In October, The Tile Shop, a specialty retailer of natural and manufactured stone tiles, announced that it would be the exclusive U.S. distributor for Ted Baker-branded tiles. British Ceramic Tile has been the licensee for the U.K.-based designer’s tile range since 2015. The Tile Shop carries the floor and wall tiles in its 120 showrooms […]
Archive | Licensing
Learning to Love Licensing
Licensors of selected children’s properties are very slowly gaining a foothold in classrooms, largely through deals with manufacturers (or retailers) that focus on supplemental educational products purchased by teachers and home school parents, as well as parents, grandparents, and caregivers who simply want to help support children’s learning. These licensees sell their products largely through […]
I Got You, Babe
As they compete with each other and with general-market retailers, both mass and specialty, stores specializing in products for expectant and new mothers have been active players in licensing. In particular, they have been on the lookout for direct-to-retail and exclusive distribution deals with celebrity, fashion, character, and other properties that make sense in this […]
Cute Fruit
Cute food-themed designs and characters are currently in fashion within the licensed products landscape, thanks to a number of driving forces: Collectible toys. Moose Toys’ Shopkins and MGA’s Num Noms have been showing strength in both in their core playthings and in their licensed brand extensions. Kid Robot’s plush-based Yummy World is another example. Emojis. […]
Fun With Figures
A growing slice of the sports-licensing pie consists of part-toy/part-collectible figures depicting uniformed athletes from the pro leagues, along with pro and collegiate mascots. The products, made under license from the leagues and their players’ associations, are moderately priced and have play value, but also appeal to collectors young and old. Some of the key […]
Garish Garments for All
As we approach the core holiday selling period, and as seasonal items start to appear for sale at retail and online, it looks like the melding of ugly Christmas sweaters and licensed properties is set to continue for a third year. The segment has evolved since it hit in 2014, moving beyond the licensed sports […]
Ni Hao, China
A number of Western character/entertainment licensors operating global businesses have forged deals to strengthen their relationships with Chinese companies in the past six months. Some are bringing their own IP into China, while others are helping Chinese properties expand locally and globally. The initiatives take many forms: Signing consumer products licensees and licensing agents. CBS […]
Fright Night
If you live in a country that celebrates Halloween, especially the U.S., there will probably be a superhero at your door tonight. The top Halloween costumes each year—whether licensed or DIY—tend to reflect current social and pop culture trends. And according to this year’s crop of consumer surveys focusing on Halloween shopping in the U.S. […]
Of Makeup and Men
Makeup brand CoverGirl announced earlier this month that James Charles would become its first-ever male endorser. That news put a spotlight on a previously little-known segment of Internet celebrity: male social media stars who have gained followings for transforming their looks through the application of color cosmetics, often in dramatic fashion. Marketers are starting to […]
Smart, Chic, and Strategic
The fall season has seen a flurry of activity in the wearables sector, focusing on both fashion and fitness and encompassing not only watches and bands but also eyewear, belts, and apparel. Some of the deals have centered on upping the fashion quotient. Hermès partnered with Apple for a Hermès edition of the Apple Watch, […]