Consumers have become reliant on batteries, back-up power packs, and chargers to keep their mobile phones, tablets, and other electronics—and their lives—up and running. It follows, then, that the battery category has become the focus of an increasing number of licensing deals. These may be standalone agreements focusing on batteries and chargers or, more often, […]
Guitar Slingers
For decades, musical instruments have been a leading area of interest for licensing-savvy musicians, attracting well-known instrumentalists and music industry types such as Eric Clapton, Carlos Santana, and Randy Jackson, to name just a tiny fraction. They have signed licensees for signature guitars, or whatever their instrument may be, as well as accessories such as […]
A Glimpse into a 3D Future?
Licensing has become an important tool in the emergence of 3D printing as a consumer technology, with a variety of 3D printing companies using licensing as a means of standing out in a crowded market. Recent agreements help attract customers to different facets of the industry, including: Online personalization and ordering. Source3, a 3D printing […]
The Many Hues of Adult Coloring
Although publishers report continued strong sales for adult coloring books (at least in the U.S.), and licensors are still entering the market or looking into doing so, this now-crowded sector is starting to mature. One indication is its diversification and expansion in several directions: Adjacent categories. Buffalo Games has a line of puzzles that come […]
Boxers or Briefs
Male athletes from a variety of sports have expanded their personal brands into the high-end underwear category. Athletes’ signature lines are attractive for companies in this sector, since they add credibility through their endorsement of the product’s performance characteristics or comfort, especially during active situations. And athletes’ toned bodies are good imagery for underwear advertising, […]
Wearables as Playthings
Licensed wearable devices for children represent a small but growing sector of the toy, accessories, and electronics industries. Their positioning and functionality often differ somewhat from the typical adult-skewing licensed wearable; namely, they focus less on fitness and more on play. A few examples: Disney’s Playmation, a line of connected toys developed with Hasbro and […]
It’s a Mystery
Live-action TV mysteries for adults have seen a bit of a boost in licensing activity—albeit narrow in scope—in their home countries over the past year. The properties in question hail from the U.K. and Australia, and all air on public television stations in some or all U.S. markets. Winning Moves UK announced in January that […]
Getting Comfortable With Denim
Differentiation in the denim category can be difficult to achieve (through licensing or otherwise), compared to other sectors of apparel that allow for more variation and flexibility in terms of design and fabrics. In addition, there is significant and strong competition in this segment, both from denim brands such as Levi’s and Wrangler and from […]
Meal Deals
The link between licensed properties and meal delivery services continues to strengthen. Three announcements in the last few months illustrate the trend: As part of a deal between the NFL Players Association and Chef’d, athletes Kyle Rudolph and Chad Greenway provided recipes for a Super Bowl-themed “Big Game Party in a Box,” consisting of an […]
Code Ed: Characters Teach Computer Programming
Computer coding has been a theme of several recent deals marrying licensed entertainment/character properties with educational digital content focused on basic programming skills. Since November 2015: Disney and Lucasfilm partnered with Code.org for a Star Wars tutorial that educates kids on writing code; Code.org has previously worked with Disney on similar programs involving Frozen and […]