Designers and labels from South Africa have gradually been expanding their presence on the world stage over the past several years, including through collaborations with global fashion companies and corporate brands. Four of the seven examples included here debuted this year: Just last week, Reebok announced it was launching a collection with athleisure brand Nao […]
The Doctor is In
Dermalogists saw their popularity spike on social media during the pandemic, when “SkinTok”— the umbrella term for people turning to TikTok for skincare advice—took hold. Consumers, especially women, were wearing less makeup and wanted their skin to look good, and at the same time were experiencing skin issues due to mask wearing. As a result, […]
Best Foot Forward
Vans and Converse, not to mention Nike and its Jordan brand, Puma, Adidas, and the like, are among most active partners in the world of collaborations, as they try to feed the near-insatiable demand from sneaker collectors and other fans for new and unexpected designs. Less widely recognized on a mainstream scale, but still very […]
Supporting the Change of Life
By Karen Raugust on September 22, 2022 in Celebrity, Demographic groups, Design and content themes, Licensing
Women undergoing menopause represent one consumer group that has historically been ignored, and the subject seen as taboo. But marketers’ perspective has been changing of late. One indication: Three celebrities have recently announced collaborations and other initiatives specifically focused on this group: This month, actress Naomi Watts announced two deals. First, she is launching a […]
Country Club
A trio of country singers have recently announced consumer product initiatives that are significant both in terms of the breadth of the programs and the attention they have garnered: Last week, news arrived that Blake Shelton had partnered with Land’s End for a fall and holiday collection. The assortment includes apparel for men, women, and […]
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 […]
Opening Doors
Interior designers and architects lend their names and designs to licensed and collaborative products for use in all nooks and crannies of the home. One category that may not be top of mind but which has long relied on collaboration as a key strategy is home hardware, notably door and cabinet handles, especially of the […]
Brand New Pairs of Roller Skates
Like many hobbies, participation in roller skating rose during the pandemic—about 12 million people in the U.S. partake in the sport—but in this case the resurgence began even before the lockdowns hit, in the late 2010s. The growth was fueled at least in part by nostalgia for both inline skating and, in particular, the four-wheeled […]
And Now For Something Completely Different
Every once in a while, licensing initiatives come about that seem to be wholly new, at least within their segment of the licensing business. While it is always difficult to determine whether something is really a “first,” here are a few examples from recent months that are innovative in some way: Christian Dior Paris paired […]
Sweet Charity
One result of consumers’ growing demand for retailers and marketers to make a positive pro-social impact is that non-profit groups are assuming a higher profile in the licensing business, especially over the past two years. They have always had a presence, of course, both as licensors and as promotional partners, but their involvement is slowly […]