Fashion and celebrity labels are increasingly forging licensing deals for “vegan leather” handbags and footwear, in which the items look like leather but are made from substitutes such as microfibers or PVC plastic. A case in point: Just this week, the Carlos Falchi brand signed a deal with Accessory Headquarters (AHQ) for a handbag collection […]
Archive | Licensing
One Potato, Two Potato
In May, Mr. Dee’s launched a line of Hidden Valley frozen potato sides, including Shredded Hash Browns, Southern Style Hash Browns, and Roasted Red Potatoes, under license from the Hidden Valley Food Products Company. This deal represents the latest of several in the frozen potato category, a small but growing slice of the licensed food […]
Brit Lit
Classic character properties with roots in British children’s literature have been expanding their licensing activities of late, mainly in their home market and largely with a focus on adult consumers. Many of the licensors are capitalizing on high-profile anniversaries and/or entertainment releases, while others are simply trading on retro appeal, especially for fans who grew […]
Beyond the Body Shop
Most of the attention surrounding automotive-related brand extension is focused on car brands, as well as brands and properties tied to auto racing. Less high profile are the chemicals and formulas that make the cars look good and drive well, some of which also are active in licensing: Turtle Wax is reentering the licensing business […]
Looking East
Japan has long been a source of children’s properties that have made their mark on the global licensing business, with examples ranging from Hello Kitty to Yo-Kai Watch to Pokémon, the last currently surging thanks to the hit mobile game Pokémon GO. More recently, kids’ entertainment properties from other countries in East and Southeast Asia […]
Sowing the Seeds
A handful of licensing deals involving vegetable, herb, or flower seeds—either alone or as part of a grow kit containing the seeds as well as pots, soil, instructions, recipes, and the like—shows the wide variety of property types that can fit comfortably within this category: Chefs. Jason Santos and his agent C3 Entertainment licensed Buzzy […]
Living On Through Licensing
Two decades ago, celebrity licensing skewed strongly toward merchandise tied to the estates of deceased musicians, actors, and athletes, rather than living personalities. The thinking was that estates were less risky; not only had the celebrity’s fame often stood the test of time, but there was no danger of bad behavior causing problems for licensees. […]
Spreading the Word
The number of magazine brands exhibiting at Licensing Expo has long been on the rise, reflecting the growth of this sector over the past decade or more. That remained true at last month’s show, where dozens of titles, from Healthy Living to High Times, were on display. New deals timed to the Expo give a […]
That’s a First
A handful of exhibitors at the recent Licensing International Expo launched licensing programs or signed deals that seemed to be firsts within the licensing business, or at least at the show. Each represents a trend that has become prominent in society in the last couple of years but is just starting to emerge within the […]
Exploring the Universe
As always, properties with roots in comic books and videogames commanded a lot of floor space and interest at last week’s Licensing International Expo. These types of IP are characterized by deep and rich worlds that can often serve as a shared backdrop for a variety of mostly separate properties, offering opportunities for characters to […]