News recently came to light about two limited-edition sneaker collaborations, namely Alfa Romeo pairing with Greats and Porsche teaming with Puma. These new initiatives are a reminder of how car brands, especially on the luxury end of the scale, have been common and high-profile players in the crowded sneaker-collaboration space for years, with the frequency […]
Archive | Licensing
A Flurry of Food-Brand Agency Agreements
Food and beverage brands have represented one of the most active sectors in licensing for quite some time, and the trend shows no sign of waning. As one illustration, in the 15 weeks since January 1, 2024, more than a half dozen food and beverage brands have retained new licensing agents to expand their outbound […]
New Players in Fashion-Licensed Beauty
Fragrance and, increasingly, other categories of beauty such as cosmetics and skincare, are staples of most fashion licensors’ businesses. Conversely, fashion labels are a foundational component of the portfolios of most of the largest players in fragrance and beauty. Yet there are still a few established fashion labels that have just recently signed their first […]
Rappers Tee Up Golf Collaborations
In recent years, rappers and their fashion and lifestyle labels have become increasingly involved in licensing and collaboration deals yielding collections of golf-influenced apparel, accessories, and footwear. In fact, in some cases, the artists’ lifestyle brands themselves are golf-related. Some examples from the last 12 months illustrate the accelerating trend: Tyler, the Creator’s Golf Le […]
Fool-Proof Firewater
The last year has brought a burst of collaborations that combine savory food flavors with alcoholic beverages in offbeat pairings. A few years ago, these novelty spirits would have turned out to be April Fool’s jokes. In today’s landscape, however, they are real products that are released throughout the year. And, while the purpose is […]
Influencers as Comic Creators
Earlier this week, YouTube storyteller MrBallen announced the details of his first graphic novel with Ten Speed Press, news of which first came out in May, becoming the latest in a flurry of influencers to enter the comic book and graphic novel category recently. Many of the YouTube, TikTok, and Twitch-based celebrities in this space […]
Pairing Anime and E-sports
By Karen Raugust on March 25, 2024 in Character/Entertainment, Interactive gaming, Licensing, Sports
A popular sub-segment within the e-sports licensing sector consists of cross-licensed apparel collections that bring together e-sports teams and anime properties. The audiences for the two types of IP dovetail nicely, and the anime characters help drive interest and purchase intent for the e-sports brands. This trend has been ongoing since at least 2019 and […]
20/20 Vision for Licensed Eyewear
In some industries, licenses come and go, depending on property and product trends at any given time. An exception is the eyewear industry, especially the luxury component, where licensing is a consistent staple. Most deals are global and long-lasting, and contract renewals are in the news as much or more than new agreements. Here’s a […]
A Focus on Hearth and Home
Licensing has its cyclical ups and downs in every category, and it has been on a definite upswing over the past few years in the home goods sector. Recently, three high-profile celebrities have added their names to the list, each with extensive home goods programs or plans, with a focus on the kitchen. None has […]
Playing for Keeps in the Sports Card Sector
Interest in trading cards featuring women’s sports leagues, teams, and athletes is on rise, and so are licensing deals in this space. This month, Upper Deck announced an agreement with University of Iowa basketball player Caitlin Clark, while Panini said it would be creating cards for the new Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL), to name […]