Owners of character properties, mostly of the classic variety, continue to forge deals that bring their IPs into PreK-12 schools by way of educational content. Some of the efforts are targeted toward families at home, too, but all have at least some presence in school systems. In the past, such tie-ins would have been perceived […]
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A Focus on Hearth and Home
Licensing has its cyclical ups and downs in every category, and it has been on a definite upswing over the past few years in the home goods sector. Recently, three high-profile celebrities have added their names to the list, each with extensive home goods programs or plans, with a focus on the kitchen. None has […]
Bringing the Heat
Gen Z and millennials are currently driving strong demand for hot and spicy flavors. The Specialty Food Association and Instacart (with the Harris Poll) are among the organizations that have identified hot and spicy as one of the key flavor trends of 2023. Research and Markets predicts the global market for hot sauces and condiments […]
Standing in Someone Else’s Shoes
As retailers continue to increase brand-extension activity based on their proprietary IP—through licensing or other models—footwear has, not surprisingly, become a key category of interest for retail chains in the fashion and lifestyle spaces. Sometimes the licensed or collaborative shoes are sold primarily in the licensors’ own stores, but they often find distribution opportunities in […]
More NFT IPs Jump Offline
Three leading NFT projects have made significant moves into the world of physical consumer products this fall: The most recent example is VeeFriends, which partnered with Toikido to create a line of plush and vinyl figures based on 10 of its characters. The products will be sold starting on October 17 through Toys ‘R’ Us […]
In It To Win It
Sales of tabletop games and puzzles in the U.S. grew 14.4% in 2021 versus 2020, according to NPD Group research conducted for the Toy Industry Association. That was on top of a 32.5% increase during the peak lockdown year of 2020. While sales are unlikely to maintain these lofty growth rates in 2022, marketers and […]
A Golden Age for the Golden Years
There was a time not long ago when it was rare to see licensing or collaboration agreements featuring celebrities aged 50-plus. When they have occurred, they have typically been geared toward consumers in the same age cohort. But things are changing. Recent partnerships have involved older celebrities who have become popular with young adult fans […]
Getting More Mileage from Car Care Brands
Last week, VP Racing Fuels, a marketer of performance fuels, lubricants, and additives, and its agency Pacific Swell Brands promoted a deal with Mattel calling for the VP Racing IP to be featured on Hot Wheels cars. The first product to highlight the brand will be the 2021 Chevrolet Corvette C8.R, which races in the […]
Tokens for Tots
Non-fungible tokens are the newest and certainly one of the hottest categories for licensing deals right now, with sports entities, celebrities, corporate trademarks, comic book and video game IP, fashion labels, and more getting into the game. While there are exceptions, the most active properties in the NFT space tend to be those with a […]
Going Home
The fast-fashion sector, which was built on low-priced, in-and-out collections that have been perceived almost as disposable, has been one of the most distressed in all of retail. Not only were many chains impacted, like the rest of the apparel industry, by consumers turning away from fashion during the COVID stay-at-home orders. They also face […]