The quest for a good fit between product and property—one of the most important criteria behind a successful licensing deal—can lead some licensors into untapped areas:
- Eclipse glasses. In time for this summer’s total solar eclipse, American Paper Optics, a maker of 3D glasses, partnered with Bill Nye the Science Guy for a limited-edition line of protective eclipse-watching glasses. The deal was part of a broader safety promotion.
- Swim spas. Master Spas has offered signature swim spas with Michael Phelps since 2010, with some of the proceeds going to the Olympic gold medalist’s charitable foundation. Phelps and his swim coach Bob Bowman helped develop the line, which includes products for both residential and commercial use.
- Blood drives. The American Red Cross partnered with Square Enix on a series of blood drives in connection with the release of Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood. The first event was held at the 2017 edition of the E3 conference, followed by a series of stops at college campuses.
All of these pairings, whether promotional, product-based, or experiential, exist outside of traditional licensing categories, which makes them stand out in the marketplace. It is also unlikely that the rest of the business will follow into these segments. While the deals make perfect sense for the properties in question, they represent areas where relatively few other IP owners could logically play.
This coming Monday, we will be taking a break for the U.S. Labor Day holiday. Our next post will be on Thursday, September 7. See you then!
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