A number of entrepreneurs and businesspeople are following the likes of Donald Trump into the world of celebrity licensing, positioning themselves not just as experts in management or finance but also as lifestyle brands. Caroline Issa, formerly a consultant and now CEO of the Tank Group, a U.K.-based media company, has a reputation as an […]
Archive | Licensing
Photo-Bombing Made Simple
Taking selfies has become a big part of life for many smartphone owners. So it is no surprise that licensors have been forging content deals to insert their properties into users’ self-portraits. Apps that allow characters or celebrities to “photo bomb” their fans’ selfies are marketed by a variety of licensees. Some examples: SocialIn signed […]
From Embellishments to Essentials
The typical path of licensing in the fashion industry is for apparel designers to broaden their scope into accessories. But accessories designers are going in the other direction, extending their names into adjacent categories—including, in some cases, apparel—at an accelerated pace. These companies follow in the footsteps of brands such as Kate Spade, Fossil, and […]
Focusing on the S in STEM
As STEM education has gained traction in schools and at home, there has been a parallel rise in interest and availability of toys and children’s products that teach science, technology, engineering, and math, with science and engineering leading the way. This trend has resulted in an incremental increase in the presence of licensed media and […]
Girls Gravitate Toward Licensed Literature
Mattel and one of its key publishing licensees, Random House, announced last week that they would launch a middle-grade chapter book series called Malibu Mysteries, starring Barbie. This is just the latest example of the strong role licensing plays when it comes to fiction series for girls, especially those of elementary and middle school age. […]
A Turn of Phrase
Short phrases and text excerpts remain popular as design elements in apparel and other consumer products. As a result, licensors and licensees continue to feature notable quotes as a key component of their licensed merchandise ranges. This characteristic not only holds true in “social expressions” products such as cards and mugs—where text has always been […]
Beyond Fitness Bands
Much of the initial interest in the wearable-technology category, when it comes to licensing, has been focused on fitness bands. But smart watches and smart accessories (e.g., smart bands and smart bracelets) have caught up quickly as an area of activity. Like fitness bands, these devices often monitor exercise accomplishments, calories expended and taken in, […]
No Rest for Mattress Licensors
Mattress brands are increasingly establishing or expanding outbound licensing programs and signing agents to assist them in those ventures. These properties collectively represent a growing niche within the corporate and trademark brand-extension sector. Just within the last year: Serta signed Delta Children for a line of nursery cribs, mattresses, and furniture. Simmons, which already has […]
Marketers Seek Artistry in Promotion
A number of artists recently have raised their profiles by participating in promotions that support consumer products and entertainment ventures. For marketers—which have initiated most of these partnerships—bringing in an outside artist or artists is an opportunity to give fans a fresh perspective on their brand or property and generate buzz in the media. For […]
The Rise of Social Shopping
Licensors and licensees are starting to experiment with social commerce—which fuses online shopping and social media—as a new opportunity for merchandise sales: HarperCollins is currently working with Twitter Commerce on a 35%-off promotion for the hardcover movie tie-in edition of Insurgent. The publisher and Twitter are both tweeting about the offer, targeting users who are […]