Millennials—consumers ranging in age from 19 to 35 as of 2016—have become a holy grail for marketers of all kinds these days. This is thanks in part to the group’s sheer size; at more than 75 million strong, Generation Y now outnumbers baby boomers in the U.S. In addition, millennial parents are the conduit for […]
Crowdfunding in the Licensing Business
New research on crowdfunding and its use by the licensing community was presented for the first time as part of the Licensing University panel “Crowdfunding: A How-To for Licensors and Licensees” at Licensing International Expo in Las Vegas this week. Some highlights: Rewards-based crowdfunding, in which financial backers receive some sort of material reward for […]
Celebrity Sightings
Celebrity presence at this year’s Licensing International Expo, which officially opens tomorrow (June 21, 2016), promises to skew toward the sports arena, as many of the scheduled appearances are tied to athletes or others in the sports industry. The NFL Players Association is bringing a contingent of pro football team members, from Ameer Abdullah of […]
3D Printing: Heading Into Hardware
Most of the licensors that have gotten involved in 3D printing to date have done so mainly by allowing their properties to be offered through 3D printing services or platforms for customized novelties and other printed or printable items. But there also have been a few companies in the licensing community that have extended their […]
DIY Beer-Brewing
At the end of May, Whirlpool’s W Labs division introduced a home beer fermentor and dispenser system through a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo. The same day, SodaStream announced the launch of its Beer Bar, which allows users to create beer at home from sparkling water and a beer concentrate. These initiatives follow the debut of […]
Anniversaries in Australia: A Study in Localization
For a global licensing program, the goal is always to find a balance between maintaining a consistent brand image that crosses borders and satisfying tastes in individual territories through localization. Several recent anniversary programs tailored to the Australian market, all based on global character/entertainment properties, illustrate: This year, several local licensees are honoring the 80th […]
Kickstarting New Content
Some of the most successful crowdfunding programs to date have been those supporting the creation of new content based on classic characters: Aardman Animations ran a campaign to relaunch Morph, a stop-motion-animated character that had not appeared on television for 15 years. It generated £110,000 ($158,390) to fund 15 one-minute episodes for YouTube; U.K. children’s […]
Staying Cool
Licensing deals in the refrigerator category have been relatively rare, primarily limited to appliance and electronics brand extensions—which, while few in number, can generate significant sales—as well as occasional novelties. Whirlpool would be an example of the former, with its licensed collection of compact refrigerators, and Hello Kitty of the latter, with its Sakar-produced line […]
The Evolution of Preschool Licensing
From 2012 to 2014, the TV-driven preschool portion of the character/entertainment licensing market was thriving, even as properties for many other demographics at the time faced continued challenges. Disney dominated store shelves with products tied to its Disney Junior shows (especially Doc McStuffins and later Sofia the First). Properties from other big players such as […]
Musicians Are Pet Lovers, Too
Musicians have comprised one of the most active groups of licensors in recent months when it comes to licensing into pet products. Among those launching or announcing pet collections within the past year: Miranda Lambert teamed with Petmate for a brand called MuttNation Fueled by Miranda Lambert, which includes everything from bedding and apparel to […]