Quick-service restaurants specializing in fried chicken, not to mention other fast-food chains including hamburger, taco, and pizza specialists, have introduced chicken sandwiches to great fanfare over the past couple of years, leading to the current so-called “chicken sandwich wars.” Experts trace the start of the war to a skirmish between an early Popeyes sandwich and […]
Archive | Licensing
The Art of the Nail
For teens and young adults, the fingernails represent a canvas for social expression. Whether using bright colors and unusual finishes, having each nail a unique color or style, or painting elaborate designs, many young consumers spend significant time and money turning their nails into fashion statements, often sharing the results on social media. The nail […]
Seeing Green
St. Patrick’s Day has become an increasingly important occasion for collaborations and promotions, as licensors and licensees consider holidays throughout the year as potential reasons to debut new products or highlight existing ones. While nowhere near as big as more high-profile milestones such as Halloween, Valentine’s Day, Earth Day, and the like, St. Patrick’s Day […]
Crafting a New Future
Craft and hobby retailers, for the most part, have seen positive sales results during the pandemic, which has spurred consumers to try new DIY pastimes and/or renew their interest in past creative hobbies. Crafts and DIY activities had already been on the upswing for some time before the crisis began, thanks in part to the […]
Game Play
Three leading toy companies recently signed renewals of existing licensing deals tied to mainstream video game properties, or otherwise expanded their current assortments. This is a reminder of how the toy-licensing landscape has changed over time from almost entirely TV- and film-based to an environment where video games, one of today’s major leisure-time activities, play […]
Face Time
Face stickers are a form of social expression and a niche category that offers opportunities for licensing. Many products from the leading marketers in this space have a particular purpose, as these examples indicate: Face Lace creates fashion-forward stickers for dramatic looks that go beyond what can be done with color cosmetics, mascara, and eye […]
Rocking Sustainability
A wide range of licensors have begun incorporating sustainable elements into their licensed products and collaborative collections—or are at least considering doing so—especially when it comes to fashion. Musicians represent one of the groups with a relatively long track record in this segment and, like other IP owners, their focus on sustainability has been on […]
Pet Projects
The pet category has long been an active one for licensing deals and collaborations in the U.S., and new agreements are still being announced regularly, despite the crowded landscape. Recently, there has been a burst of activity outside the U.S., with new partnerships coming to light in the last several months across the globe: In […]
Celebrities Crave QSR Tie-Ins
For quick-service restaurants, the past six months have represented somewhat of a golden age of celebrity tie-ins, as more and more athletes, musicians, influencers, and gamers have entered into promotional partnerships with fast food restaurants. Each initiative is unique, with some skewing toward the endorsement end of the spectrum, some being meal-centric, and others highlighting […]
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 […]