Much of the buzz at the Consumer Electronics Show this week, at least from a licensing perspective, has been about wearables such as fitness trackers and smartwatches, which are starting to emerge as opportunities for property owners. Brands ranging from Montblanc and Under Armour to Guess? and Swarovski are touting their new wearable devices (some […]
Here’s To A Colorful New Year
A number of property owners have forged deals recently in which a distinctive color palette is the main brand attribute being licensed. In some cases, this unique range of colors is the basis of the entire program. Fiesta, the Homer Laughlin China Company’s brightly hued dinnerware brand that was introduced in 1936, has been expanding […]
Clean Sweep
Licensing deals focusing on household cleaning are on the rise, with recent examples taking several forms: Celebrity-branded cleaning products. Interior designer and TV personality Jennifer Adams and Fizzion developed a Whole House Cleaning Solution that encompasses a range of home cleaning products. Meanwhile, Martha Stewart and Hain Celestial launched Martha Stewart Clean, a line of […]
Building a New Category Through Licensing
The year 2014 has been notable for enticing several toy companies to enter the construction kit arena for the first time, thanks to the strong performance associated with these products—particularly the licensed portion of the market—over the last few years. Licensed building kits, for both collectors and kids, have led the way: Japanese toymaker Bandai […]
Calling All Designers
Electronics retailers are starting to take a step into fashion licensing by forging exclusive deals with designers and celebrities to raise their reputations when it comes to style. Best Buy has highlighted two such ventures during the fourth quarter. It is exclusively carrying a line of 50 Kate Spade New York-licensed tech accessories, ranging from […]
Party On
Party planning is starting to emerge as an area of interest within the licensing business, both in terms of properties available and as a category/theme for licensed merchandise. Celebrity wedding planners have been extending their names into bridal categories for a few years now, but the landscape is changing as they are increasingly positioned not […]
Specialty Stores Still Struggle
As we near the end of 2014, three bankruptcies disclosed at the end of last week—Mexx, Delia’s, and Deb Shops—illustrate the continuing challenges faced by many retailers, particularly in the specialty fashion tier. Each of these chains varies in its scope, strategy, and target audience, and in the role played by licensed products. Netherlands-based Mexx […]
Crafting a New Entertainment Genre
Licensors in the sectors of art, sports, fashion, and especially character and entertainment have, over the past several years, increasingly been licensing their properties into the arts and crafts category. A more recent trend is for arts and crafts to be the central theme of entertainment content: Air Crafters is a CG and mixed media […]
Collegiate Course Correction
The collegiate licensing agency landscape continues to change, as IMG Worldwide announced earlier this week it would lay off 3% of its workforce this month, spread evenly across all its divisions, which include IMG College and the Collegiate Licensing Company. The contraction occurs a year after talent agency William Morris Endeavor acquired IMG. In July […]
A Cold One With Character
Licensed beers have represented a growth area within the food and beverage sector over the last year or two, with properties that have dabbled in the category ranging from apparel brands (e.g. Carhartt) to musicians (Grateful Dead). A particularly active niche of late has consisted of beers tied to entertainment properties. This is especially true […]