Women aged 50 and over have long been an untapped market segment for licensing programs. But a growing number of direct-to-retail initiatives with etailers, retailers, and home shopping networks have focused on this demographic over the past few years, all involving celebrities who are in that age group themselves: Most recently, Jane Fonda paired with […]
Archive | Demographic groups
Revisiting the ‘90s
By Karen Raugust on December 3, 2018 in Branding/marketing, Demographic groups, Design and content themes, Licensing
Licensing initiatives targeting the millennial market frequently highlight styles and themes from the 1990s. The strategy makes sense when you consider that millennials, born from 1981 to 1996 and currently between 22 and 37 years old, spent their childhood and/or teen years in that decade and often have fond memories. It follows that marketers’ inclination […]
Playing to the Preschool Crowd
By Karen Raugust on November 8, 2018 in Character/Entertainment, Demographic groups, Experiential licensing, Licensing
The landscape of experiential licensing and promotions has diversified over the years, with licensors now highlighting their properties through signature hotels, escape room themes, blood drives, and much more, depending on the brand image and/or content associated with the IP. But when it comes to creating experiences for the preschool set, property owners tend to […]
Unboxing New Kids’ Initiatives
The subscription box and meal kit sectors have undergone a number of challenges in 2018. But boxes for children represent one area that seems to be thriving. Many players in this sector are expanding their product arrays, maintaining strong and growing subscriber bases, and/or attracting continued influxes of investment funding. Meanwhile, new competitors—some formidable—are entering […]
Family Fandom
By Karen Raugust on September 17, 2018 in Character/Entertainment, Demographic groups, Infant products, Licensing
It wasn’t that long ago that a property associated with violence, swearing, and/or adult themes would be unlikely to find its way into the baby products category. But things have changed, as three recent deals illustrate: • Blizzard Entertainment licensed Líllébaby for baby carriers made of a printed fabric inspired by Battle of Azeroth, the […]
In Tune with the Times
By Karen Raugust on July 26, 2018 in Character/Entertainment, Demographic groups, Design and content themes, Licensing
The “girl power” trend in children’s media and entertainment has been ongoing for several years, but it continues to intensify and diversify, perhaps assisted by the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements. Some of the recent permutations include: Female superheroes assuming leading roles in film and TV. Some examples are original, including TV animation such as Nickelodeon’s […]
Retailers Proud to Celebrate Pride
The number of retailers in the U.S., Canada, and U.K. offering limited-edition merchandise collections timed to Pride events—held mostly in June in North America and across the summer months in Britain—has been growing each year. Some of 2018’s participants include: Bloomingdale’s, which teamed with t-shirt maker Native Son on a Pride-themed capsule collection designed by […]
Honing in on the Hispanic Market, Part 2
Just two weeks ago (“Honing in on the Hispanic Market,” May 17, 2018), we noted the slow and steady rise of licensing initiatives intended to appeal to Hispanic consumers in the U.S. Last week’s Licensing Expo confirmed this trend, with more exhibited properties than ever having this population in mind: Entertainment and publishing. One Entertainment, […]
Honing In On The Hispanic Market
Licensors and licensees continue to develop product initiatives meant to appeal to U.S. Hispanic consumers: In April, Masked Republic introduced a website, LuchaCentral.com, with Asteri Networks as a hub for news and content about Mexican masked wrestling. In addition to curated and original news, an event calendar, profiles of the luchadors (wrestlers), and a social […]
Gender-Blind Basics
Licensing deals involving unisex lines of apparel, which are designed in such a way that they fit and appeal to both genders, have been on the rise for some time, and the trend seems to be accelerating. Agreements typically focus on t-shirts, sweatshirts, jackets, and other basic items, although they can extend beyond that. Some […]