At the end of May, Whirlpool’s W Labs division introduced a home beer fermentor and dispenser system through a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo. The same day, SodaStream announced the launch of its Beer Bar, which allows users to create beer at home from sparkling water and a beer concentrate. These initiatives follow the debut of […]
Archive | Licensing
Staying Cool
Licensing deals in the refrigerator category have been relatively rare, primarily limited to appliance and electronics brand extensions—which, while few in number, can generate significant sales—as well as occasional novelties. Whirlpool would be an example of the former, with its licensed collection of compact refrigerators, and Hello Kitty of the latter, with its Sakar-produced line […]
The Evolution of Preschool Licensing
From 2012 to 2014, the TV-driven preschool portion of the character/entertainment licensing market was thriving, even as properties for many other demographics at the time faced continued challenges. Disney dominated store shelves with products tied to its Disney Junior shows (especially Doc McStuffins and later Sofia the First). Properties from other big players such as […]
Musicians Are Pet Lovers, Too
Musicians have comprised one of the most active groups of licensors in recent months when it comes to licensing into pet products. Among those launching or announcing pet collections within the past year: Miranda Lambert teamed with Petmate for a brand called MuttNation Fueled by Miranda Lambert, which includes everything from bedding and apparel to […]
More Trends in Adult Coloring
Even as it starts to slow, the adult coloring book sector remains both a product category of interest to licensors and, increasingly, a source for licensed properties. As Publishers Weekly put it in an April 29, 2016 article, “Adult coloring book sales have slowed somewhat since the holiday frenzy of 2015, but the category is […]
Body-Positive Products
Licensors’ interest in the “plus-size” segment of women’s fashion is evolving. Initially, the activity was focused simply on forging the first deals extending into the larger sizes of the women’s apparel range, which had long been ignored. The category then began to transition to a more inclusive point of view, where licensors were lending their […]
Gold Rush
The jewelry category has been a particularly active one in recent months, with a diverse roster of licensors signing deals for necklaces, bracelets, rings, and other fashion and fine baubles. In the fashion/costume sector, examples in the past half year alone have included models (Kim Alexis with Royal Items), candy brands (Jelly Belly with O […]
Adding A Little Flavor
Consumers’ embrace of flavored alcoholic beverages brings opportunities for licensors of brands associated with fruit, sweets, or other taste treats. Flavored beers accounted for 27% of total new beer launches in 2015, according to researcher Mintel. That compares to 15% five years earlier. In addition, 20% of U.S. beer drinkers (and 39% of female beer […]
Looking Good
Licensed properties of all types, from celebrities to characters to corporate brands, continue to enter the men’s grooming and toiletries market. Since we last covered this topic in October 2015, new deals announced in the category have included: • A Ryan Seacrest-branded skincare line to launch in late 2016, in conjunction with Lancer Skincare. The […]
Working Out
Licensors of gyms and fitness brands represent an energetic sector for licensing, launching functional apparel, exercise equipment, fitness trackers, and other product lines closely related to their core mission. Recent activity includes: New licensing programs. Last year, Hard Candy Fitness, a chain of boutique gyms founded by Madonna and named after one of her albums, […]