The current Barbiecore trend is thought to have gotten its start in 2019, fueled by fans on Pinterest and then Tiktok and Etsy. It has only gained steam since then. The brand, launched in 1959, has a midcentury-modern sensibility that is attractive to many consumers, as well as the nostalgic appeal of a favorite childhood […]
Archive | Design and content themes
Supporting the Change of Life
By Karen Raugust on September 22, 2022 in Celebrity, Demographic groups, Design and content themes, Licensing
Women undergoing menopause represent one consumer group that has historically been ignored, and the subject seen as taboo. But marketers’ perspective has been changing of late. One indication: Three celebrities have recently announced collaborations and other initiatives specifically focused on this group: This month, actress Naomi Watts announced two deals. First, she is launching a […]
Are NFTs The Cat’s Meow?
By Karen Raugust on June 6, 2022 in Collectibles, Content, Design and content themes, Digital, Licensing
In the early days of social media memes and YouTube, cat videos were one of the first categories of content to go mainstream. The same phenomenon seems to be happening to a certain extent with NFTs, as the number of cat-related NFT collections is large and expanding, and several have broken through as success stories. […]
Eyes on the Sky
Interest in space-themed merchandise remains strong, thanks to a number of factors. In the past year, the inaugural commercial flights of the for-profit space tourism firms Blue Origin, SpaceX, and Virgin Galactic, along with frequent news about the International Space Station, have attracted attention. Since early 2020, there has been a pandemic-fueled increase in enthusiasm […]
Gnome Décor
Gnomes have been an integral part of home décor, and popular culture in general, for decades, always an evergreen presence with waxing and waning popularity over time. Sales are currently in the midst of a long uptrend, with the latest resurgence ongoing since the mid-2010s. Google Trends, which measures interest based on the number of […]
Food Truck Feast
By Karen Raugust on October 21, 2021 in Character/Entertainment, Content, Design and content themes, Licensing, Toys/Games
Food trucks have become ubiquitous on street corners across the U.S. and in some other territories since at least the mid-2010s. As a result, they have emerged as a frequent element within children’s storytelling—including both food-centric and non-food-centric TV shows, books, games, and movies—as well as a common theme in kids’ consumer products, especially toys. […]
Kids in the Kitchen
By Karen Raugust on September 20, 2021 in Character/Entertainment, Content, Design and content themes, Food/Beverage, Licensing
Kids’ cooking- and food-themed content continues to proliferate, including in the form of TV shows, social media content, cooking and baking competition shows, and spin-offs of existing children’s IP. Several of these properties have dipped their toes into licensing, consumer products, and promotions, to various degrees. Here’s a sampling of some of the properties and […]
Raising the Barre
The news this week that ballet dancer Tiler Peck is pairing with sportswear label Stateside for a capsule collection is a reminder of the handful of ballet dancers who have entered into merchandise collaborations over the past few years. Now is an ideal time, as ballet-inspired fashion, sometimes dubbed “balletcore,” has been on trend since […]
Pride Collections for All
By Karen Raugust on May 24, 2021 in Demographic groups, Design and content themes, Diversity/Inclusion, Licensing, Politics/social movements
As we approach Pride Month, companies on the long and still-growing list of marketers celebrating LGBTQ+ Pride each June have been releasing their plans for this year. As always, these include a variety of typically rainbow-hued lifestyle collections for adults, with a focus on accessories, beauty, footwear, and especially apparel. One new wrinkle that has […]
Color Schemes
A number of museums have recently worked with licensees or collaborators on products that feature a work of art’s color palette as the core design element. This is in contrast to incorporating a full representation of the original work or a pattern or element inspired by it, which is the traditional route taken by most […]