As we near the start of this year’s Lunar New Year celebrations on January 29, we take a look at an active area of collaboration tied to the holiday, namely European soccer/football clubs who mark the moment with special jerseys and other apparel designs in partnership with their official jersey licensees or other companies. These […]
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A Matter of Pride
By Karen Raugust on June 17, 2024 in Branding/marketing, Diversity/Inclusion, Licensing, Politics/social movements
The significant consumer backlash suffered by companies such as Target, Bud Light, Disney, Starbucks, the L.A. Dodgers, and others for their Pride promotions in 2023 has led some key companies to reduce their public support of Pride Month in 2024, or avoid acknowledging the moment altogether. For example: Target is cutting back on its Pride […]
Two-Sport Athletic Deals
With the National Hockey League’s Stanley Cup Finals in progress, WWE, the wrestling entertainment brand, announced last week that it was creating an officially licensed legacy championship belt for the winning team. The belt, like those given to winners of wrestling events, highlights the Stanley Cup in the center, where the WWE logo usually resides, […]
Luxury Autos Drive Limited Sneaker Designs
News recently came to light about two limited-edition sneaker collaborations, namely Alfa Romeo pairing with Greats and Porsche teaming with Puma. These new initiatives are a reminder of how car brands, especially on the luxury end of the scale, have been common and high-profile players in the crowded sneaker-collaboration space for years, with the frequency […]
Bulking Up
Recently, a number of celebrities and brands have announced initiatives (licensed and otherwise) centered on heavy-duty strength-training and fitness equipment such as stationary bikes, treadmills, squat racks, weight benches, and barbells. Licensing deals occur fairly frequently in the fitness equipment space, but are typically focused on light-weight tools such as yoga mats, handheld dumbbells, ankle […]
Finding Consumers Where They Work or Play
This past September, J.C. Penney paired with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products to release women’s and men’s sweaters, dresses, shirts and tops, jackets, tote bags, and other apparel and accessories tied to the TV series Abbott Elementary. The collection was designed specifically for teachers, emphasizing comfort and affordability as well as a casual-but-professional style. […]
The Lure of Lacrosse
Lacrosse, which originated in Native American culture going back to the 12th century, has been one of the fastest-growing sports in the U.S. for over a decade, according to research from the National Sporting Goods Association, the NCAA, and other associations and researchers. The increase in interest extends to all levels of the sport: professional, […]
Fast Forward on Phygital Fashion
Fashion and lifestyle brands, especially in the luxury and athleticwear spaces, have been active experimenters in the use of NFTs. Many of the initiatives to date have focused on using NFTs to enhance consumer engagement and reward fans with exclusive content or experiences. Increasingly, however, fashion labels are trying to tie NFTs with physical products […]
A Winning Formula
Three of the leading suppliers of pro sports uniforms and associated merchandise have recently brought to life in the real world the looks worn by fictional sports teams, both new and classic, on the on-screen pitch, rink, or court: Earlier this month, Nike and Warner Bros. introduced a collection of kits for AFC Richmond, the […]
Lessons from the NFT Trenches
Even though the NFT market is down in general in terms of value, NFTs can still be an effective means of generating fan loyalty—if they are a good fit with the property and its consumer base, and if they provide those consumers with something they value at a fair price. Achieving the right balance is […]