Recent deals involving Elle magazine, Star Wars, and designer Inès de la Fressange, among others, serve as a reminder of the strong marriage between special-edition automobiles and licensed properties of all types: • Entertainment. In December, Nissan released a series of seven concept cars tied to Star Wars: The Last Jedi, each inspired by a […]
Archive | Promotion
Tasty Tie-Ups
Late last month, the car brand GMC announced it was pairing with L.A. ice cream shop Little Damage for a limited-edition Denali Ultimate Black ice cream to coincide with the launch of its new vehicle, the Yukon Denali Ultimate Black Edition. The news is a reminder of how limited-edition ice cream flavors have become a […]
Quick-Service Clothing
In the last few months, several quick-service and coffee shop brands have announced promotional initiatives involving limited-edition apparel and accessories, typically handled through their advertising agency or marketing department rather than through a licensing rep: Taco Bell partnered with Forever 21 to design an apparel collection including hoodies, bodysuits, tops, and anoraks that feature the […]
Merry Christmas in July
Christmas in July is an unofficial holiday celebrated mostly in the southern hemisphere. In countries such as Australia and South Africa, where December is a summer month, Christmas in July is a way to enjoy some of the seasonal trappings of a traditional Christmas celebration, as experienced in northern regions and as portrayed in film […]
On Unicorn Foods and Other Social Media Trends
Over the past few years, licensors and licensees have been looking to social media, especially YouTube, Pinterest, and Instagram, for product development ideas. For example, a licensor might note that fans are creating their own room décor featuring one of its characters, and seek licensees for craft kits, wall art, or other as-yet-unexploited products that […]
Power to the People
A number of licensed products were introduced in 2016 and 2017 with crowdfunding campaigns supporting the launch. The examples below, all offered through Kickstarter, show how this platform is particularly suited to merchandise that appeals (for the most part) to an audience of male teens and young men: Gamebrand debuted a gamer smartwatch featuring classic […]
Reserving Room for Licensing
By Karen Raugust on December 22, 2016 in Corporate brands, Experiential licensing, Licensing, Promotion, Retail
The hotel and hospitality industry has been an area of interest for licensors of late, with potential opportunities taking many forms: Branded hotels. Karl Lagerfeld announced in November that he would launch a chain of luxury hotels, with the first to open in Macau in 2018. He joins fashion labels such as Armani, Missoni, Bulgari, […]
A Heartwarming Hook for Holiday Products
The debuts of the leading U.K. retailers’ moving and high-production-value Christmas-themed TV “adverts” have become an anticipated event in that country each year. Many spur exclusive, limited-time merchandise items or ranges that tend to sell strongly, with some of the proceeds typically contributing to charitable causes. For example: John Lewis’s merchandise tied to the star […]
Product as Promotion
Several recent announcements show how corporate brands’ licensing activity these days often walks the line between consumer merchandise and marketing: Luxury meets novelty. Cheetos’ first online store, introduced at the end of November, features an assortment of luxury items, some of which sound like April Fool’s jokes. In fact, the site’s Cheeteau fragrance began its […]
Characters and Causes
A handful of cause-related deals announced this summer, all involving licensed characters, are a reminder of the potential for entertainment to help change behavior in society while enhancing the visibility and reputation of the properties themselves: Disney Channel paired with Girl Scouts of the USA to feature Disney’s new Hispanic princess, Elena of Avalor, in […]