Just two weeks ago (“Honing in on the Hispanic Market,” May 17, 2018), we noted the slow and steady rise of licensing initiatives intended to appeal to Hispanic consumers in the U.S. Last week’s Licensing Expo confirmed this trend, with more exhibited properties than ever having this population in mind:
- Entertainment and publishing. One Entertainment, a licensing agency specializing in properties with Hispanic appeal, was displaying Telemundo’s telenovela El Señor de los Cielos, while publisher Albert Whitman was offering Zapato Power, a children’s book series about a Hispanic boy with purple shoes that give him super speed, and his family and friends. The latter is available for film, TV, multimedia, and merchandising deals.
- Day of the Dead themes. Artist David Loseau and Skull Babies were among several exhibitors offering images reflective of Día de los Muertos.
- Cultural properties. One Entertainment counts Lotéria Don Clemente—a well-known Mexican card game of chance—and its associated artwork among its roster of brands, while Lupita Tradition was offering a bilingual storybook-and-doll inspired by Our Lady of Guadalupe, pitched as an alternative Christmas tradition to the Elf on the Shelf. Target will sell the core product exclusively for holiday 2018.
- Celebrities. Some of the personalities exhibited at the show are well-known to U.S. Hispanic consumers, including Cantinflas, the Mexican comic and actor, represented by Beanstalk (which also handles licensing for the estate of Cuban singer Celia Cruz).
- Sports. One Entertainment again holds a leading position in this market, representing Mexican football teams such as Club Deportivo Guadalajara (Chivas) and Club America, as well as a leading Mexican wrestling organization, Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL). Firefly Brand Management, meanwhile, was touting Legends of Lucha Libre, Masked Republic’s umbrella brand encompassing luchadores (wrestlers) such as Rey Mysterio and many others.
- Corporate promotions. Pepsi has launched a marketing initiative specifically for Hispanic consumers and is in discussions with its agent, The Joester Loria Group, about how to tie into the campaign with merchandise. One possibility under consideration is to generate additional buzz by pairing with Hispanic designers for fashion collaborations.
Some of these properties are for Hispanic consumers specifically, while others are general-market licenses with particular resonance for Hispanic shoppers. A number have been present at Licensing Expo in the past, but their collective profile is growing each year.
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