BRAND TOTAL
SUMMER 2018
A TOTAL LICENSING GROUP PUBLICATION
LICENSING
TOTAL BRAND LICENSING
CONTENTS 6
8
Editorial Comment
42 Social Media Sponsorship
Get Your Kicks on Route 66
43 Royal Horticultural Society
Thoughts from the editor
The ultimate Americana brand
Would you let a brand sponsor your profile?
So much more than British gardening
10 News
44 Football Crazy!
14 Juventus
46 The Gun Debate
16 Eat, Drink and be Merry...
48 Profile: Michelin
Charles Atlas, Royal Aston, Van Halen and more
On the rise in the Americas
The growing world of food and beverage and a profile of Pink Key Licensing
22 Marie-Antoinette
A brand helping to protect wildlife
25 American Mensa
The Fab Four in Germany and big screen revival of Yellow Submarine
39 Saturday Evening Post
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Sports Merchandising & Licensing Show
51 Howard Robinson Taking Selfies to new heights 52 Natural History Museum
Where science meets style
54 And the winner is...
Results of the Brand & Lifestyle Licensing Awards
52 Licensed to Thrill
An interview with Lovehoney
57 A Giant Step...
Licensing the International Space Archive
58 Licensing Japan 2018
A resounding success
The right of publicity and a profile of Hendrix Licensing
37 The Beatles
Are Influencers viable licensing options
34 Celebrity Licensing
49 Show Review:
Techniques to achieving goals
33 The Influencer Effect
A brand with 130 year heritage
Brands in the spotlight in Las Vegas this year
32 Visualization
Brands can no longer sit on the sidelines
A truly smart brand
26 Licensing Expo
40 Years of Panini football stickers
A symbol of sophistication and charm
24 Ivory Ella
60 Brand Licensing 2018:
Tips and Insights
62 The Final Page
Shows, advertisers and more
A profile of American nostalgia
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COMMENT
BRAND W TOTAL
LICENSING
A Total Licensing Group Publication
CO-PUBLISHER Francesca Ash francesca@totallicensing.com CO-PUBLISHER Jerry Wooldridge jerry@totallicensing.com EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Rebecca Ash becky@totallicensing.com BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Joanna Cassidy joanna@totallicensing.com OFFICE MANAGER Helen Bowerman helen@totallicensing.com JAPAN AGENT Roger Berman, ZenWorks rmb@zenworks.jp
elcome to the Summer 2018 issue of Total Brand Licensing. As this magazine goes to press, many of our readers will be preparing to travel to Las Vegas for this year’s Licensing Expo. As in recent years, Brands have their own section within the Mandalay Bay’s show’s floorspace - separated from the entertainment side and this issue of Total Brand Licensing has a show preview feature dedicated to brand companies that are exhibiting. This issue covers a multitude of different subjects within its pages. Food and beverage is a keynote article that covers a variety of brands - from Coca-Cola to Pepsi and so much more. We also have a focus on celebrities - from understanding the right of publicity to Jimmi Hendrix and an in-depth look at the growing program for The Beatles including the relaunch of the Yellow Submarine animated movie (is it really possible it’s 50 years since this first came out?) Our brand profiles are rich and varied. From the UK’s Natural History Museum to Michelin, a 130 year old tire brand and a look at the licensin gprogram for the International Space Archive. The gun debate which, of course, has a very high profile at the moment is also touched on with Michael Stone’s interesting feature on how brands can no longer sit on the sidelines in this. And if that wasn’t enough, we profile Lovehoney, the UK’s most popular online store for buying adult toys and lingerie. As always, we really look forward to attending Licensing Expo this year – and of course you can pick up your issues of all our magazines there - Total Brand Licensing, Total Licensing and Total Art Licensing. It will be interesting to see what trends have emerged and come to fruition over the last eleven months since last year’s Expo, and of course to see the industry coming together, with all the wonderful things it has to offer. Happy travels and ee you there!
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Pete Canalicchio, Jonathan Faber, Allan Feldman, Greg Lansdowne, Michael Stone HEAD OFFICE Total Licensing Ltd 4 Wadhurst Business Park Faircrouch Lane, Wadhurst, East Sussex, TN5 6PT, UK Tel: +44 (0) 1892 782220 Fax: +44 (0) 1892 782226 www.totallicensing.com Total Brand Licensing is published quarterly by Total Licensing Ltd in the UK. ©2018 Total Licensing Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means whatsoever without written permission of the publishers and owners. Although persons and companies mentioned herein are believed to be reputable, Total Licensing Ltd nor any of its employees accept any responsibility whatsoever for their activities. All images are reproduced with permission from their owners. PAGE 6
Total Brand Licensing Editorial Advisory Board Weston Anson, Chairman, Consor Gary Caplan, President, Gary Caplan Inc Ciaran Coyle, VP and Head, Electrolux Global Brand Licensing Jane Evans, President, JELC Ltd Angela Farrugia, Group Managing Director, The Licensing Company Debra Joester, Joint Owner, Joester Loria Kimberly Kociencki, Chief Executive Officer, SPLiCE Bruno Maglione, Executive VP and Global Managing Director, IMG Licensing Lisa Reiner, Managing Director Europe and Asia, Beanstalk TOTAL BRAND LICENSING
The romance of Route 66 continues to captivate people around the world. Running between Chicago and Los Angeles, “over two thousand miles all the way” in the words of the popular R&B anthem, this legendary old road passes through the heart of the United States on a diagonal trip that takes in some of the country’s most archetypal roadside scenes. If you’re looking for great displays of neon signs, rusty middle-of-nowhere truck stops, or kitschy Americana, do as the song says and “get your kicks on Route 66.” But perhaps the most compelling reason to follow Route 66 is to experience the road’s ingrained time line of contemporary America. For three decades before and after World War II, Route 66 earned the title “Main Street of America” because it wound through small towns across the Midwest and Southwest, lined by hundreds of cafes, motels, gas stations, and tourist attractions. During the Great Depression, hundreds of thousands of farm families, displaced from the Dust Bowl, made their way west along Route 66 to California, following what John Steinbeck called “The Mother Road” in his vivid portrait, The Grapes of Wrath. After World War II, many thousands more expressed their upward mobility by leaving the industrial East, bound for good jobs in the suburban idyll of Southern California—again following Route 66, which came to embody the demographic shift from the Rust Belt to the Sun Belt. Though it is no longer a main route across the country, Route 66 has retained its mystique in part due to the very same effective hype, PAGE 8
