Saturday is the 50th anniversary of Neil Armstrong’s first steps on the moon during the Apollo 11 mission. In the days and weeks leading up to the milestone, licensors, retailers, and licensees have been announcing space-themed content, promotions, and products, especially in the realms of entertainment, toys, and fashion. The initiatives, most of which incorporate […]
Archive | Design and content themes
Acknowledging ASMR
By Karen Raugust on March 28, 2019 in Branding/marketing, Content, Design and content themes, Wellness
Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) videos have become a big trend online, especially among viewers 18-24. ASMR is the scientifically unproven but increasingly popular idea that certain soft, slow, and/or repetitive sounds tend to make users happy and relaxed, sometimes to the point that they feel a tingling sensation starting at the back of the […]
Superpowers Revealed
The “girl power” trend that has been so prevalent in entertainment, toys, and other products for the past few years is not limited only to children. There are also more female-focused initiatives geared toward teen and adult consumers—of both genders—especially in the video game, comic book, and other segments of “geek culture.” Examples include: Books […]
As Simple as Black and White
A black-and-white color palette—expressed in patterns, prints, or blocking—remains a top choice for designers in home furnishings, streetwear, hair accessories, and other sectors. Licensors and their licensees have been taking note of this trend in a variety of ways over the past year or more as they develop style guides and products: Many of Disney’s […]
Magical Mash-Ups
By Karen Raugust on February 21, 2019 in Character/Entertainment, Design and content themes, Licensing, Toys/Games
Ultra-cute, ultra-positive, and often-magical characters and images have permeated the toy industry and other categories of late and continue to represent a strong trend. Examples include unicorns in particular, as well as mermaids, rainbows, kittens, and the like. A newer, but already ubiquitous development consists of hybrids of some or all of the above, with […]
Celebrating the Year of the Pig
By Karen Raugust on February 4, 2019 in Demographic groups, Design and content themes, Holiday, Licensing
Tomorrow (February 5, 2019) is Chinese New Year, marking the start of the Year of the Pig on the Chinese lunar calendar. Global marketers in recent years have increasingly been embracing Chinese New Year in their January and February messaging and product releases, and that includes property owners involved in licensing and collaborations. The most […]
Are Prints Losing Their Power?
Four licensed lifestyle brands known for their distinctive all-over prints have been struggling of late: Orla Kiely, the 1970s-infused label tied to the Irish designer billed as the “queen of prints,” announced in September that it would liquidate, shutting its stores, located in the U.K. and Ireland, and its website. The 20-plus-year-old brand’s licensing business, […]
The Unicorns of the Sea
By Karen Raugust on December 13, 2018 in Character/Entertainment, Design and content themes, Licensing
At New York Toy Fair last February, one of the trends noted was the emergence of narwhals—members of the whale family with long, unicorn-like tusks—as a design and content trend. This was especially true in the plush category, as manufacturers looked to add new dimensions to the still hot but crowded world of unicorns. Since […]
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 […]
Holiday Cheer
With Black Friday coming up next week, it seems like a good time to take a look at what’s up with some of the key Christmas-themed licenses whose annual prime time is just beginning. These evergreen properties expand their reach each year, increasingly extending well beyond traditional holiday-centric categories. A few recent examples: • Universal […]