A smattering of sweater brands have been expanding their outbound licensing programs, taking their distinctive patterns and graphics into adjacent categories and into new territories. Marius, known for its classic Norwegian sweaters featuring horizontal geometric stripes incorporating snowflakes and reindeer, has more than 25 licensees on board in Norway, covering everything from watches to postcards […]
Books and Bonus Content
Book and comic book publishers have long sought some sort of added value to differentiate their licensed titles from their competitors’, give retailers something exclusive, and entice consumers. These perks historically have been likely to take forms such as premiums (e.g., crayons or collectible toys) affixed to the cover; design elements (foil or sparkles, a […]
Forever Young
Earlier this year, Pop Warner Little Scholars named Ignite 2X as its agent for Pop Warner sports, fan, and lifestyle products in all categories. The organization, which focuses on youth football and cheer/dance and offers various scholastic programs, plans products ranging from apparel, school supplies, toys, and collectibles, to home accents and electronic games. The […]
The Bold and the Beautiful
A current trend in the color cosmetics industry—which has represented a growing category for licensing in general over the past few years—is to create a bold and graphic look using bright colors, metallics, and well-defined shapes on lips, eyelids, and brows. To promote this style to consumers, cosmetics companies are turning to celebrity endorsers, including […]
New and Different
The quest for a good fit between product and property—one of the most important criteria behind a successful licensing deal—can lead some licensors into untapped areas: Eclipse glasses. In time for this summer’s total solar eclipse, American Paper Optics, a maker of 3D glasses, partnered with Bill Nye the Science Guy for a limited-edition line […]
From Dresses To Drapes
For fashion labels, the home goods category is a natural—albeit sometimes challenging—area of interest for brand extension. Recent deals involve a range of demographics and price points, as well as a mix of retailers and manufacturers serving as licensees: Lululemon teamed with PBTeen for an exclusive capsule collection of home goods tied to Lululemon’s athletic […]
Weed as a Way of Life
As more states legalize marijuana for medical and/or recreational use, much of the attention from a licensing perspective has been on celebrities (mainly musicians and chefs) lending their names to marijuana strains and related products, and on marijuana brands extending into foods, topical creams, smoking accessories, and the like. Another growing opportunity centers on cannabis-related […]
Anime Every Day
Anime TV series, from mainstream examples such as Pokémon to superfan favorites such as Yuri!!! on ICE, have long been popular in Western markets, albeit rising and falling cyclically, as is the case for any trend. Recently, widespread optimism about the long-term prospects of the genre has led a number of large organizations to stake […]
Agents of Change
Three leading licensing agencies, all handling a variety of property types but best known for their corporate trademark licensing activities, have debuted new consulting businesses this year: Seltzer Licensing Group added a proprietary suite of services—brand analytics and valuation, brand strategy assessment and development, market and retail entry strategy, and strategic alliance growth plans—under The […]
Retailers and Reality TV
Three recent retail exclusives involving reality TV series and their stars provide an illustration of how these types of shows can be a good fit for relevant product categories in the bricks-and-mortar environment: Project Runway, which airs on Lifetime, paired with JCPenney for a line of branded women’s clothing. Collections inspired by the winner of […]