hucksterism, and boosterism that animated it through its half-century heyday. It was a Route 66 sight, the marvelous Meramec Caverns, that gave the world the bumper sticker. And it was here on Route 66 that the great American driving vacation first flourished. Billboards and giant statues along the highway still hawk a baffling array of roadside attractions, tempting passing travelers to view giant blue whales, to see live rattlesnakes and other wild creatures on display in roadside menageries, or to stay at “Tucumcari Tonite.” Whether you are motivated by an interest in history, feel a nostalgic yearning for the “good old days” Route 66 has come to represent, or simply want to experience firsthand the amazing diversity of people and landscapes that line its path, Route 66 offers an unforgettable journey into America, then and now. Building on the now decommissioned road’s rich history, the Route 66 brand has attained a worldwide presence in the retail sector through the licensing industry. Bringing together the international coverage of the Route 66 brand under one roof, Tempting Brands who handle Route 66 merchandising, has longstanding licenses that go back 23 years. More recently, Tempting Brands followed an expansion strategy not only focusing on existing product categories and territories, but also developing new items and entering new markets. The Route 66 brand has become a huge success in the basics apparel category, enjoying widespread distribution in hypermarkets and food retailers in the United States and Europe. Just last year, in 2017, more than seven million pair of Route 66 socks were sold just in Germany. The spirit of freedom associated with the brand has inspired the development of a successful Route Running Wear Collection. Both the Autumn-Winter and Spring-Summer include running t-shirts, pants, running accessories such as smartphone armbands, as well as running shoes. Recently, Route 66 fire baskets in the shape
of oversized lighters and large gas-tanks were launched. Popular items to make long evenings of barbeque more comfortable and cozy. In France, the focus has been on the core adventurous spirit of the Route 66 brand, with the development of certified motorcycle helmets. Distributed in a large national retail chain, these products will be followed by a range of other items for the motorcycle enthusiast. Also in 2017, Route 66 has advanced its reach by moving into South Korea. The Route 66 polo T-shirt collection, tailored for both male and female, has been launched in online and TV shopping channels. The end of the year was marked by the start of a new worldwide license for smart device accessories. The range has a wide selection of cover cases and sleeves for electronic devices. Designs include iconic Route 66 artworks, part of Tempting Brands’ comprehensive Style Guide, giving the vintage and timeless feel that the Route 66 brand inspires. Each year Tempting Brands celebrates and awards the outstanding performance of their best licensees and agents. In 2017 they have shown their gratitude towards their licensee from Italy – CBL – for their achievements and commitment towards the Route 66 brand. Their German agent, Celebrities Entertainment’s expertise in working with leading European consumer products companies has created unique opportunities for Route 66 and brought them the award of Best Agent. Tempting Brands turns trademarks into brands. They are proud to own some of the world’s most intriguing and enticing brands and they license them to leading retailers and manufacturers worldwide. With innovative websites and creative brand books Tempting Brands supports its licensees to market theirbrands. They create state-of-the-art Style Guides and product designs to support their customers and are on a mission to provide the best possible business and product development support. TOTAL BRAND LICENSING
NEWS
NATIONAL GALLERY DEAL WITH WHITE STUFF The National Gallery Company Ltd in the UK has announced its new collaboration with fashion retailer White Stuff. The new high street clothing and accessories range will feature images of Van Gogh’s iconic A Wheatfield, with Cypresses and Long Grass with Butterflies paintings that are housed in the National Gallery collection. Judith Mather, Buying and Merchandise
Director, National Gallery Company, commented, “It’s a pleasure to have this new relationship with White Stuff. It has enabled us to reach out to the fashion market and to an audience that may not be familiar with our collection. The collection exudes creativity and imagination and provides an original portrayal of such important and inspirational works. We’re looking forward to having these exclusive items as part of our licensed range here at the National Gallery and sales through White Stuff platforms will help increase awareness” The collection consisting of 11 pieces, from clothing to accessories to homeware will launch in select shops and online in May. The collection will also be on display in the National Gallery shop for twelve weeks from the launch date.
MAJOR ART ALLIANCE FOR BRIDGEMAN IMAGES Bridgeman Images have announced that they have signed an agreement with the Ministero dei beni delle attività culturali e del turismo (MiBACT), allowing them to acquire and license images from 439 Italian museums and cultural sites belonging to MiBACT. MiBACT includes some of the world’s most prestigious Italian museums including the Uffizi, Pinacoteca di Brera, Cenacolo Vinciano, Pantheon, Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea, and Pompei.
Pick up your copy of Total Licensing, Total Brand Licensing and Total Art Licensing at Licensing Expo, Las Vegas PAGE 10
CHARLES ATLAS Pacific Swell Brands have announced new exclusive licensing representation of the Father of modern-day bodybuilding and American fitness icon, Charles Atlas. PacSwell will leverage Charles Atlas’ famous advertisements known for continuously appearing in comic books and magazines since the 1930’s, numerous classic photos, trademarks and other assets to extend the brand into new categories that include apparel, accessories, collectibles, publishing, nutrition supplements, beverages, costumes, gift and novelty, gaming, promotions and more. Through this representation agreement, PacSwell will focus on licensing deals that open up opportunities for fans of Charles Atlas and younger generations to connect with the brand. For companies seeking classic and compelling American inspiration, Charles Atlas offers a large archive of iconic art, assets and photos that translate well onto merchandise. Known as the World’s Most Perfectly Developed Man and the Father of modern-day bodybuilding and fitness, Charles Atlas is a true American icon that has influenced the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jake Steinfeld, Joe Lewis, Rocky Marciano and more. He developed Dynamic Tension, a bodybuilding program based on bodyweight and isometric, isokinetic and isotonic exercises and familiar to many for its many legendary advertisements in comic books and pop culture references. A celebrity in his own right, Charles Atlas embodies a healthy lifestyle, self-confidence and strength.
