Celebrity licensing, which has become so prevalent in apparel, accessories, home décor, beauty, and other categories, has not touched the toy industry much to date, aside from the occasional endorsement deal or signature doll line. But the landscape is starting to change. More celebrities are not only lending their names to toy lines, but becoming […]
Archive | Licensing
In And Out
Pop-up shops have become a frequent method for licensors to test products, forge a connection with fans, and spur coverage in traditional and digital media. In fact, the number of pop-up initiatives tied to licensed properties proliferated in 2014, especially in the second half of the year. The technique is being adopted broadly, across property […]
Properties From Unexpected Places
Homegrown properties represent ever-stronger competition for multinational licensors in territories around the world. This is true not only in well-established markets but in countries such as China, India, and Turkey, where licensing is newer. Even territories that are nowhere near the center of global licensing executives’ radar are starting to produce licensed properties for both […]
Back to the Beginning
A new wrinkle has been added to the well-established technique of sports-related cross-licensing, as today’s professional athletes are co-branded with their youthful selves. Last summer, NFL Players Inc., which handles licensing for the NFL Players Association, teamed with Pop Warner Little Scholars for a line of merchandise highlighting current players in their Pop Warner youth […]
Regional Restaurants’ Recipe For Success Includes Licensing
It seems as if there could not possibly be enough supermarket shelf space for all the restaurant-branded (and often licensed) foods and beverages already on the market or in the works. Yet the list of restaurant chains launching or expanding brand-extension licensing programs continues to lengthen. Naturally, given the crowded marketplace, the newer names appearing […]
Music Labels Tune In To Licensing
Licensing programs tied to music labels—as opposed to the musicians on their rosters—have been on the rise over the last year. In April of 2014, Def Jam Enterprises, the 30-year-old label founded by Russell Simmons, signed IMG Licensing and UniWorld Group, a marketing firm, to represent it in seeking licensing and marketing opportunities. The label […]
Artful Interpretations of Comics and Cartoons
Licensors of classic comic strips and cartoons are partnering with contemporary artists to offer fresh graphics and a publicity hook. Three examples from the past year include: DC Thomson Consumer Products creating two new style guides for The Beano and Dennis the Menace, one with British designer Wayne Hemingway and the other with artist Jon […]
Apparel for All
The plus-size segment of the apparel category became a strong area of interest for celebrity and fashion licensors in 2014, with designers Isabel Toledo and Lela Rose doing direct-to-retail deals with Lane Bryant, model Ashley Graham designing an exclusive collection for Canadian chain Addition Elle, and blogger Gabi Gregg creating a couple of capsule collections […]
Buy It Now
Late 2014 and early 2015 have brought a wave of consolidation to the licensing business, on both the licensee and licensor sides of the equation. The entertainment portion of the business has been the nexus of most of this activity. Some of the recent deals involving licensed manufacturers, all of which have been announced or […]
The Changing Retail-to-Retail Landscape
Back in 2011, several retailers began launching licensing programs in which they lent their brand names or proprietary labels to outside manufacturers, who were allowed to distribute the products in other, non-competitive retail channels. Chains including Kitson, Eddie Bauer, Fred Segal, Frederick’s of Hollywood, Ann Taylor, Bombay Co., and more have signed such deals in […]