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 […]
Archive | Licensing
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 […]
Generating Interest With Gen Y
Millennials—consumers ranging in age from 19 to 35 as of 2016—have become a holy grail for marketers of all kinds these days. This is thanks in part to the group’s sheer size; at more than 75 million strong, Generation Y now outnumbers baby boomers in the U.S. In addition, millennial parents are the conduit for […]
Crowdfunding in the Licensing Business
New research on crowdfunding and its use by the licensing community was presented for the first time as part of the Licensing University panel “Crowdfunding: A How-To for Licensors and Licensees” at Licensing International Expo in Las Vegas this week. Some highlights: Rewards-based crowdfunding, in which financial backers receive some sort of material reward for […]
Celebrity Sightings
Celebrity presence at this year’s Licensing International Expo, which officially opens tomorrow (June 21, 2016), promises to skew toward the sports arena, as many of the scheduled appearances are tied to athletes or others in the sports industry. The NFL Players Association is bringing a contingent of pro football team members, from Ameer Abdullah of […]
3D Printing: Heading Into Hardware
Most of the licensors that have gotten involved in 3D printing to date have done so mainly by allowing their properties to be offered through 3D printing services or platforms for customized novelties and other printed or printable items. But there also have been a few companies in the licensing community that have extended their […]