This is a first of its kind and presents an amazing opportunity for the museums and Bridgeman to be able to distribute and license these remarkable images worldwide. Bridgeman are working with each institution to add content and images that will be available for all editorial and some non-editorial uses. Bridgeman will be able to provide additional income for these important institutions and to enable investment in the protection and enhancement of their cultural heritage. TOTAL BRAND LICENSING
NEWS
ASCOT RACECOURSE SIGNS KAREN MILLEN Ascot Racecourse in the UK recently announced a new global relationship with leading ladies apparel design house Karen Millen to launch a SS18 collection inspired by its flagship race meeting, Royal Ascot, in a deal brokered by IMG. Specially designed for the 2018 summer racing season and social calendar, the new collection features 18 co-branded occasion wear pieces, including dresses, skirts, tops, trouser suits and jumpsuits. The pieces are marked for the Royal Enclosure or the Queen Anne or Village Enclosures, in line with Royal Ascot’s dress code and style guide. The line is available now from Karen Millen’s UK and international standalone and online stores, as well as in high-end department stores. Select pieces will also be showcased and sold on-site at Royal Ascot in the flagship Ascot Shop store, managed by IMG. Juliet Slot, Chief Commercial Officer at Ascot Racecourse, said, “While racing is at the heart of Ascot, the fashion component is fundamental for us and our customers. It is part of the day that helps create the sense of occasion that our customers feel is so strongly associated with Royal Ascot. Dr Beth Butterwick, CEO at Karen Millen, added, “We are thrilled to join forces with Ascot. Historically, Karen Millen has been the go-to for summer events epitomised by the racing reason, our clients know they can
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come to us and find beautifully crafted collections that they can feel confident in. Our Atelier ethos is what sets us apart from other mid-market luxury brands, our in-house atelier ensures the brand’s signature quality and attention to detail is upheld. It is these shared values of luxury, attention-to-detail and quality that align us perfectly with Royal Ascot.” Tim Smith, Licensing Director, IMG, added: “With fashion being at the core of any raceday at Ascot, we are delighted to be working with Karen Millen to create the brand’s first
official ladies apparel line. Karen Millen fits perfectly into our strategy of building Ascot into an international lifestyle brand, ensuring beautifully crafted products and multi-channel accessibility for shoppers and guests around the world.” The Karen Millen x Royal Ascot collection is available now online, instore and concession, featuring hand painted florals, intricate lace detailing and super sleek tailoring all in beautiful pink and blush shades. Each piece is expertly crafted using couture techniques from the Karen Millen in-house designers.
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NEWS
LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE Spotlight Licensing and Brand Management President Carole Postal recently announced her agency has been appointed by Friendly Family Productions to manage the North American licensing program for the classic Little House on the Prairie brand. “Little House on the Prairie is a wholesome family brand that has become an indelible part of American culture,” said Postal. “We look forward to working with Carole and the Spotlight Licensing team to grow our Little House on the Prairie licensing program with manufacturers and retailers who understand and embrace the brand’s core values of community, courage, optimism, and the joys of a simpler life,” said Trip Friendly, CEO of Friendly Family Productions. Little House on the Prairie is a world-famous and beloved brand rooted in the stories of an American pioneer family. Written by Laura Ingalls Wilder for children and young adults, these classic books have sold over 60 million copies in 100 countries. Wilder’s stories of her family’s struggles and joys were adapted
into one of television’s most successful and long-running series. Little House on the Prairie remains popular in syndicated reruns and has been on the air continuously in the U.S. since its original run. In addition to airing on local stations, it is currently broadcast in the U.S. on INSP (The Inspiration Network) and Cozi TV. Little House on the Prairie can also be seen in more than twenty-five other countries worldwide.
MASCOT MAKERS RETURN TO DUBAI
Mascot costume manufacturer and costume character events company Rainbow Productions returned to the Dubai Entertainment, Amusement and Leisure (DEAL) exhibition, which took place from 9th-11th April 2018 at the Dubai World Trade Centre. The company was participating in the show for the 10th year. Managing Director David Scott, Sales & Marketing Director Simon Foulkes and Export & Sales Executive James Barlow were on stand D-06 in Za’abeel Hall 1 to meet DEAL visitors and discuss opportunities of working together. The stand showcased two mascots who were produced in house at Rainbow Productions’ South West London headquarters, as well as an assortment of promotional materials. “2018 was the tenth year that Rainbow Productions has invested in an exhibition stand in the DEAL expo - a testament to the importance we place on increasing the amount of business we do in this region. We thoroughly enjoyed catching up with existing clients as well as meeting new visitors to discuss their plans for the year ahead,” commented David Scott. NEW LONELY DOG NOVEL LAUNCHED With 30 years of experience, Rainbow Productions based in the UK is the global leader After much anticipation, Lonely Dog, New Exhibiting brilliant storytelling and a style in character costume mascot manufacturing Zealand’s best selling art brand has released the that celebrates the nostalgia and vibe of the and working in sectors such as brand licensnew Lonely Dog novel with two bonus chap50s, Lonely Dog is an art-based property ing, sports marketing, retail and leisure. It is ters and 32 colourful centre-pages showcasing that brings to life a vibrant fantasy world also the UK’s official supplier of more than the best selection of Lonely Dog paintings. and its beloved central character. More than The novel is now available online at www.lone- 200 works of art feature Lonely Dog and the 120 famous children’s characters and managlydog.com and will be sold at select retailers whimsical world of Alveridge, a place that calls es these character appearances at events. globally in the second half of 2018. A limited to mind glory days gone by. number of books signed by Ivan Clarke, the “Lonely Dog is an unconventional character creator of Lonely Dog, is available for purchase brand which appeals to a wide audience” prints, drawings, sculptures, and collectors’ directly through the brand’s online retail store. Lonely Dog’s creator Ivan Clarke says. books have been sold to enthusiasts from “Lonely Dog’s creative imagery and storytell“Through my paintings I have discovered an- all over the globe. The whimsical world of ing strikes a chord with anyone with an imagother world and the characters that live there. Lonely Dog was also brought to life in a novination,” said Tatiana J. Whytelord, founder I’m committed to unfolding this world for el: Alveridgea and the Legend of the Lonely and president of Intelligent Brand Extension, everyone to see, because when you’ve been to Dog, which sold out its first run. the NYC brand development and strategy Alveridge you never want to come back.” More than a million visitors from 40 firm, global representatives of Lonely Dog. Created by New Zealand artist Ivan Clarke, countries around the world have viewed the “We are thrilled to announce this new edition Lonely Dog art collection has generated more Lonely Dog Legacy Collection of original art, of the Lonely Dog novel, where everything than $25 million in sales over the past ten at Ivan’s gallery in Queenstown or through comes to life”. years in publications alone. About 7,000 giclee exhibits at other galleries around the world.
