Today is Galentine’s Day, a celebration invented by Amy Poehler’s fictional Leslie Knope in season two of the TV series Parks and Recreation, which some marketers and consumers have started observing in real life. It takes place each year on the day before Valentine’s Day and is all about celebrating female friendship. Some of the […]
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Hoteliers Look to Licensing
Branded hotels had been an up-and-coming form of experiential licensing for at least five years prior to the start of the pandemic, and they are back, if the number of new deals and openings announced in the last year or so is any indication: Lagardère Group’s ELLE magazine brand opened its first hotel, in Paris, […]
Heart Beat
Since today is Valentine’s Day, it seems like a good time to note the importance of the holiday as a launch date for new licensed and collaborative products, as well as an occasion for holiday-specific limited editions, collaborations, and promotions involving licensed IP. This is especially true for initiatives involving products that traditionally serve as […]
Tea Time
By Karen Raugust on July 22, 2021 in Character/Entertainment, Experiential licensing, Food/Beverage, Licensing
Traditional English-style afternoon teas tied to characters (and sometimes other properties) have represented a growing piece of the experiential-licensing landscape since the mid-2010s, at least in some parts of the world, with a particularly notable burst of activity beginning in 2019. Even during the pandemic, at least between lockdowns, a few licensed afternoon teas were […]
Characters Qualify for the Olympics
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 […]
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 […]
First Impressions
Every once in a while, we shine a spotlight on recent deals involving products and categories that have rarely been a focus for licensing and may offer white space for licensors with relevant IP. Our first post of 2021 seems like a good time to take stock of some of the new and unusual licensed […]
Signs of a Comeback
The last few months have brought news about the signing of several multi-faceted, multi-year toy deals, both in the U.S. and globally, many involving well-established properties: Spin Master joined the Wizarding World through a deal with Warner Bros. Consumer Products, with plans to produce playthings tied to the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts franchises. Merchandise […]
An Extra Scary Halloween
Halloween, coming up this Saturday, is naturally forcing consumers, marketers, and retailers to adapt their approach for the COVID era. How will that impact sales of Halloween-related products? The National Retail Federation predicts overall spending for the holiday will fall 8%, from $8.8 billion in 2019 to $8 billion this year, although those who do […]
Getting Out the Vote
By Karen Raugust on October 19, 2020 in Design and content themes, Licensing, Politics/social movements
Every four years as the U.S. Presidential election comes around, licensors, licensees, and retailers create products and promotional initiatives highlighting themes tied to voting. Historically, these have been mostly focused on merchandise featuring vote-related graphics, primarily as a way to offer some fresh and timely designs. This year, however, marketers (many with ties to the […]