Licensed characters are playing a starring role this year in promoting national Olympic teams, Olympic sports, the Tokyo Olympic Games, and the Olympic spirit in general, both officially and non-officially. There is still some uncertainty surrounding the event, which is set to kick off on July 23, after a year-long pandemic delay, amid rising numbers […]
Shoe Business
With both sneaker collaborations and corporate novelty merchandise programs ubiquitous and still on the rise, is it any wonder that we’re seeing an explosion of offbeat corporate-branded shoes on the market? Products announced lately involve properties that are frequent participants in licensing and collaborations, as well as those that are new to the game. Many […]
Second-Hand Shopping
Platforms that facilitate the donation and purchase of gently used, “pre-loved” clothing represent one key part of the circular fashion eco-system, along with other post-first-sale techniques such as recycling, upcycling, and rental. In the past month alone, several fashion brands and retailers have made moves to strengthen their position in the second-hand sales space: Luxury […]
Playing Games
Many entertainment/character licensors have had difficulty extending their properties into branded video games successfully. But they increasingly need to be in the video game space, since that is where their fans, of all ages, spend a lot of their time. One way to achieve this goal without as much risk is to integrate their properties […]
A High Point for Low-Priced Craft Supplies
The arts and crafts segment proved to be one of the beneficiaries of the pandemic-driven stay-at-home era—as measured by increased sales levels—thanks to families looking for things for their kids to do while in isolation and adults using their unexpected leisure time to try a new craft or revisit a hobby they had abandoned. It […]
Listen Up
Children’s podcasts have been popping up for a while now, including a few based on licensed IP. Almost a third of parents (32%) say they are very or somewhat likely to purchase a subscription to a paid podcast service for their child, according to a survey conducted by Morning Consult in November. Half of children […]
Worth Their Weight
Licensed merchandise and content designed to reduce stress and anxiety have been on the upswing, from mindfulness content (e.g., Headspace’s Sesame Street video shorts) to role-play costumes designed to explore emotions (e.g., Fun World’s new Ninja Life Hacks range). While the pandemic certainly heightened the desire for goods such as these, the trend was ongoing […]
Party On
Last October, we took a look at the emergence of licensing deals and collaborations in the hard seltzer category. At the time, a handful of brands, such as Hard Rock and Ralph’s Italian Ices, had entered the category through partnerships with alcoholic beverage makers. Since then, this space has become a go-to category for appropriate […]
Costume Change
The costume industry is in the midst of transitioning from a historical focus on kids and Halloween to more of a year-round, all-encompassing, and all-ages business. This change is occurring due in part to an increase in adults going all-out to celebrate Halloween and to the rise of massive fandoms tied to pop-culture properties, many […]
Going Home
The fast-fashion sector, which was built on low-priced, in-and-out collections that have been perceived almost as disposable, has been one of the most distressed in all of retail. Not only were many chains impacted, like the rest of the apparel industry, by consumers turning away from fashion during the COVID stay-at-home orders. They also face […]