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NEWS
RHS OPENS NEW CENTER WITH LICENSEES
VAN HALEN GUITAR
A new, state-of-the art gardening education and community outreach resource has been opened by the Royal Horticultural Society at RHS Garden Wisley in Woking in Surrey – and RHS licensees have played a major part in making it happen. The new allotment site hosts a number of projects that use edible growing to build the skills of professional and amateur gardeners as well as providing a showcase for visitors to enjoy. The late-April opening of the area was celebrated with a major event to thank the licensees and all those involved in creating, building and establishing the new plot at RHS Garden Wisley. As well as highlighting the dedication of the Wisley team and RHS staff and supporters in getting this ’super-allotment’ up and running, the celebration also highlighted the close relationship between the RHS and many of its licensees – and how these continuing partnerships support the work of the charity. Three RHS licensees played a major part in making the vegetable plot a reality: greenhouse designer and manufacturer Gabriel Ash, preferred partner for licensed seed and seed gifting products Mr Fothergill’s Seeds Ltd, and multi-award winning manufacturer of garden and agricultural tools Burgon & Ball. Wine for the event was supplied by home-delivery wine merchant, and official RHS wine partner, Laithwaites. Gabriel Ash, an RHS-endorsed timber greenhouse supplier, produced and supplied a ‘grow and store’ building to RHS specifications. Made to an original design, this hybrid shed/greenhouse is the biggest building ever supplied by the company, which has been designing and constructing greenhouses for over 70 years. Gabriel Ash also supplied the community outreach glasshouse. On top of these generous gifts, the company also donated approximately £30,000 worth of additional staging, waterbutts, coldframes and shading equipment. For a project of this size to work it needs a lot of seeds, for which the RHS was able to rely on the continued support of Mr Fothergill’s, which donated all the seeds for these projects, and for the more than 20 vegetable plots. Long-term licensee Burgon and Ball donated tools to enable the continuing success of these community and educational projects.
Eddie Van Halen, widely recognized as one of the world’s most preeminent guitar players, has introduced a licensing initiative for his legendary ‘Frankenstein’ guitar pattern. Often referred to as the most recognized guitar in the world, Eddie Van Halen’s iconic red, white and black Frankenstein geometric pattern has primarily been available only on his signature guitar line. Eddie Van Halen Enterprises has recently partnered with Killer Merch to provide a turnkey program that spans development, manufacturing and distribution of a premium apparel line honoring this seminal design. Killer Merch will also be responsible for prospecting brand extensions to bring Van Halen’s signature style into homes around the world. The licensing program will focus on bedding, home décor, housewares and more.
LICENSED TV IN INDIA
SONY CREATIVE ARTIST IN AD CAMPAIGN Sony Creative Products in Japan has announced that the award-winning calligrapher Juichi Yoshikawa, for whom SCP is the global agent, has created the title design for the major new Japanese advertising campaign for the Intermestic Inc eyewear brand Zoff. Zoff’s new campaign – called Eye am a Hero! – features three commercials that tell stories of how a set of eyewear helps lift the spirit – and makes the wearer feel like a superhero. The aim of the campaign is to encourage people to feel empowered, motivated and transformed.
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French electronics brand Thomson, owned by Technicolor has announced its re-entry into the Indian market with a range of smart LED TVs in partnership with licensee SPPL. Coordination of the licensing partnership was led by the Indian brand licensing agency LicenseWorks. As part of the the exclusive licensing agreement with SPPL, the brand unveiled its ultra-high-definition 4K and smart TVs, which will be exclusively available on India’s leading E-commerce platform Flipkart. Avneet Singh Marwah, CEO, SPPL said, “We are delighted to partner with a leading global brand like Thomson. With this launch we aim to capture 6-7 per cent of the total TV market share and make Thomson the number one online smart TV brand in India.” PAGE 13
LICENSING EXPO
Eat, drink and be merry... the world of food and drink licensing
Food and drink licensing continues to be an area of strong growth and, looking back in history, has always been the basis of successful licensing programmes. Take Coca-Cola for example. Coca Cola is the world’s biggest beverage company, with more than 16 billion dollar brands. Products are found in over 200 countries and the product has, quite literally, millions of Facebook and Twitter followers. Coca-Cola began licensing in order to protect their brand. They licensed out the Coca-Cola brand in order to protect against other companies launching coca-cola branded products in other categories. Today, more than 100 years on, they have a thriving licensing program. Food, beverage and flavor licensing has always been popular. Take Girl Scout cookies, or NestlÊ candy bars or ice cream - both available for limited times in Summer. On the beverage side, Jack Daniels and Jamba Juice created interesting tie-ins. And, of course, there are countless QSR and restaurant licensing deals - from Starbucks, TGI Fridays to the ubiquitous golden arches of McDonalds. Of course, over recent years, the licensing of food and drink brands has taken on a new pattern with the growth in concern about health and wellbeing. Companies such as Co-
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ca-Cola have met this head on. Initiatives in recent years have included encouraging active lifestyles such as skiing, cycling and swimming and deals that have taken place under this initiative have included hand-crafted skiis from Bomber, bicycles from Nirve and athletic footwear and swimwear from AMC, Sugar Shoes and Sahinler. With such high visibility and unashamedly mass-market, it is understandable that food and beverage brands have the highest profiles possible. Add to this, very often a heritage element, and these brands are ripe for expansion. On the following pages, we take a brief look at some of the recent news and developments
