Celebrities and pet products have been two of the most active areas of the licensing business over the last several years. While certainly there are hits and misses in both arenas, licensors and licensees continue to forge deals involving each sector on a regular basis.
It makes one wonder: Why are there not more celebrity pet experts licensing their brand names into the pet category?
Pet experts such as Harrison Forbes, Colleen Paige, Charlotte Reed, and many more have high profiles on television, in print publications, and on social media. Most are active in promotional partnerships, as well as lending their names to educational materials and programs. Some offer a smattering of products on their websites.
But few have branded retail product lines, despite the fact that they seem to possess a mix of fame and expertise that would be an advantage in this crowded market. The pet products industry hosts a diverse roster of properties, but it has produced a spotty track record in terms of licensing success.
A handful of celebrity pet experts are present, notably Cesar Millan, who first entered licensing in 2008 with a direct-to-retail deal with Petco. He continues to sell a variety of pet-related items, such as beds and accessories, through a handful of licensees. (He also is executive producing a new show for preschoolers, Mutt and Snuff, which premiered on Nick Jr. this summer.)
Meanwhile, cat expert Jackson Galaxy oversees the Jackson Galaxy Collection of feline products with Petmate, launched in 2014. And Dr. Harry Cooper, a pet expert in Australia, has a Dr. Harry Signature Collection in that country.
Interestingly, celebrities from other walks of life, from talk show host Ellen DeGeneres to rocker Bret Michaels, have set a stake in the pet business, despite having little to no expertise in the field aside from their love of animals.
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