Art trends come and go, but photographs of cute dogs and cats—often dressed, digitally or otherwise, and/or behaving anthropomorphically—always seem to be in style.
That ongoing popularity has translated to well-established global licensing programs for pet photographers based in territories all around the world:
- American Keith Kimberlin offers a large archive of photographs of kittens and puppies through Lo Coco Licensing. His photos appear on licensed products from stationery and soap to clocks and cosmetics in 70-plus countries.
- New Zealand photographer Rachael Hale McKenna’s Rachael Hale brand of animal imagery is licensed for apparel, giftware, home décor, paper goods, and more. A new deal this holiday is a line of luggage in Walmart’s U.S. and Canadian stores.
- U.K.-based Takkoda markets the Pets Rock brand, consisting of photographs of animals digitally transformed to resemble more than 75 celebrities, such as Slash and Karl Lagerfeld. A network of global agents includes DRi in the brand’s home country. Recently signed licensees include Oxygen for footwear in Europe, Eadco for home goods in China, Trevco for apparel and home goods in the U.S., and Titanio for mugs, cushions, and pet products in Chile, among others.
- Japanese company ArtList Collection oversees The Dog and Friends, known for its fish-eye perspective. It has expanded beyond dogs into other breeds of animals, and has been licensed in the U.S., Asia, and Europe for toys, apparel, gifts, foods, pet products, social expressions, and a McDonald’s promotion.
- Netherlands-based Myrna Huijing’s Studio Pets by Myrna features baby animals photographed with props such as eyeglasses, cameras, and cupcakes. Licensed products include gifts, luggage, and apparel; the brand was part of a global direct-to-retail licensing deal with Claire’s Stores last year that featured 50 different products.
- French digital artist Angeline Bailly created Teo Jasmin, a bulldog with 37 different outfits and counting. Popular across Europe, products focus largely on fashion accessories, home décor, and pet products. Partners (many of them online retailers) include Chausty and Les Jolies Choses.
The current high profile of Internet memes such as Grumpy Cat, Boo the “World’s Cutest Dog,” and many more demonstrate consumers’ love for cute puppies and kittens. Those same fond feelings help drive sales for classic pet-photography brands such as those listed here, turning them into evergreens.
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