in food and beverage licensing in different parts of the world. One of the best known agencies to focus on food and beverage brands is Joester Loria in New York. 2018 is shaping up to be another record breaking year for the Constellation Brands beer portfolio, including Corona Extra, #1 imported beer, Corona Light, #1 imported light beer, and Modelo Especial #2 imported beer. These iconic beer brands continue to outpace the competition. Corona beer has celebrated more than two decades as the #1 selling imported beer in the US and is the only top five selling beer brand to show an increase in sales, while Modelo posted anoth-
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FOOD & BEVERAGE er consecutive year of double digit growth. Likewise, the Corona and Modelo licensing programs continue to grow with new design assets and style guides, retail initiatives, and seasonal programs securing placement in key retail accounts nationwide. Over 35 licensees are expanding placement of Corona apparel, footwear, beach gear, glassware, serve ware, coolers, BBQ accessories, gift sets, sports and outdoor games, electronics, and gear, delivering more than 600 sku’s in 20,000+ retail doors. Joester Loria also license Pepsi. The Pepsi brand, with nearly 100% global awareness and one of the 25 Most Valuable Brands in the World, is a true pop culture icon. Pepsi’s vast archive of classic advertising and vintage assets continues to inspire unique collaborations with fashion designers, trendy streetwear brands, and retailers as well. In spring 2018, Pepsi launched its new Global marketing campaign Generations, a celebration of iconic Pepsi moments through the years. This is the Pepsi that is Forever Fun and Forever Young and will be translated into exciting collaborations and collections to launch this year. For the first Spring 2018 collaboration, Pepsi partners with luxury brand Coach for an eighteen piece collection of limited edition fashion items including leather goods, apparel, footwear and, accessories that feature Pepsi’s iconic script logo. The Pepsi x Coach ‘American Dreaming’ collection is inspired by the 40’s and 50’s Decades of Pepsi. The collection is available at over 300 Coach Outlet stores globally and supported by a multi-tier marketing and PR strategy, including dedicated in-store displays and POS materials, OOH advertising, launch events at select stores, social media, and influencer seeding. New fashion-forward Gen Z targeted collaborations and collections that celebrate the heritage of the brand and tap into Pepsi’s iconic marketing campaigns over the years PAGE 18
will launch this summer and be in store for BTS and holiday 2018 at leading department and specialty chains nationwide. Perfetti van Melle, one of the largest confectionary groups in the world, is now developing food and beverage licensing programs with two of its most popular brands, Chupa Chups and Airheads. Chupa Chups’ activities are focused on the European and Asian markets, whereas the Airheads program is developed across the USA. Both Chupa Chups and Airheads have enjoyed very successful collaborations with Unilever creating water based frozen novelties. Airheads is also a favorite at 7- Eleven and Taco Bell who repeatedly launched Airheads ice drinks. This summer 7-Eleven launches an ice pop and a new Airheads drink. Still in the US, Jelsert launched an Airheads freezer bar based on the iconic Mystery Flavour concept. This summer consumer will cool off with an Airheads Extreme shaved ice drink that will be on the menu of the Bahama Bucks franchise and more frozen novelties are in the pipeline as we speak. Chupa Chups has just launched doughnuts and refreshing sticks in the European market and is now on the ice cream menu of Baskin Robbins franchises across South Korea. In that market, Namyang, a leading beverage group is launching a range of soda and milk drinks leveraged by the fruit flavors of Chupa Chups. All these products deliver not only the most popular flavors of the brands but also their playful character. In 2017 the food and beverage portion of the licensing business grew close to 20% of the overall licensing business. The first positive results came from the frozen novelty category, which still has a major opportunity for international roll out. This year several bakery products and drinks
are also being launched with a very promising outlook. At Perfetti van Melle it is a priority to pursue the wellbeing of its consumers by offering high product quality and transparency and by developing better-for-you initiatives. It’s a priority to align the food extensions with this practice and to be very selective with the choice of partners to the next focus will be on expanding the food and beverage business in frozen novelties, desserts, bakery products and drinks for both brands, as the flavor profiles of Chupa Chups and Airheads can really spice up these categories in a fun way and will feel natural and credible to the consumers. Beanstalk is the agent charged with screening partners for Chupa Chups to roll out in new territories and exploring partnerships with franchises who need to offer constant novelty and exciting consumer experiences that can keep driving traffic. Of course, another brand with immense heritage that is successfully licensed Kelloggs which is handled in the US by Joester Loria and, in the UK, by Pink Key Licensing (see feature on page 21). Staying in the UK and Unilever is bringing the iconic Marmite brand to life in a fun and interactive playing card format by teaming up with Gibsons, the UK’s leading jigsaw puzzle and games company. Using the iconic Marmite logo and brand colours, players can explore the rich heritage of Marmite with 52 unique card designs, featuring designs based on previous advertising campaigns. From the ‘GOOD’ characters of the 1930s, to the defining ‘Love it or Hate It’ slogans initiated in 1996, consumers can
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FOOD & BEVERAGE
