Interest in both self-care and hobbies/pastimes spiked during the pandemic, and tarot cards—which reside in both worlds—were no exception. Some suppliers have reported sales that tripled during the peak lockdown days and, more significantly, have doubled in the five-year period since 2018. While licensing drives a very small portion of the market, the number of […]
Archive | Publishing
Making News with Consumer Products
Legacy newspaper and magazine brands have been struggling financially for years, in part because of increased competition from digital news and information sites. More recently, however, the latter have been facing equally steep challenges, as consumers rely less on—and often mistrust—official news organizations and turn instead to independent, often opinion-driven sources they follow on social […]
Walks on the Wild Side
By Karen Raugust on September 15, 2022 in Character/Entertainment, Experiential licensing, Licensing, Publishing
Nature trails have become a popular form of experiential licensing for children’s book and entertainment properties, especially in the U.K. Here are some examples from the past few years: Among Penguin Ventures’ many experiential activities for Peter Rabbit are winter activity trails in 90 locations managed by the U.K.’s National Trust. The trails launched in […]
One for the Books
Self-published authors have historically not been sought-after by manufacturers and retailers looking for licensed IP to feature on their products. But things have changed. Self-published authors can generate significant sales and awareness levels publishing independently online, catching the attention of consumers and eventually potential licensees. In addition, manufacturers and other partners are increasingly comfortable working […]
From Recommendations to Retail
Digital-native lifestyle content platforms for millennial women are powerful influencers of consumer behavior, through trend coverage and especially product recommendations on their web and social channels. They are also cultivating their own presence in the world of licensing, collaboration, and brand extension, as illustrated by a raft of recent deals: Glossier, a beauty brand that […]
Between the Lines
At least a half-dozen current and former athletes have published children’s books since the beginning of the year. Their work includes fiction and nonfiction for readers as young as age 4 and as old as young teenagers: • Just this week, former NBA player Kobe Bryant published Legacy and the Queen, a tennis-themed young adult […]
It’s Not Just an Elf on the Shelf
A mini-explosion of Elf on the Shelf-like properties has occurred over the past couple of years. All are book-and-doll properties with many elements in common, although each has a slightly different objective, positioning, storyline, and target audience: My Buddy McSpuddy. Known in its home market of Ireland as the Irish Elf on the Shelf, My […]
Expanding The Indie Comics Universe
Three independent comic book companies have recently announced new brand-extension ventures for their proprietary properties: Dynamite Entertainment said it was launching a high-end giclée art print program to debut in January. The first collectible prints will be based on Dynamite’s Vampirella, with other characters to follow. Dynamite ranks as the seventh largest vendor to comic […]
Mighty Mash-Ups
In the weeks leading up to San Diego Comic Con 2018, taking place this week, publishers including IDW, DC Comics, and Oni Press have announced crossovers pairing two or more licensed properties. Such mash-ups are often limited in quantity and typically extend over a short arc, with three to six issues being a common length. […]
Women’s History
From the intersection of girl power, STEM, and the #MeToo movement comes an emerging publishing trend: biographies of strong women from the sciences and arts, both current and historical, written for children. While these types of books are not new in and of themselves, they are definitely top of mind now: Mudpuppy, a sibling company […]