From 2012 to 2014, the TV-driven preschool portion of the character/entertainment licensing market was thriving, even as properties for many other demographics at the time faced continued challenges.
Disney dominated store shelves with products tied to its Disney Junior shows (especially Doc McStuffins and later Sofia the First). Properties from other big players such as Nickelodeon and Sesame Workshop also had a presence, as did all-ages licenses such as DC Comics, Spider-Man, and Star Wars, whose owners were tailoring products specifically to their youngest fans. IP from smaller and independent licensors, meanwhile, had a difficult road when it came to stealing shelf space away from the major players in the preschool sector.
A lot has changed in the past two to three years. For one thing, character/entertainment licensing as a whole has seen a couple of years of strength after a long run of challenges. And the resurgence of properties such as Star Wars, Frozen, Shopkins, and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have put much of the attention back on older kids.
That said, sales of licensed merchandise associated with preschool TV series remain strong by all accounts, with a number of properties making a mark at retail and even more coming on the scene. And, while properties from the key licensors mentioned above continue to be part of the mix, many of the leading preschool licenses these days come from outside the big-studio realm (although they often air on Disney Junior or Nick Jr., as well as PBS).
Spin-Master’s Paw Patrol was one of the top drivers of sales in the U.S. toy industry in 2015, according to the NPD Group, and many licensees report robust demand. Peppa Pig, which has reached the $1 billion mark in global retail sales of licensed products annually, according to eOne’s financial results released this week, has taken hold more slowly in the U.S. market than globally but saw 275% growth in retail sales of licensed merchandise during calendar 2015, according to the company. eOne’s newer PJ Masks, which launched on Disney Junior last September, has seen enough consumer demand to accelerate the launch of the consumer products program this year.
The market is crowded, though. Other preschool TV shows that have established a niche in licensing, are seeing expanded merchandise activity, or plan to launch products soon—all from independent licensors—include Teletubbies, Daniel Tiger, Peg + Cat, Miffy’s Adventures Big and Small, and many more.
It will be interesting to see what the preschool portion of the entertainment/character licensing space will look like another two to three years down the road.
RaugustReports will be taking a break for Monday’s Memorial Day holiday in the U.S. We’ll be back on Thursday, June 2.
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