Pairings of character IPs with soda pops and other soft drinks are not a new phenomenon, but there has been a recent surge in interest in such partnerships globally. While most initiatives are promotional, spearheaded by the marketing departments of film and TV studios and accompanied by other promotional techniques like exclusive content or contests, […]
Archive | Promotion
Pace Picks Up on Paralympic Promotions
Now that the Olympic Games have ended, fans are looking forward to the Paralympics, which will begin on August 28 in Paris. Commercial partnerships with Paralympic athletes have been on the rise over the past few years, generally taking the form of endorsements and brand ambassadorships rather than consumer products. Some examples announced this year […]
Bringing Home (and Keeping) the Bacon
Over the last few years, licensed properties are increasingly playing a central role in programs that teach financial literacy to adults and children. The IPs are a way to not only raise awareness for these promotions, but to make the subject matter more accessible, interesting, and fun. Recent initiatives, mostly featuring characters or celebrities, take […]
Podcasters Look Beyond DTC Into Licensing
By Karen Raugust on April 18, 2024 in Branding/marketing, Character/Entertainment, Licensing, Promotion
Within the licensing business, podcasters primarily play a role as licensees, pairing with owners of licensed properties to create new audio productions. The podcast producers see licensed IP as a way to capture new audiences, while the licensors typically view the medium as another way for consumers to experience their properties and another touchpoint to […]
Boba Tie-Ins Bubble Up
By Karen Raugust on January 25, 2024 in Character/Entertainment, Food/Beverage, International, Licensing, Promotion, Retail
Bubble tea, or boba—a creamy, tea-based drink containing tapioca pearls—was invented in Taiwan and has been spreading around the world, including into the U.S., where boba drink outlets are becoming ubiquitous at malls and elsewhere. The U.S. bubble tea market was forecast to reach $464.29 million in 2023, up 6.9% from $434.11 million in 2022, […]
Snacking While Streaming
Food and beverage-related brands have represented one of the key sectors involved in e-sports promotions over the past year and a half, partnering with e-sports teams and organizations for live events, streamed content, and sometimes merchandise sales or giveaways. Some examples: E-sports organization FaZe Clan paired with General Mills’ Totino’s brand to create special flavors […]
Out of the Fry Basket, Into the Fire
Forget about the chicken wars. Quick-service restaurant and retail food and beverage brands have recently been ordering up some tasty promotions and collaborations centering on a hot menu item: French fries. Some examples: In a widely reported pairing last week, Arby’s worked with craft distillery Tattersall to create a very limited run of two fry-flavored […]
Cutting the Mustard
The announcement last week of a Grey Poupon wine is a reminder of how mustard brands have mastered the art of creating limited-edition foods and beverages featuring weird flavor combinations for use as promotional tools. Some of the relatively few but always conversation-worthy examples over the years include: Kraft Heinz’ Grey Poupon “La Moutarde Vin” […]
Offbeat Treats
The trend for bizarre flavor combinations has extended into the ice cream space. This includes limited-edition novelties created through partnerships pairing corporate owners of food brands with smaller specialty ice cream marketers known for their unusual flavors: The latest iteration involves Kraft Macaroni & Cheese, a brand of the Kraft Heinz Company, in a collaboration […]
Competitive Advantage
Thanks at least in part to the rise in board games’ popularity during the pandemic, corporate and fashion marketers have gravitated to this category. Several have recently created limited-edition board game releases as a means to promote their brands: Vivetta Ponti, an emerging Italian designer, paired with Mattel’s new collaborations platform, Mattel Creations, for a […]