Last month’s Licensing Expo was a reminder of the many types of vehicle-based licensing programs, beyond the familiar world of car brands, that are up and running. Examples of those spotted at the show (and a few that were not exhibiting), include:
- City transportation systems. Transport for London (The London Underground), which recently retained TSBA as its new licensing agent, and New York’s Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA), which works with Moxie & Co., both maintain licensing efforts ranging from gifts to fashion. Many of the designs are riffs on their recognizable tube/subway maps.
- Airlines and airplane manufacturers. Last September, Pan Am Brands launched an on-demand, personalized travel service as one of its most recent licensing deals. It also has authorized a wide variety of retro lifestyle goods, from apparel and accessories to luggage. Meanwhile, Boeing licenses its name for products and services ranging from consumer collectibles, such as toy airplanes, to aerospace-industry brand extension.
- Boats. IMG oversees a licensing effort for the powerboat brand Chris-Craft. Tower Paddleboards, for inflatable stand-up paddleboards, and PTX Performance Products, for luxury, retro-styled bicycles, are two of its recently added licensees.
- Delivery and logistics. United Parcel Service (UPS) has a program focusing largely on toy vehicles, such as model and RC trucks and planes.
- Trains. Amtrak offers a variety of licensed toys, collectibles, and apparel, among other items. Japan’s Shinkansen bullet train controls an extensive licensing effort, from quilting fabrics to chopsticks. Examples include both adult products and a wide range of children’s goods featuring a child-friendly train character.
Each of these examples—like those of other vehicle- and transportation-related merchandise programs—varies in its strategy. Some skew toward deals in the toy and collectible vehicle segment, some are identified as lifestyle licensing efforts, some focus on brand extension into adjacent categories, and some incorporate elements of all three.
If you missed our full-length coverage of Licensing Expo 2017, you can read it here.
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