The role of Internet- and mobile-based content distribution and social media platforms in the licensing business traditionally has been twofold. First, the sites provide distribution and awareness for licensable properties. Second and more recently, they have been offering assistance and guidance to help the IP owners they distribute launch their own licensing efforts. A third […]
Archive | Licensing
Flying High
Sales of drones in the U.S. more than doubled in 2016, according to the NPD Group, with sales of higher-end products (retailing for $300 and up) growing the fastest in terms of dollar revenue and consumer-level models (priced from $50 to $100) seeing unit sales spike during the holiday season. The latter accounted for 42% […]
Success in the Classroom
Three licensors have recently forged deals for educational content to be used in K-12 classrooms in the U.S., with two of them announced just last month. Together they suggest the range of properties that can have relevance in the classroom, as well as the variety of program types that are possible: The National Wildlife Federation […]
A Crush of Collectibles Brands
Even as mini-collectible toys have become a key category for entertainment/character licenses of all types, properties with roots in the world of collectibles are also increasingly launching outbound licensing programs. Some of the newer entrants into the market include: Splashlings from TPF Toys, licensed by Shaftesbury/Smokebomb. Licensees announced to date include Boston America, Children’s Apparel […]
On Unicorn Foods and Other Social Media Trends
Over the past few years, licensors and licensees have been looking to social media, especially YouTube, Pinterest, and Instagram, for product development ideas. For example, a licensor might note that fans are creating their own room décor featuring one of its characters, and seek licensees for craft kits, wall art, or other as-yet-unexploited products that […]
The Far Reach of Fanatics
Earlier this month, Fanatics revealed that it was purchasing VF Corporation’s sports business, which includes Majestic Athletic, a leading licensee of the U.S. pro sports leagues. This is just the latest step in the company’s continuing march toward sports-licensing domination over the past couple of years, and it seems like a good opportunity to take […]
A Tasting Menu of Chef-Related Deals
The landscape for chef-based licensed products is among the most crowded of all celebrity-licensing segments. A wealth of chefs who have gained fame through restaurants, cookbooks, instructional TV cooking shows, and competitive cooking reality series have extended their brands, and others are entering the fray. This segment can be challenging. New licensors are trying to […]
The New Spectator Sports
Several niche spectator sports are starting to emerge as commercially viable and increasingly mainstream, and a few have attracted licensing deals. The pastimes, and their associated products, tend to appeal largely to millennials, with their fan bases often, but not always, skewing male. Some are global athletic competitions, supported by sponsors, TV coverage, and other […]
Sweet (?) Smell of Success
Long gone are the days when scented candles and home fragrances would fill a room solely with traditional aromas such as vanilla, lavender, strawberries, and sea breezes. Back in 2014, the distinct smell of foods, from a few rare instances of bacon to a wide range of baked goods, started taking hold in the industry, […]
K-Beauty Goes Mainstream
CVS announced last week that it is adding a K-Beauty HQ to 2,100 of its stores this month, offering a range of 100 Korean beauty products curated by celebrity K-Beauty specialist Alicia Yoon. This news, along with Target’s similar initiative in January of this year, likewise with Yoon, signals a growing awareness of the Korean […]