Paper engineering (the art and science of creating pop-ups and paper sculpture) has inspired a growing, albeit still small, product category dubbed paper art. The sector has attracted a number of entertainment/character licenses over the past 18 months or so: Lovepop announced early in December that it had introduced a 3D paper art collection tied […]
Tag Archives | Hasbro
The New Spectator Sports
Several niche spectator sports are starting to emerge as commercially viable and increasingly mainstream, and a few have attracted licensing deals. The pastimes, and their associated products, tend to appeal largely to millennials, with their fan bases often, but not always, skewing male. Some are global athletic competitions, supported by sponsors, TV coverage, and other […]
Online Properties, Offline Products
By Karen Raugust on March 20, 2017 in Character/Entertainment, Digital, Licensing, Publishing, Toys/Games
Original entertainment series distributed on streaming platforms, rather than on traditional television, have quickly gained traction as viable licensing opportunities. The first licensed products for these sorts of IP, which began to emerge in the world of licensing nearly two years ago, tend to be toys and/or books. Some examples: Jim Henson Productions’ Word Party, […]
Blind Bag Bonanza
When the NPD Group released its estimates for U.S. toy industry growth for the first nine months of this year, it called out the collectibles category as a particularly strong segment, with sales up 64% year-to-date. Blind bags—impulse-priced foil or plastic bags with a surprise mini collectible toy inside—represent a bright spot even within collectibles, […]
Characters and Causes
A handful of cause-related deals announced this summer, all involving licensed characters, are a reminder of the potential for entertainment to help change behavior in society while enhancing the visibility and reputation of the properties themselves: Disney Channel paired with Girl Scouts of the USA to feature Disney’s new Hispanic princess, Elena of Avalor, in […]
Exploring the Universe
As always, properties with roots in comic books and videogames commanded a lot of floor space and interest at last week’s Licensing International Expo. These types of IP are characterized by deep and rich worlds that can often serve as a shared backdrop for a variety of mostly separate properties, offering opportunities for characters to […]
Giving Trick Shots a Try
An emerging sector of social media-based licensing consists of celebrities—mainly guys—whose popularity is tied to their sports-themed YouTube videos highlighting successful trick shots. Hasbro has introduced a line of Nerf backyard sports gear tied to Dude Perfect, a group of five best friends who make extreme-sports trick-shot videos and often use Nerf products. The Nerf […]
A Glimpse into a 3D Future?
Licensing has become an important tool in the emergence of 3D printing as a consumer technology, with a variety of 3D printing companies using licensing as a means of standing out in a crowded market. Recent agreements help attract customers to different facets of the industry, including: Online personalization and ordering. Source3, a 3D printing […]
Wearables as Playthings
Licensed wearable devices for children represent a small but growing sector of the toy, accessories, and electronics industries. Their positioning and functionality often differ somewhat from the typical adult-skewing licensed wearable; namely, they focus less on fitness and more on play. A few examples: Disney’s Playmation, a line of connected toys developed with Hasbro and […]