts. Recently, however, there are signs that a handful of these classic […]
Joining the Fight Club
Two toy-industry deals announced this month, for the fighting franchises WWE and UFC, respectively, are the latest of a number of agreements in this space to launch over the last couple of years. In addition to the loyal family audience attracted to the leading properties, fighting-related IPs offer a clear play pattern that makes them […]
Science of Reading Spurs Focus on Phonics
In the hopes that all U.S. children will be able to read at grade level by their third year in school, educators have turned to instruction rooted in “the science of reading (SoR).” This is a body of research about how children learn to read that emphasizes phonics and phonemic awareness along with fluency, vocabulary, […]
Young at Heart
Classic entertainment properties looking for fresh programming ideas, a way to reach new audiences, and/or a boost to merchandise sales have long created child or baby versions of their well-known characters. Examples extend from Tiny Toon Adventures in the early 1990s to Spidey and his Amazing Friends in recent years—to name just two of many. […]
Podcasters Look Beyond DTC Into Licensing
By Karen Raugust on April 18, 2024 in Branding/marketing, Character/Entertainment, Licensing, Promotion
Within the licensing business, podcasters primarily play a role as licensees, pairing with owners of licensed properties to create new audio productions. The podcast producers see licensed IP as a way to capture new audiences, while the licensors typically view the medium as another way for consumers to experience their properties and another touchpoint to […]
Pairing Anime and E-sports
By Karen Raugust on March 25, 2024 in Character/Entertainment, Interactive gaming, Licensing, Sports
A popular sub-segment within the e-sports licensing sector consists of cross-licensed apparel collections that bring together e-sports teams and anime properties. The audiences for the two types of IP dovetail nicely, and the anime characters help drive interest and purchase intent for the e-sports brands. This trend has been ongoing since at least 2019 and […]
The Devil Is In The Detail
Location-based entertainment has been in the news lately, and not in a good way. Willy’s Chocolate Experience, a live event organized by House of Illuminati and held at Box Hub Warehouse in Glasgow, Scotland, has attracted a lot of attention for its poor execution. The ticketing website promoting the event is full of lush A.I.-generated […]
Scrolling Through Webtoon Opportunities
By Karen Raugust on February 8, 2024 in Character/Entertainment, Content, International, Licensing, Publishing
Webtoons, or webcomics, are digital comics designed to be read on a smart phone, with consumers scrolling vertically to progress through the panels. The market got its start in the early 2000s and has exploded in the last few years, both in the medium’s country of origin, South Korea, and in other countries such as […]