now enjoy a fun alternative to the traditional card game. Chloe Irwin, Licensing Director Unilever UK & Ireland, commented: “Marmite is not only a much-loved brand, but a household name, and whether you ‘Love It or Hate It’, everyone can enjoy these fun and nostalgic Marmite Playing Cards. It’s the perfect way to celebrate more than 100 years of Marmite history and builds on our already successful product range with Gibsons. This deck of cards, suitable for all the family, is another way in which we are continuing to excite and engage fans of Marmite.” Emily Charles, Product Development Manager at Gibsons, commented: “We have been thrilled with the success of the Marmite Jigsaw puzzle and are pleased to be able to add this new pack of playing cards to our popular Marmite range. The Marmite archive imagery that we have been able to use really tells the story of the brand through its history, and the great value of this product makes it the perfect gift for Marmite fans.” Gibsons will be promoting the launch of Marmite Playing Cards with a social media giveaway as well as offering trade customers a 10% discount when ordering a carton of the playing cards, valid throughout the month of April. Back in the US and Brandgenuity will develop crave-able lifestyle and food extensions ranging from meat snacks and salty snacks to condiments and sliced cheese for White Castle, America’s first fast-food hamburger chain and the home of The Original SlidTOTAL BRAND LICENSING
er. The agency will grow the Mrs. Fields licensing program around indulgent snacks and desserts including confections, baking ingredients, frozen breakfasts. Brandgenuity will build a licensing program for TCBY with a focus on frozen novelties and yogurt-based snacks. Brandgenuity has also signed Anheuser-Busch InBev to represent the world’s largest beer brands for licensing in Canada, Europe and Asia. Brandgenuity will explore food extensions for Anheuser-Busch InBev brands in Canada, as well as to build on the success of Pave a la Leffe cheese in categories including crackers, condiments and confectionery. In Europe, Brandgenuity is seeking partners to expand the Welch’s brand into better-foryou, mom-approved food and beverage categories including juice, frozen fruit, smoothies and more. Of course, it isn’t just food or beverage products that are licensed. Television programmes, chefs and presenters are all the subject of tailored licensing efforts. Discovery’s Food Network is the consumer’s best friend in food and is committed to leading by teaching, inspiring, empowering and entertaining through its talent and expertise. Its branded cookware, tabletop and food prep product line has been a staple in more than 1,100 Kohl’s stores nationwide for the last 12 years. Food Network Magazine is the No. 2 best-selling monthly magazine on newsstands with 13.9 million readers. New in 2017, The Pioneer Woman Magazine, showcases Food Network host Ree Drummond’s humor and candid storytelling, which focuses on accessible style, family-friendly recipes, entertaining, travel, home decor and ‘life on the ranch.’ Its inaugural issue was a sellout and went back to press for additional runs. Until its move to Channel 4, and the loss of three of the four key
presenters, Great British Bake Off was astonishingly successful in terms of licensing. Everything appeared from a huge range of gifts including a Star Baker tin to any kitchen aid one can imaging - spatulas, plates, cake stands bowls and so much more. Mary Berry, who has stayed with the BBC and stars in her own show has become a licensing force with ranges of cakes, salad dressings and more. Great British Bake Off 2015 winner, Nadiya Hussain has several TV shows for children and families under
her belt as well as ranges of books. Start Licensing represents Nadiya Hussain and is working with her to develop a brand licensing programme. Since winning the Bake Off, Nadiya’s profile and popularity has grown significantly. Nadiya has published a range of books including a novel and writes a newspaper column for the Sunday Times. She is also involved with a number of television programmes on the BBC and appears regularly at events such as the BBC Good Food Show. She has fast become one of the country’s most popular media personalities.
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FOOD & BEVERAGE Ian Downes from Start Licensing commented: “Nadiya is an extremely popular media personality. The public have fallen in love with her. She has a real passion for the subjects that interest her; we will use this passion, knowledge and enthusiasm to create a focussed range of products which Nadiya will be closely involved in developing.” A style guide is available to partners, which Nadiya has been very involved in creating. Product areas such as food, kitchenware , food gifting , stationery and cookware will be prioritised and the guide reflects Nadiya’s own design ideas and insights Nadiya. As Ian Downs from Start Licensing explained, “This licensing programme is being shaped with a long term vision - we want to work with licensees and retailers to develop and nurture the opportunity in a responsible way and to deliver a programme that reflects Nadiya’s values. It is an exciting opportunity for us and one that I think will be commercially attractive to partners.” Finally in our very brief round-up of food and beverage, we look The Smiley Company who are enjoying undoubted success with their Smiley Foods program, with around 20 licensees selling a wide range of products and enjoying significant success. Beverage licensee L’Abeille has created Smiley Fruity, an all-natural still fruit juice, which sold more than 3 million cans through Europe’s leading supermarket chains in the last nine months. Intersnack have also expanded their Smiley Snacks line into a range of new products including stacked chips with a trademarked 3D Smiley shape. Even Italian licensee Zaini has capatalised on the buzz for Smiley Foods, having sold over a million chocolate eggs. The Smiley Company takes one of two approaches to food licensing, either operating as a national brand or offering private label ‘enhancement’ to an existing product range. “With private label, what you find a lot of the time is that products adhere to a certain ‘standard’ positioning, at a value price point,” said Nicolas Loufrani of Smiley Co. “We present something that offers excitement for consumers; that still has the appeal of a big brand, with strong brand values, yet maintains a competitive price? Our pitch is that we have the ability to ‘pimp up’ a private label.” PAGE 20
