Legacy newspaper and magazine brands have been struggling financially for years, in part because of increased competition from digital news and information sites. More recently, however, the latter have been facing equally steep challenges, as consumers rely less on—and often mistrust—official news organizations and turn instead to independent, often opinion-driven sources they follow on social […]
Archive | Digital
Toddler IP Spurs TikTok Trends
By Karen Raugust on August 31, 2023 in Character/Entertainment, Demographic groups, Digital, Licensing
Until recently, owners of preschool properties have been a bit leery of having a presence on TikTok, even if their IP appeals to a nostalgic young adult audience as well as their core market of young children. And that continues to be the stance of many licensors even today. But now that the platform accounts […]
Monkey Business
The licensing landscape surrounding NFT images is highly fragmented. That is because, in the most popular NFT projects, owners of each unique image typically retain the right to commercialize that image and its derivative works (e.g., slightly manipulated versions for use in merchandise). Many of the licensors do not know how to go about licensing […]
Putting The Pedal to the Metal on NFTs
The automotive industry has been very active in the NFT space, especially since the start of last year. Some of the companies that have announced new initiatives or taken steps to enter the world of NFTs since the beginning of 2023 include DeLorean, Hyundai, Lamborghini, Renault, Rolls Royce, and Škoda India. Most of the ventures […]
Fast Forward on Phygital Fashion
Fashion and lifestyle brands, especially in the luxury and athleticwear spaces, have been active experimenters in the use of NFTs. Many of the initiatives to date have focused on using NFTs to enhance consumer engagement and reward fans with exclusive content or experiences. Increasingly, however, fashion labels are trying to tie NFTs with physical products […]
The Value and Variety of VTubers
By Karen Raugust on June 22, 2023 in Celebrity, Character/Entertainment, Content, Digital, International, Licensing
Consumer interest in VTubers (“virtual YouTubers”)—which got their start in Japan in the mid-2010s—has expanded significantly since the start of the pandemic, both in these digital influencers’ country of origin and abroad. VTubers are anonymous creators who use motion-capture and other technologies to create an animated avatar, usually anime-like in style, that does everything a […]
Artists Navigate NFTs
Right from the beginning, artists and the art community were expected to be among the beneficiaries of the rise of NFTs. And many artists, from the biggest names in fine art to digital artists who have become known specifically for their work in the NFT space, are carving out a niche in this market. Some […]
Lessons from the NFT Trenches
Even though the NFT market is down in general in terms of value, NFTs can still be an effective means of generating fan loyalty—if they are a good fit with the property and its consumer base, and if they provide those consumers with something they value at a fair price. Achieving the right balance is […]
Influential Collaborations
Signature product lines tied to social media influencers have become standard practice in many categories. A half dozen recent deals provide an illustration of the wide variety of influencers and partners involved in such collaborations in 2022: On December 6, MeganPlays, a leading video gaming content creator, paired with retailer Claire’s for a 23-piece line […]
Linking Merchandise and the Metaverse
While there are a number of different potential objectives for marketers to step into the metaverse, one hope is often to use the effort to help drive purchases of traditional physical products. A growing number of brands, especially in the fashion industry, are experimenting with new ways to strengthen the link between digital and physical […]