A popular sub-segment within the e-sports licensing sector consists of cross-licensed apparel collections that bring together e-sports teams and anime properties. The audiences for the two types of IP dovetail nicely, and the anime characters help drive interest and purchase intent for the e-sports brands. This trend has been ongoing since at least 2019 and […]
Archive | Character/Entertainment
The Devil Is In The Detail
Location-based entertainment has been in the news lately, and not in a good way. Willy’s Chocolate Experience, a live event organized by House of Illuminati and held at Box Hub Warehouse in Glasgow, Scotland, has attracted a lot of attention for its poor execution. The ticketing website promoting the event is full of lush A.I.-generated […]
Scrolling Through Webtoon Opportunities
By Karen Raugust on February 8, 2024 in Character/Entertainment, Content, International, Licensing, Publishing
Webtoons, or webcomics, are digital comics designed to be read on a smart phone, with consumers scrolling vertically to progress through the panels. The market got its start in the early 2000s and has exploded in the last few years, both in the medium’s country of origin, South Korea, and in other countries such as […]
Boba Tie-Ins Bubble Up
By Karen Raugust on January 25, 2024 in Character/Entertainment, Food/Beverage, International, Licensing, Promotion, Retail
Bubble tea, or boba—a creamy, tea-based drink containing tapioca pearls—was invented in Taiwan and has been spreading around the world, including into the U.S., where boba drink outlets are becoming ubiquitous at malls and elsewhere. The U.S. bubble tea market was forecast to reach $464.29 million in 2023, up 6.9% from $434.11 million in 2022, […]
Educational Properties with a Human Touch
By Karen Raugust on January 18, 2024 in Celebrity, Character/Entertainment, Educational products, Licensing
Several educational brands based on individual people or personas have recently signed licensing deals for products that help children learn at home or in school. Some of the properties are based on real people, some are characters created and performed by real people, and some are wholly fictional, educator-created brands. But all have positionings that […]
Bingeing on a TV-Based Lifestyle
Lifestyle collaborations involving adult-skewing TV properties featuring a strong sense of place and time, from The Good Wife to Downton Abbey, have long had a presence in the licensing business and at retail. Over the years, the technique has evolved from occasional one-off collections to broader programs covering a variety of categories, with multiple drops […]
Christmas Characters Are Comin’ to Town
Seasonal merchandise programs tied to perennially favorite Christmas films, TV shows, and books have been strengthening in recent years, with more products available as each holiday season rolls around. This year, the collections seem to be particularly prominent, fueled by a couple of anniversaries, customers’ still-growing taste for pairings of licensed properties and seasonal themes, […]
Fortunes Look Good for Licensed Tarot Decks
By Karen Raugust on November 9, 2023 in Character/Entertainment, Design and content themes, Gifts/Novelties, Licensing, Publishing
Interest in both self-care and hobbies/pastimes spiked during the pandemic, and tarot cards—which reside in both worlds—were no exception. Some suppliers have reported sales that tripled during the peak lockdown days and, more significantly, have doubled in the five-year period since 2018. While licensing drives a very small portion of the market, the number of […]
Fresh Produce Tie-Ins Bear Fruit
Marriages of licensed characters and fresh produce have come up regularly over the years, but the sector has been as active this year as any time in recent memory. The deals have taken a variety of forms, from branded packaging to promotional initiatives, and have involved a number of different types of partners, from restaurants […]
Casting Children’s Characters In Podcasts
The market for podcasts featuring children’s favorite characters in original audio storytelling continues to grow. Just this year, IP owners in the children’s entertainment space—including some of the biggest names—have launched new productions: Disney jumped into the original children’s podcast market for the first time with Forces of Nature, a 12-episode Frozen podcast released during […]