Collaborations between classic characters and contemporary fashion labels are a global phenomenon. A recent case in point is Poland, where three high-profile examples involving global entertainment properties and local designers or fashion retailers have attracted attention this summer and fall: Two retail chains, Reserved and Sinsay, created clothing collections featuring the Pink Panther, in a […]
Archive | International
Child’s Play in China
By Karen Raugust on October 8, 2018 in Character/Entertainment, International, Licensing, Toys/Games
The escalating trade war with China is creating uncertainty for the global toy industry, with tariffs on toys, if they are implemented, potentially affecting the profitability of manufactured-in-China playthings in the U.S. market. But that isn’t stopping Western entertainment and toy companies from continuing to make inroads into the Chinese market by forging distribution, co-production, […]
Revving Up For Rugby
As fan anticipation builds globally for the next Rugby World Cup, to be held in Japan in fall 2019, several licensing, sponsorship, and representation deals involving the sport, in its various forms, have come to light in the past few months. Among them: World Rugby and IMG named Canterbury, which outfits a number of national […]
Western Brands and Wanghong
Chinese social media celebrities—also known as key opinion leaders (KOLs), or wanghong—are increasingly becoming involved in product collaborations. This is especially true of a large and fast-growing group of Chinese fashion and style bloggers, who have been designing limited-edition capsule collections for Western luxury brands. A handful of recent examples: Tao Liang (Mr. Bags) teamed […]
Korean Cachet
Celebrities, designers, and other properties from Korea are increasingly influential in U.S. pop culture, and several are making their mark in consumer products as well: K-pop. Last month, Hot Topic announced it would carry a collection of t-shirts for BTS’s Wings Tour, the latest addition to its roster of K-pop merchandise. In addition to BTS, […]
Bollywood and Beyond
Celebrity brand extension through licensing and other means has been on the rise in India of late, as famous faces from a variety of sectors introduce merchandise programs. The personalities’ efforts often (but not always) revolve around brands they have developed, rather than their names alone. Some key segments include: Cricket players. Virat Kohli, captain […]
Anime Every Day
Anime TV series, from mainstream examples such as Pokémon to superfan favorites such as Yuri!!! on ICE, have long been popular in Western markets, albeit rising and falling cyclically, as is the case for any trend. Recently, widespread optimism about the long-term prospects of the genre has led a number of large organizations to stake […]
DIY Delicacies
Western consumers who have an interest in Japanese culture are familiar with a unique product category from that country: DIY candy kits. E-commerce sites and subscription boxes that specialize in snack foods or novelties from Japan often feature the kits, which also regularly appear in “unboxing” videos on YouTube. The kits, packaged in bags, contain […]
Asian Ascent
Each year, the profile of character properties from China, Korea, Malaysia, and other Asian territories grows at Licensing Expo. There are new exhibitors, the booth sizes increase, and more licensors spin off from their respective countries’ group pavilions to oversee individual booths. Some, such as South Korea’s LINE Friends—a set of characters from a text […]
British Museums Expand Their Empires
British museums, long active players in the licensing and merchandising landscape, continue to build their licensing efforts: The Imperial War Museums retained Spotlight Licensing and Brand Management to extend its merchandise program into North America. The National Gallery, London is introducing its brand and archives into international markets with agency JELC after beginning a licensing […]