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, […]
Archive | Character/Entertainment
Family Fandom
By Karen Raugust on September 17, 2018 in Character/Entertainment, Demographic groups, Infant products, Licensing
It wasn’t that long ago that a property associated with violence, swearing, and/or adult themes would be unlikely to find its way into the baby products category. But things have changed, as three recent deals illustrate: • Blizzard Entertainment licensed Líllébaby for baby carriers made of a printed fabric inspired by Battle of Azeroth, the […]
In Tune with the Times
By Karen Raugust on July 26, 2018 in Character/Entertainment, Demographic groups, Design and content themes, Licensing
The “girl power” trend in children’s media and entertainment has been ongoing for several years, but it continues to intensify and diversify, perhaps assisted by the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements. Some of the recent permutations include: Female superheroes assuming leading roles in film and TV. Some examples are original, including TV animation such as Nickelodeon’s […]
Rainbow Connection
Rainbow-themed girls’ entertainment is in, if this year’s Licensing Expo is any indication. Among the rainbow-centric properties prominently displayed at the show this year are: True and the Rainbow Kingdom. This Netflix Original is produced by Guru Studio and licensed by Brand Central, with Toy State on board as the licensee for playthings. The show […]
Head First
The head seems to be the new center of social expression when it comes to showing one’s love for an entertainment property, as all manner of headwear features eye-catching, sculptural representations of favorite characters: Plush hoods and hats. Companies such as Elope feature plush headwear with representations of characters including Dr. Seuss Enterprises’ The Grinch […]
The Universal Allure of Unicorns
Unicorns have always been a theme in merchandise and entertainment, especially for kids, but they are certainly experiencing a moment in the spotlight for all ages these days. The magical creatures appear in association with all kinds of products and promotions: Starbucks’ offered Unicorn Frappuccino, while Kellogg’s is releasing Froot Loops-like Unicorn Cereal; cosmetics company […]
The Sound of Music
Symphony performances, accompanied by filmed entertainment, represent one area of experiential licensing that has been hitting a high note for the past few years, especially but not exclusively among entertainment properties: Most recently, National Geographic partnered with Jason Michael Paul Entertainment for “National Geographic: Symphony for Our World,” which features a live performance of a […]
Nurturing Nature Knowledge
Science, maker, and activity kits—some with licenses attached—are a big trend within the toy business, from STEM packs centered on coding and circuitry to chemistry sets focused on slime or cosmetics. A mini-trend within the category, notable at this year’s New York Toy Fair, was the pairing of licensed properties with plant- and nature-related science […]
Team Mentality
The biggest entertainment/character licensors and their licensees are enhancing fans’ sense of belonging and engagement with a bit of team spirit. Initiatives take different forms: Choosing sides. Several of Disney/Lucafilm’s licensed Star Wars products, from NVidia’s computer graphics processing units (GPUs) to Ample Hills’ ice cream, give consumers two alternatives from which to select, the […]
Construction Paper
Paper engineering (the art and science of creating pop-ups and paper sculpture) has inspired a growing, albeit still small, product category dubbed paper art. The sector has attracted a number of entertainment/character licenses over the past 18 months or so: Lovepop announced early in December that it had introduced a 3D paper art collection tied […]