One way to keep a licensing program alive over time is to regularly release new characters, storylines, or art styles that licensees can use to freshen their product assortment. Increasingly, licensors are enlisting their licensees in this effort by facilitating the sharing of licensee-developed assets for new merchandise collections in other categories.
NBCUniversal partnered with apparel maker Rusty and street artist Buff Monster in August to create a capsule collection of surfwear inspired by the themes in licensee EA’s Minions Paradise mobile game. And back in 2014, Cartoon Network’s comic book licensee for Adventure Time, Boom Studios, incorporated some limited-edition Adventure Time artwork developed by fellow licensee Mondo Tees into a collectible poster book featuring removable, frameable prints.
This summer, Disney Publishing Worldwide developed Disney Frozen Northern Lights in conjunction with the company’s consumer products team and the studio. The standalone story arc, which featured a new character in addition to the film’s favorites, debuted as a novel from licensee Random House. Spin-offs include additional publishing from DPW and its licensees, animation from the LEGO Group, a doll and role-play toys from Jakks Pacific, and other licensed goods. (While DPW is not strictly a licensee of Disney Consumer Products, the fact that the content grew out of publishing, rather than being initiated by the studio, offers parallels with the other examples listed here.)
The extension of LEGO Star Wars, LEGO Batman, LEGO Angry Birds, and other licensed playsets into products such as books and t-shirts is another manifestation of this trend. The merchandise highlights licensee LEGO’s take on the familiar characters from Disney/Lucasfilm, Warner Bros./DC Comics, Rovio, and other licensors, helping them bring in additional customers and offer something new to existing fans.
Each of these ventures is unique in its particulars. But all illustrate how licensees and licensed products—especially in the entertainment/character sphere—can help infuse some variety and novelty not only into their own product lines but into the licensing program as a whole.
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