Interest in space-themed merchandise remains strong, thanks to a number of factors. In the past year, the inaugural commercial flights of the for-profit space tourism firms Blue Origin, SpaceX, and Virgin Galactic, along with frequent news about the International Space Station, have attracted attention. Since early 2020, there has been a pandemic-fueled increase in enthusiasm […]
Archive | Design and content themes
Gnome Décor
Gnomes have been an integral part of home décor, and popular culture in general, for decades, always an evergreen presence with waxing and waning popularity over time. Sales are currently in the midst of a long uptrend, with the latest resurgence ongoing since the mid-2010s. Google Trends, which measures interest based on the number of […]
Food Truck Feast
By Karen Raugust on October 21, 2021 in Character/Entertainment, Content, Design and content themes, Licensing, Toys/Games
Food trucks have become ubiquitous on street corners across the U.S. and in some other territories since at least the mid-2010s. As a result, they have emerged as a frequent element within children’s storytelling—including both food-centric and non-food-centric TV shows, books, games, and movies—as well as a common theme in kids’ consumer products, especially toys. […]
Kids in the Kitchen
By Karen Raugust on September 20, 2021 in Character/Entertainment, Content, Design and content themes, Food/Beverage, Licensing
Kids’ cooking- and food-themed content continues to proliferate, including in the form of TV shows, social media content, cooking and baking competition shows, and spin-offs of existing children’s IP. Several of these properties have dipped their toes into licensing, consumer products, and promotions, to various degrees. Here’s a sampling of some of the properties and […]
Raising the Barre
The news this week that ballet dancer Tiler Peck is pairing with sportswear label Stateside for a capsule collection is a reminder of the handful of ballet dancers who have entered into merchandise collaborations over the past few years. Now is an ideal time, as ballet-inspired fashion, sometimes dubbed “balletcore,” has been on trend since […]
Pride Collections for All
By Karen Raugust on May 24, 2021 in Demographic groups, Design and content themes, Diversity/Inclusion, Licensing, Politics/social movements
As we approach Pride Month, companies on the long and still-growing list of marketers celebrating LGBTQ+ Pride each June have been releasing their plans for this year. As always, these include a variety of typically rainbow-hued lifestyle collections for adults, with a focus on accessories, beauty, footwear, and especially apparel. One new wrinkle that has […]
Color Schemes
A number of museums have recently worked with licensees or collaborators on products that feature a work of art’s color palette as the core design element. This is in contrast to incorporating a full representation of the original work or a pattern or element inspired by it, which is the traditional route taken by most […]
Anime Goes Luxe
By Karen Raugust on April 15, 2021 in Character/Entertainment, Design and content themes, Fashion, International, Licensing
Anime and kawaii properties have become perennially popular on licensed products worldwide. For the past year, they have had a particularly high profile in the global fashion industry, with a large number of collaborations involving labels ranging from streetwear and sportswear to, most notably, luxury brands: Undercover, the label of designer Jun Takahashi, created a […]
Collaborations Honor Black History
By Karen Raugust on February 18, 2021 in Art, Demographic groups, Design and content themes, Fashion, Licensing
Black History Month in February of each year has not traditionally maintained as high a profile within the consumer product and collaboration space as Hispanic Heritage Month, which takes place in September and October and has increasingly been seen as a time for licensors and their partners to create themed collections. IP owners and brands […]
Welcome to the Year of the Ox
By Karen Raugust on February 11, 2021 in Design and content themes, Holiday, International, Licensing
Tomorrow (February 12) marks the start of the Lunar New Year. As brands increasingly mark this occasion with collections of products—especially in China and other parts of Asia, but in other regions as well—some look to the year’s Chinese zodiac symbol for inspiration. This creates opportunities for licensed properties that happen to be associated with […]