As of early March, most of the major public toy companies have released their financial results for fiscal 2018. Here are some of the topline insights from each as they relate to licensing: Hasbro. Outbound entertainment and licensing revenues for the company’s proprietary brands increased 5%, attributable mostly to a digital streaming deal for Hasbro […]
Tag Archives | Spin Master
The Unicorns of the Sea
By Karen Raugust on December 13, 2018 in Character/Entertainment, Design and content themes, Licensing
At New York Toy Fair last February, one of the trends noted was the emergence of narwhals—members of the whale family with long, unicorn-like tusks—as a design and content trend. This was especially true in the plush category, as manufacturers looked to add new dimensions to the still hot but crowded world of unicorns. Since […]
Child’s Play in China
By Karen Raugust on October 8, 2018 in Character/Entertainment, International, Licensing, Toys/Games
The escalating trade war with China is creating uncertainty for the global toy industry, with tariffs on toys, if they are implemented, potentially affecting the profitability of manufactured-in-China playthings in the U.S. market. But that isn’t stopping Western entertainment and toy companies from continuing to make inroads into the Chinese market by forging distribution, co-production, […]
Playing Well Together
Mergers and acquisitions involving makers of toys, many of them key licensees, have been occurring at a fast pace in 2018. The first three of the following examples took place in late May, while the last two were announced in March and February, respectively: PlayMonster, marketer of Yeti in My Spaghetti and Wonder Crew, purchased […]
Flying High
Sales of drones in the U.S. more than doubled in 2016, according to the NPD Group, with sales of higher-end products (retailing for $300 and up) growing the fastest in terms of dollar revenue and consumer-level models (priced from $50 to $100) seeing unit sales spike during the holiday season. The latter accounted for 42% […]
A Crush of Collectibles Brands
Even as mini-collectible toys have become a key category for entertainment/character licenses of all types, properties with roots in the world of collectibles are also increasingly launching outbound licensing programs. Some of the newer entrants into the market include: Splashlings from TPF Toys, licensed by Shaftesbury/Smokebomb. Licensees announced to date include Boston America, Children’s Apparel […]
On Unicorn Foods and Other Social Media Trends
Over the past few years, licensors and licensees have been looking to social media, especially YouTube, Pinterest, and Instagram, for product development ideas. For example, a licensor might note that fans are creating their own room décor featuring one of its characters, and seek licensees for craft kits, wall art, or other as-yet-unexploited products that […]
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 […]
No Longer Niche?
As little as a year ago there was skepticism as to whether streaming-only entertainment properties, without TV, film, or franchise backing, would be viable for licensing any time soon. This perception is changing quickly. It is not yet known whether widespread licensing programs tied to shows available only on Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and the […]