It’s an approach that has worked wonders for Smiley Foods, which saw over a 200% increase in retail sales from 2016 to 2017 and food accounting for 32% of the brands retail turnover at $134.26 million. As market research undertaken by the group indicates, the Smiley brand amplifies stand-out on shelf, improves the positive perception of a brand and increases purchase intent. “We offer our licensees a level of support that you don’t get from other licensors,” says Loufrani. “We have a dedicated in-house team to evaluate all the possible support mechanisms we can put behind a brand [in the case of Smiley Fruity, for example, this includes an interactive mini-site and ‘design your own Smiley’ app], while maintaining the same brand look, and the same ‘fun’ approach. Whatever category we work in, you will be guaranteed to see the Smiley on the packaging.” As SmileyWorld expands, so Loufrani and his team are looking to other categories, while trying to stay as true to the original Smiley concept as possible - ideal products need to be round (and yellow if possible), to best project the Smiley imagery. Thus, we have Smiley pasta, Smiley cereal, Smiley ice cream, Smiley nuggets and so forth. “One of the key elements of our strategy is to develop ‘shaped’ products,” he says. “When
you go for generic shapes, such as stars, anyone can copy your design, but there’s only one Smiley.” This also involves looking for opportunities outside of the kids’ market, which is currently the brand’s primary area of focus. “With some of our products, such as Smiley Snacks, these have an appeal to all sorts of consumers, particularly adults looking for an alternative snack. There are plenty of opportunities to develop products that still retain the Smiley sense of fun and adventure, but in more ‘serious’ packaging.” Smiley is a proven sales motivator as well, with the company regularly approached by manufacturers and retailers alike to inject some fun into existing product campaigns. “We have done a lot of work with [Nestléowned water brand] Vittel, where we appeared on 130 million bottles of water last year and helped lift the brand’s sales by 11.5% during the course of the promotion,” says Loufrani. “Similarly, we had a big promotion with Carrefour in France, where if a shopper buys a Unilever product, anything from ice cream to Dove, they can win Smiley prizes.” The Smiley Company is always looking at ways to add value to its partners and the brands latest venture Smiley Candy Store showcases this approach perfectly. Launched as a popup at Carrefour stores in Belgium, the new Smiley Candy Store pulls together the best and brightest products from Smiley’s licensees in the snack world. The candy station contains a range of Smiley sweets from licensees including Trendy Foods, Lutti and Zaini, biscuits from licensees L’Abbaye and Helema, savoury snacks from Intersnack and beverages from L’Abeille. “We are always reinventing ourselves, and we realise that as retail adapts, we have to adapt. As new trends emerge, we plan on being at the forefront of them.” Loufrani added. The companies we have talked about in this article are just the tip of the iceberg. Food, beverage and associated brands have formed the basis of many very successful licensing campaigns over the years and, without doubt, will continue to do so for many years to come. TOTAL BRAND LICENSING
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Specialists in
Food Licensing Pink Key Licensing is an agency that has made a speciality of licensing renowned food brands. It has been running the Kellogg Vintage programme in Europe for six years. The huge archive of packaging and advertising material appeals to anyone who has a sense of nostalgia for the brand, but also allows licensees to use the iconic images in a way that keeps them contemporary and relevant. It also means that Kellogg has the opportunity to get their brands and characters into distribution channels where you wouldn’t normally see them, such as fashion and department stores. The programme has been expanded through creative design that has kept it fresh and modern with apparel, gifting and housewares being the most important categories. There have been many highlights. These include: apparel ranges through all the major fashion high street chains including global deals with Zara, Pull & Bear Women’s Secret and latterly Undiz, part of the Etam Group; Kimm and Millers superb food gifting range entering its fourth year in Debenhams where its been the second best selling range for the retailer ; Mad Beauty’s award winning toiletries and cosmetics range; and the worldwide partnership with Anya Hindmarch for a notorious range of bag and accessories. The programme was built slowly, aiming for high quality, creative product because this aligns with the longevity of the brand. The programme continues to thrive with new apparel listings in global retailer H&M in 2018 as well as a new range of housewares through Kimm and Miller and Robert Frederick as a new stationery partner. Licensees and TOTAL BRAND LICENSING
retailers are beginning to appreciate that food brands are a huge source of great art that has fantastic awareness and a deep resonance with consumers. They are brands with longevity and are not under some of the timescale restrictions that you find with entertainment brands. The Pink Key portfolio has been strengthened in recent years by the addition of firstly Pringles and more recently SLUSH PUPPiE. With Pringles, the challenge isn’t brand awareness, but how you translate the brand into the licensing arena. There has been recent success by focussing on the brand positioning (it’s a brand built on social gatherings and sharing), but even more importantly unique brand attributes such as the shape of the can. This approach has been born out by the success of the Gibson’s puzzle in a can, but also the spectacular success of the Pringles pencil case by Helix, the best selling pencil case in Ryman’s, which is now being distributed into the US, South Africa and the Caribbean. Last, but by no means least is the rise of SLUSH PUPPiE, which has grown from nothing in the UK to a licensing brand of some substance. It has award-winning product, with two nominations at the B&LLA’s this year. But more importantly amazing distribution and sales, particularly for the home SLUSH PUPPiE maker and accessories by Fizz Creations which was the fourth most profitable item in the whole Argos catalogue before Christmas. Sales of this product are staying strong in the lead up
to Summer and it is expected that the other products in the range will also be a success; these include apparel, cosmetics, air fresheners and plush toys. Richard Pink from Pink Key believes that food brands will always be a key part of the strategy for his agency. “These brands are versatile, and they have longevity’ he says ‘ there is always an opportunity to surprise people with what you can do with a food brand, and provided you don’t stray too far from the core brand values and attributes, there will always be consumers who are interested and have affinity.”
