Over the past few years, there has been an infusion of fashion into the wetsuit category. That has led to a number of collaborations pairing designers, fashion labels, and stylish and athletic celebrities with makers of wetsuits for men and women: Japanese ready-to-wear and accessories label Julien David worked with Quiksilver on a capsule that […]
Archive | Licensing
Profiting from Niche or Novel Products
There are times when the only practical way for licensors to capitalize on an up-and-coming new category is to add it to an existing licensing agreement, rather than signing a new deal: Compressed timeframes. When a category becomes hot quickly—even if it is likely to burn out just as fast—licensors want to jump in, both […]
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 […]
Merry Christmas in July
Christmas in July is an unofficial holiday celebrated mostly in the southern hemisphere. In countries such as Australia and South Africa, where December is a summer month, Christmas in July is a way to enjoy some of the seasonal trappings of a traditional Christmas celebration, as experienced in northern regions and as portrayed in film […]
Pet Shop Purchases
In the last year, several pet products retailers have acquired (or, in some cases, been acquired by) other pet-focused companies, including e-commerce specialists, manufacturers, service providers, and competitive store chains: Regional retailer Chuck & Don’s purchased e-commerce and home delivery service Fetch (not to be confused with pet products licensee Fetch…for Pets!). Phillips Feed Service, […]
A Burst of Exclusive Bricks-and-Mortar Business
On Tuesday of this week (July 11) came news of four separate retail-exclusive product lines (three introductions and one expansion) that collectively illustrate, in microcosm, the breadth of this still-vibrant business model. Each of the four announcements covers a different retail channel, property type, and product sector: Toca Boca is introducing its first-ever consumer products […]
Soaking Up Festival Culture
Music festivals—from Bonnaroo, Coachella, and the Electric Daisy Carnival to Glastonbury, Lollapalooza, and Firefly—have not only proliferated throughout the years but have become highly visible among consumers at large, especially in the summer. They attract attention on celebrities’, attendees’, and marketers’ social platforms, in mainstream news and fashion publications, and through mass advertising and promotional […]
Taking a Stake
The incidence of property owners taking an ownership stake in a manufacturer’s company as part of a licensing agreement—while not unheard of in the past—has been on the rise over the past couple of years. This activity has been particularly notable of late in the sports licensing sector. Back in 2015, the NHL took an […]
Social Media-Inspired Design
Social media has permeated the licensing business as a marketing tool, as an inspiration for products (e.g. selfie sticks), as a source of properties, and as a content platform. Not surprisingly, it has also given birth to a number of design trends: Hashtags. Licensors and licensees are integrating hashtags into graphics for apparel and accessories. […]
Eye on Early Electronic Entertainment
As the first video games to achieve mainstream popularity back in the late 1970s and early 1980s approach their 40th anniversaries, many are the focus of licensing initiatives that highlight their retro appeal. These vintage-styled items are likely to resonate both with the games’ original fans and with young video gamers attracted to their old-school […]