Black History Month in February of each year has not traditionally maintained as high a profile within the consumer product and collaboration space as Hispanic Heritage Month, which takes place in September and October and has increasingly been seen as a time for licensors and their partners to create themed collections. IP owners and brands […]
Archive | Demographic groups
Viva el Maquillaje
Latina singers have been in high demand for makeup collaborations of late, with at least three deals signed this year after several introductions in 2018 and 2019. These celebrities have an advantage in that they tend to attract a mainstream audience that includes ethnically and racially diverse consumers, something that increasingly appeals to cosmetics marketers […]
Potty Time
By Karen Raugust on June 25, 2020 in Character/Entertainment, Demographic groups, Design and content themes, Licensing
Among the new Daniel Tiger products announced earlier this month by Fred Rogers Productions and 9 Story Brands was a 3-in-1 potty-training aid from Fisher-Price. The product is a potty chair featuring a removable seat that fits on a full-sized toilet and a fold-down lid that becomes a step stool, along with activated sound effects […]
Embracing All Skin Tones
A handful of marketers have, over the past few weeks, quickly expanded the range of skin tones available as part of their product lines. They have added more shades typical of Black and Brown populations in addition to the mostly peach/pink hues that have traditionally been categorized as “nude.” Most of these initiatives have occurred […]
More Visibility for Disability
By Karen Raugust on March 16, 2020 in Character/Entertainment, Demographic groups, Licensing, Toys/Games
Over the past several years there has been a focus on diversity and inclusion of all types in advertising, content, and consumer products. The introduction of characters with physical and mental disabilities has been a recent manifestation of this trend, with more and more examples in the toy and children’s entertainment industries, especially in the […]
Baby Bump
By Karen Raugust on March 5, 2020 in Character/Entertainment, Corporate brands, Demographic groups, Licensing, Toys/Games
Branded video platforms for preschoolers have been active in the licensing business of late, especially in the toy segment: Treasure Studio signed Jazwares for a toy line based on the YouTube channel CoComelon. Founded in 2006, the channel has more than 72 million subscribers and 2.5 billion monthly views. The stories and characters seen in […]
Adaptive Products: An Unexplored Opportunity
Companies with ties to licensing are increasingly creating products for consumers with special needs, an underserved population. This customer segment encompasses everyone from children with autism to people of all ages with conditions such as Parkinson’s disease or multiple sclerosis, to seniors who have trouble getting dressed due to dementia or physical ailments. Some of […]
Native American Culture in the Spotlight
The presence of Native Americans and Native American themes in creative and business pursuits is slowly expanding. Recent examples of ventures involving Native American culture differ from many of those that have occurred in the past, in that Native people are increasingly behind the efforts, lending authenticity. In addition, the initiatives are not about history […]
A Modest Proposal
A trend emerging in the fashion-licensing sector involves collaborations focused on hip-but-modest clothing designs, with religious beliefs often serving as the impetus for the ventures: • Hana Tajima is one of the most prominent of a small group of designers creating clothing for Muslim women. Her latest collection for retailer Uniqlo includes modest dresses, separates, […]
Learning Curve
Over the past couple of years, we have taken many looks at the plus- and extended-size market, a hot and still growing space within the licensing business and the apparel industry in general. One very logical niche within that segment consists of deals between apparel marketers and curve models (who specialize in the plus-size market). […]