A seldom-noticed and relatively small, but increasingly active, segment of the pet products market consists of pet-related brands extending into adjacent categories. Examples come from all corners of the industry: Food. The Dog for Dog premium pet food brand licensed G-Mason earlier this year for crate mats, training pads, and other products, as well as […]
Archive | Corporate brands
Scents That Sparkle
Last month, Graff Diamonds announced a licensing agreement with Inter Parfums for a multi-scent fragrance line that will launch in 2019 in high-end department stores, upscale travel retail, and Graff jewelry stores. The deal is a reminder that luxury brands with roots in fine jewelry are a force on the prestige end of the fragrance […]
Where the Rubber Meets the Sidewalk
Tire companies have long extended their brands into the footwear category, not only lending their names to the collaborative shoe lines, but also providing rubber for the soles. In many cases, their brand name appears only on the bottom of the shoe. Some examples: Michelin’s footwear licensing business includes hiking boots, athletic shoes, non-slip shoes […]
Seeking White Space in the Supermarket
Owners of food and restaurant properties have recently been looking beyond the most common brand-extension categories within the grocery store. They are lending their names to product sectors that not only make sense for their flavor profiles, but also have not been heavily licensed to date, meaning there is room for new brand entrants. For […]
The Friendly Skies
Airlines’ participation in consumer-products licensing is relatively limited compared to many other types of corporate brands, both in the number of properties active and the scope of their programs. That said, they are involved in the business in a variety of ways: Outbound licensing. Lufthansa has been extending its brand for a decade but last […]
Quick-Service Clothing
In the last few months, several quick-service and coffee shop brands have announced promotional initiatives involving limited-edition apparel and accessories, typically handled through their advertising agency or marketing department rather than through a licensing rep: Taco Bell partnered with Forever 21 to design an apparel collection including hoodies, bodysuits, tops, and anoraks that feature the […]
Food Prep-To-Food Licensing
Properties from the world of kitchen appliances and food preparation represent an area of growth for brand extension into the food and beverage category. Licensors of kitchen electrics, grills, and other cooking tools are lending their names to foods that constitute a close fit with their respective brands. For example: Last month, charcoal brand Kingsford […]
Getting Around
Last month’s Licensing Expo was a reminder of the many types of vehicle-based licensing programs, beyond the familiar world of car brands, that are up and running. Examples of those spotted at the show (and a few that were not exhibiting), include: City transportation systems. Transport for London (The London Underground), which recently retained TSBA […]
High on Brand Extension
In the last couple of months, a number of marijuana brands have announced their intent to license their trademarks for food and drinks, vape pens and other smoking accessories, apparel, concentrates, creams, and other closely related categories. Examples include: JuJu Royal Premium, founded by Julian Marley. Dropleaf holds the rights for the trademark and Marley […]
From Platform to Product
The role of Internet- and mobile-based content distribution and social media platforms in the licensing business traditionally has been twofold. First, the sites provide distribution and awareness for licensable properties. Second and more recently, they have been offering assistance and guidance to help the IP owners they distribute launch their own licensing efforts. A third […]