Several trademark applications that have made the news recently have centered on common words or phrases: • The fashion label Off-White, led by designer Virgil Abloh, tried to register the phrase “PRODUCT BAG,” including the quotation marks around it, with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The label has been using the words since […]
Archive | Licensing
Sugar Rush
About a year ago, we wrote about sweet snacks making their way into the cereal category. That trend has intensified since then, with a long list of candy, ice cream, and cookie brands being licensed for breakfast cereals: General Mills debuted Nestlé Drumstick and Honey Maid S’More cereals, as well as Hershey’s Cookies ‘n’ Crème […]
The Experience Economy
By Karen Raugust on September 16, 2019 in Character/Entertainment, Experiential licensing, Licensing
As entertainment licensors create experiential extensions of their properties, such as theme park attractions, stage plays, and exhibitions, it is standard practice to create merchandise dedicated to the special event, to be sold at the venue as well as in the licensor’s and sometimes the licensee’s proprietary online and retail channels. For the biggest licensors, […]
First Signs of Fall
The introduction of pumpkin spice-influenced products in restaurant chains, consumer packaged goods, and pop culture—a signal that summer is turning to autumn—begins earlier every year, with sightings as soon as mid-August. Naturally, licensed products and collaborations are in the mix. Some of the strategies for pumpkin spice-related initiatives include: Focusing on flavor. McDonald’s and Kraft […]
Between the Lines
At least a half-dozen current and former athletes have published children’s books since the beginning of the year. Their work includes fiction and nonfiction for readers as young as age 4 and as old as young teenagers: • Just this week, former NBA player Kobe Bryant published Legacy and the Queen, a tennis-themed young adult […]
Are Beignets The New Donut?
Donuts have had a strong presence in licensing and pop culture over the past few years. Owners of licensed properties have partnered for limited-edition flavors at donut chains, donut shops have extended their brands into other products, and donuts have been prominent design elements in fashion, stationery, and the like. Lately, however, it has begun […]
Lessons from Celebrity Beauty Launches
In the past two weeks, a handful of musicians, actresses, and influencers have announced new ventures in the beauty arena. Taken together, they represent a microcosm of many of the trends currently rising to the top in celebrity health and beauty. Tightly focused launches. Singer, model, and actress Zoë Kravitz revealed her lipstick collection for […]
Fun and Games
A wide range of video game properties have found their way into the world of physical board, miniatures, and card games in the past six months. Some examples: Konami Cross Media NY just announced that its recently relaunched Bomberman and Contra titles would be turned into board and card games, respectively. IDW holds the rights […]
Latin Flavor
Last week MegaMex Foods, a joint venture between Herdez del Fuerte of Mexico and Hormel of the U.S., licensed its Herdez brand to Utz Quality Foods. Utz—which has distributed MegaMex Foods including Chi-Chi’s tortilla chips and Chi-Chi’s and Herdez salsas and dips since 2018—will now produce and market Herdez-branded white, yellow, and blue tortilla chips […]
Come Together
Merger and acquisition activity among licensees around the world has been a notable trend in 2019—as it was in 2018—as consumer products marketers continue to come together to strengthen their position in the marketplace. The reasons for the consolidation vary: Category extension. Clothing marketer Delta Galil purchased The Bogart Group, an intimate apparel specialist, in […]