The challenges faced by restaurants during COVID-19, especially those that do not have strong take-out, curbside, or delivery infrastructures in place, have been well-documented. Perhaps that is why there has been a flurry of announcements about new retail brand extensions—most often in the form of licensing deals—into the food and beverage category in the past […]
Archive | Licensing
Beyond the Nail
Last month we wrote about the diverse landscape of nail color collaborations, driven in part by the enjoyment many young adults get from creating nail art and sharing it on social media. This has led to ongoing demand for new colors, finishes, and combinations thereof. Some of those amateur nail artists, along with professional salon […]
April Fool’s Day: PR or Peril?
Many consumer products marketers and IP owners were back with April Fool’s Day pranks in 2021, after a break last year due to the pandemic still being in its early weeks. Some examples of the trickery on April 1 last week were tied to current events, as when Wildbrain’s Teletubbies announced their own NFT, the […]
Animal Instincts
One of the pet-industry trends highlighted at last week’s virtual Global Pet Expo (see our newly posted coverage here) is consumers’ desire to treat their pets like family, purchasing them human-grade food, enrolling them in grooming and wellness services, buying them Christmas and birthday gifts, and the like. This tendency extends to clothing, pet beds, […]
Cooking Up Kitchen Collaborations
Most kitchen- and food-related housewares and appliance categories have experienced strong growth over the past year, thanks to consumers’ reenergized interest in cooking during the pandemic. Not surprisingly, a number of new and expanded licensed collections have come to light since the crisis began: This month, actress and talk show host Drew Barrymore and Walmart […]
Skin and Bones
Collagen has been up-and-coming as a beauty ingredient for the past few years, both for topical uses such as lotions and shampoos and in ingestible configurations such as protein powder, tea, and bone broth. Lately, licensed properties, especially celebrities, have been jumping into the collagen space with short-term collaborations, long-term licensing deals, joint product development, […]
A Weapon in the Chicken Sandwich Wars
Quick-service restaurants specializing in fried chicken, not to mention other fast-food chains including hamburger, taco, and pizza specialists, have introduced chicken sandwiches to great fanfare over the past couple of years, leading to the current so-called “chicken sandwich wars.” Experts trace the start of the war to a skirmish between an early Popeyes sandwich and […]
The Art of the Nail
For teens and young adults, the fingernails represent a canvas for social expression. Whether using bright colors and unusual finishes, having each nail a unique color or style, or painting elaborate designs, many young consumers spend significant time and money turning their nails into fashion statements, often sharing the results on social media. The nail […]
Seeing Green
St. Patrick’s Day has become an increasingly important occasion for collaborations and promotions, as licensors and licensees consider holidays throughout the year as potential reasons to debut new products or highlight existing ones. While nowhere near as big as more high-profile milestones such as Halloween, Valentine’s Day, Earth Day, and the like, St. Patrick’s Day […]
Crafting a New Future
Craft and hobby retailers, for the most part, have seen positive sales results during the pandemic, which has spurred consumers to try new DIY pastimes and/or renew their interest in past creative hobbies. Crafts and DIY activities had already been on the upswing for some time before the crisis began, thanks in part to the […]