Alliances between owners of licensed properties and providers of educational curriculum can take many forms. They involve a diverse roster of property types and can target the whole spectrum of age groups, as these recent deals attest: Sesame Workshop licensed McGraw-Hill Education to use its Sesame Street characters in a free version of MHE’s Wonders […]
Archive | Licensing
Vision Quest
In these days of collaborations, limited editions, and other in-and-out programs, it is sometimes easy to forget that long-term, traditional licensing deals are still going strong, especially in certain sectors. A case-in-point: eyewear. Collaborations and limited programs exist in this category as well, of course. But properties such as fashion, lifestyle, and luxury brands, among […]
Dealing With Celebrity Controversy
Last week, Ivanka Trump announced that she would shut down her signature lifestyle brand, stating as the reason her full-time focus, for the foreseeable future, on her political and advocacy work in Washington D.C. Many analysts noted another likely factor, however, namely that sales of her branded goods had plummeted over the past two years […]
In Tune with the Times
By Karen Raugust on July 26, 2018 in Character/Entertainment, Demographic groups, Design and content themes, Licensing
The “girl power” trend in children’s media and entertainment has been ongoing for several years, but it continues to intensify and diversify, perhaps assisted by the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements. Some of the recent permutations include: Female superheroes assuming leading roles in film and TV. Some examples are original, including TV animation such as Nickelodeon’s […]
Playing Well Together
Mergers and acquisitions involving makers of toys, many of them key licensees, have been occurring at a fast pace in 2018. The first three of the following examples took place in late May, while the last two were announced in March and February, respectively: PlayMonster, marketer of Yeti in My Spaghetti and Wonder Crew, purchased […]
Mighty Mash-Ups
In the weeks leading up to San Diego Comic Con 2018, taking place this week, publishers including IDW, DC Comics, and Oni Press have announced crossovers pairing two or more licensed properties. Such mash-ups are often limited in quantity and typically extend over a short arc, with three to six issues being a common length. […]
Licensing Is No Joke
Many of the top-ranking influencers on YouTube, Instagram, and other platforms, as ranked by sheer numbers of followers, specialize in comedic sketches, observations about their daily lives, pranks, and similar content. A few of the social media stars of this sort have fairly broad licensing programs. Jake Paul, represented by Brand Central since 2017, is […]
World Cup Couture
With the finals of the FIFA World Cup coming up this Sunday, pitting France against Croatia, it seems like a good time to look at the impact of the competition on the world of high fashion, officially licensed and otherwise. Here are some of the strategies involving fashion labels, designers, sports licensors, and retailers trying […]
Album Appreciation
It has become the norm over the past decade for musicians to put forth merchandise collections tied to specific albums, tours, and songs, not just for concert tour merchandising at the venue but for sale through retail channels as well. These ventures have proliferated over the years and can take a number of forms, many […]
Produce Plus Protein
Grocery shoppers have seen a proliferation of healthy snacks that combine fruits or vegetables with protein in a single, convenient package for on-the-go eating. Licensed products are part of the mix, as these examples illustrate: B&G Foods and its master licensee for Green Giant Fresh, Growers Express, are debuting six vegetable-based meal bowls. They include […]