The four major professional sports leagues already count more than 30 apparel companies on their respective licensee lists, most of them well entrenched. And that takes into account the trend over the past several years in which the leagues (and colleges and universities to a degree) have cut the number of licensees in the category, […]
A Little Bit Country
The proliferation of singers launching and expanding consumer products efforts continues, and country music acts are no exception. But country crooners sometimes take a different path than is typical for performers in other genres. While a large percentage of musicians focus on apparel and accessories, for instance, recent country deals in this category have been […]
A Marriage of Product and Content
Several ventures launched within the past year are testing the potential of licensing to tie together content and merchandise in the hopes of spurring more sales of both: Johnson Publishing debuted a digital store for its Ebony and Jet brands. The shop allows customers to purchase content (including streaming and downloadable audio, video, music, and […]
Corporate Design Collaborations Still In Fashion
The involvement of corporate brands in fashion collaborations continues, with some of the most active participants over the last six months or so being beverage and automotive brands. One recent example is Pepsi’s Project Cobalt, which introduced its first collection last week. Project Cobalt, a partnership between Pepsi and a consultancy called All Beuys Club, […]
Performance With Character
Apparel and accessories integrating performance and technical characteristics—such as moisture-wicking, extra comfort, easy care, support, light weight, or a range of other traits—have represented one of the fastest-growing sectors in the textile industry over the last four to five years. So it follows that performance wear also has been an active area within licensing. This […]
It’s Just Business
A number of entrepreneurs and businesspeople are following the likes of Donald Trump into the world of celebrity licensing, positioning themselves not just as experts in management or finance but also as lifestyle brands. Caroline Issa, formerly a consultant and now CEO of the Tank Group, a U.K.-based media company, has a reputation as an […]
Photo-Bombing Made Simple
Taking selfies has become a big part of life for many smartphone owners. So it is no surprise that licensors have been forging content deals to insert their properties into users’ self-portraits. Apps that allow characters or celebrities to “photo bomb” their fans’ selfies are marketed by a variety of licensees. Some examples: SocialIn signed […]
From Embellishments to Essentials
The typical path of licensing in the fashion industry is for apparel designers to broaden their scope into accessories. But accessories designers are going in the other direction, extending their names into adjacent categories—including, in some cases, apparel—at an accelerated pace. These companies follow in the footsteps of brands such as Kate Spade, Fossil, and […]
Focusing on the S in STEM
As STEM education has gained traction in schools and at home, there has been a parallel rise in interest and availability of toys and children’s products that teach science, technology, engineering, and math, with science and engineering leading the way. This trend has resulted in an incremental increase in the presence of licensed media and […]
Girls Gravitate Toward Licensed Literature
Mattel and one of its key publishing licensees, Random House, announced last week that they would launch a middle-grade chapter book series called Malibu Mysteries, starring Barbie. This is just the latest example of the strong role licensing plays when it comes to fiction series for girls, especially those of elementary and middle school age. […]