Experiential licensing deals continue to accumulate, with branded cafés one of the most common examples of late. Properties announcing deals in the past six months to launch new ventures, or expand existing café chains, illustrate both the variety of properties active in this sector and the global reach of the trend: Characters. Moomin will inaugurate […]
Archive | International
Stepping Out
With the 2016 Summer Olympic Games ongoing in Rio de Janeiro, it seems like a good time to take a look at the Brazilian footwear business, an active participant in licensing. Shoe companies frequently enter into short-term collaborations (and some longer-term deals) with Brazilian and global properties, both for products sold in Brazil and those […]
Brit Lit
Classic character properties with roots in British children’s literature have been expanding their licensing activities of late, mainly in their home market and largely with a focus on adult consumers. Many of the licensors are capitalizing on high-profile anniversaries and/or entertainment releases, while others are simply trading on retro appeal, especially for fans who grew […]
Looking East
Japan has long been a source of children’s properties that have made their mark on the global licensing business, with examples ranging from Hello Kitty to Yo-Kai Watch to Pokémon, the last currently surging thanks to the hit mobile game Pokémon GO. More recently, kids’ entertainment properties from other countries in East and Southeast Asia […]
Anniversaries in Australia: A Study in Localization
For a global licensing program, the goal is always to find a balance between maintaining a consistent brand image that crosses borders and satisfying tastes in individual territories through localization. Several recent anniversary programs tailored to the Australian market, all based on global character/entertainment properties, illustrate: This year, several local licensees are honoring the 80th […]
Peddling Pedals
As bike culture grows around the globe, especially in urban areas, licensing in the bicycle category is expanding outside of its historical boundaries. The U.K. market over the last year or so has served as the epicenter for several deals illustrating how bike-related licensing can stretch beyond conventional bike-licensing boundaries. For instance: Bike-culture brands are […]
Licensors Eye Ethnic Fashion
More and more designers, and some character licensors, are including apparel and accessories specific to particular ethnicities or religions among their roster of products. These items include the likes of saris and salwar kameez worn by Indian women; hijabs, abayas, and burkas for Muslims; and kimonos and yukatas for Japanese women and girls. Designers have […]
Designer Collaborations Down Under
Like designers all over the world, Australian fashion labels are collaborating with global character properties for limited editions and/or capsule collections. In the last six months, several such deals have been announced, crossing a variety of categories: Apparel. Leroy Nguyen launched a capsule collection of five items, from sweat tops to dresses, featuring Hello Kitty, […]
Heading for the Finnish
By Karen Raugust on March 14, 2016 in Art, Character/Entertainment, Digital, International, Licensing
Properties from Finland, especially from the worlds of design, digital entertainment, and publishing, are expanding their activities on the global market this year. Many are classics, or at least well established, but their profiles are on the upswing, each for its own reasons. On the design side, Marimekko, which has been known for its brightly […]
It’s a Mystery
Live-action TV mysteries for adults have seen a bit of a boost in licensing activity—albeit narrow in scope—in their home countries over the past year. The properties in question hail from the U.K. and Australia, and all air on public television stations in some or all U.S. markets. Winning Moves UK announced in January that […]