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MARIE-ANTOINETTE
Te m p t i n g Brands, best known for the worldwide renowned property Route 66, has expanded its brand portfolio. After years of preparation on artwork, style guide and fashion guide, Tempting Brands introduced its highly anticipated brand, Marie-Antoinette. Marie-Antoinette, was the last queen of France, best known for her unapologetic sense of style and lively personality. Her enthusiasm for fashion and love for exorbitant attires fit well into the French culture, beauty, luxury and grandeur so well represented at her palaces in and around Versailles. Born as Maria Antonia Josepha Johanna von Habsburg-Lothringen on November 2, 1755, an Archduchess of Austria, she married the heir to the throne of France – Louis-Auguste in April 1770 at the age of 14 years, becoming Dauphine of France. On May 10, 1774, when her husband ascended the throne as Louis XVI, upon the death of his grandfather Louis XV, Marie-Antoinette became Queen of France and Navarre, a title she held until September 1791. As the French Revolution proceeded, she became Queen of the French, a title she held until September 21,1792. During the Revolution, following the abolishment of the monarchy, Marie-Antoinette was convicted, in a two-day trial, by the Revolutionary Tribunal of high treason and executed by guillotine in Place de la Révolution on October 16, 1793. She remains, to this day a symbol of sophistication and class. Well designed, with a scent of romance and history, the Marie-Antoinette brand targets the sophisticated, stylish and fashion-conscious PAGE 22
woman. The brand was launched with the debut of its comprehensive Style Guide and brand website www.marieantoinette.com. In 2017 a Fashion Guide was developed for Marie-Antoinette. For the first time, Tempting Brands participated in one of the most important events of the Romanian fashion calendar. The 2017 edition of the Gala UAD – Fashion Design continues a 22-year long tradition of showcasing the designs created by the graduates of the bachelor and master programs of the Fashion Design Department, from the University of Arts and Design in Cluj-Napoca. A University with a long reputation of providing design talent to companies such as H&M and Inditex. As a sponsor and attendee of the Gala, Tempting Brands issued rewards to young talent, awarding the best creations. Comprised of young talent from the University of Arts and Design in Cluj, the in-house team of fashion designers at Tempting Brands, has put together, the Marie-Antoinette Fashion Guide. Deriving from the artworks included in the Marie-Antoinette Style Guide, the talented team has brought to life a complete fashion collection that features prêt-à-porter dresses, shirt, skirts jackets and trousers, as well accessories such as shoes and bags. All items are presented into the following categories: Luxury, Business, Casual, Sportswear, Denim and Lingerie. All product concepts have been created with licensees in mind and include full technical details. Ready-to-use in production. Tempting Brands partnered up with a natural fit to represent the Marie-Antoinette brand to potential licensees: Art Ask Agency. The story of how the partnership came about is best put into words by Kirsty Satchel, Licensing Man-
ager at Art Ask Agency: “After seeing the attractive and stylish presentation of the Marie-Antoinette license at BLE 2017, we approached Tempting Brands to find out more. Being a licensing agency offering lifestyle, trends and pop culture brands we thought Marie-Antoinette will be a good fit for us and for our market leading customers. We were drawn in by the elegant look and intrigued by the well-known name of a woman from history initially. We do well with brands that celebrate women and their influence on society, around the world. The team at Tempting Brands shared more details with us, the icing on the cake being the wonderful Style Guide! A variety of themes are included, all surrounding the life of Marie-Antoinette, the last queen of France. Her aspirational life was full of the beautiful palace, musical instruments, gardens & flowers and fashion. We also learned that Marie-Antoinette was a fashion influencer of her time and a strong woman with independent and sometimes avant-garde views, perfect to inspire today’s women and girl consumers. We will be doing presentations of the Marie-Antoinette license at the upcoming Licensing Expo in Las Vegas and Brand Licensing Europe in London and have high expectations. We are proud to be representing the Marie-Antoinette license and extremely happy to be working with Tempting Brands who are a very professional and creative licensing company, with a great track record.” Art Ask Agency and Tempting Brand invite readers to join in their journey through history and take on the opportunities that lie ahead for the brand Marie-Antoinette.
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PROFILE
Leading the Herd
Ivory Ella launched as a giving brand in 2015 in response to the elephant-poaching crisis. It started when a group of friends with an entrepreneurial spirit decided to pool their design expertise, social media know-how, savvy business sense and style to help save the elephants. Armed with an iconic elephant shaped logo, their goal was to sell fashionable and affordable clothes, while also making a difference in the world by donating a portion of the proceeds to wildlife conservation. The brand quickly made a name for itself by winning Apparel Magazine’s 2016 Apparel Innovators Award. Since then, the Ivory Ella brand has become a tour de force, donating more than $1.6 million to elephant conservation and other charitable causes. The company lives and breathes their tagline of “Good Clothes for a Good Cause.” Ivory Ella is a lifestyle brand that seeks to inspire and guide its consumers to live a life with
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the ideals of an elephant – empathy, creativity, strength and loyalty. Ivory Ella targets young women, ages 14 to 22 and has 1.4 million followers on Instagram. Collections include: t-shirt including custom tie-dye, hoodies, dorm, sleepwear and accessories. Ivory Ella ships throughout the US and to over 30 countries. On the eve of their third anniversary, Ivory Ella, signed B.R.E Industries as a licensee to enhance their fashion bag category. The contract was brokered by their licensing agent Arabella Enterprises. B.R.E. Industries will launch three 100% vegan Ivory Ella bag collections this year that will include weekenders, backpacks, duffels, cross-body bags and other related items that take inspiration from the core apparel line. “Our core demographic demands innovation and we are pleased to be working with B.R.E Industries to offer quality products that align with our conservation mission” said Jill Doster, Vice President of Merchandising for Ivory Ella. “By expanding our offering, we will make a greater impact toward our mission of saving elephants, while meeting the demands of the ever-changing retail environment.” The designers for Ivory Ella seek out
the beauty in the world and strive to make it last. Exotic destinations, whimsical adventure, late nights under the stars and early mornings watching the sunrise all contribute to the creation of prints for the brand. The commanding sell-throughs of Ivory Ella apparel in regional department stores has placed the brand squarely into the category of Digital-First brands, which are brands that have transcended the digital world into physical stores with astounding success. More information can be found at www.ivoryella.com. For retailers interested in carrying the Ivory Ella line, and for licensing inquires, contact Kim Winkeleer at www.arabellaenterprisesllc. com
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NEWS
Founded in 1960, American Mensa is the high IQ organization that partners with smart brands, products and initiatives that celebrate intelligence. With more than 50,000 members, American Mensa is the largest national Mensa operating under the auspices of Mensa International, Ltd. There are currently more than 130,000 members worldwide, and an estimated six million Americans are eligible for Mensa membership. “The Smartest Brand� continues to develop its brand licensing program, expanding upon several existing categories and identifying new and exciting areas of growth. Several successful partnerships including Hasbro, Barnstorm, Workman Publishing, and Skyhorse Publishing will continue in 2018, delivering an array of intellectually inspiring products for TOTAL BRAND LICENSING
consumers of all ages, from children’s games to desk calendars, brain training apps, and puzzle books. In addition, American Mensa is highlighting several strategic partnerships at Licensing Expo including dating services through Match.com and content for American Airlines. Building upon its presence in the tourism industry, American Mensa has also partnered with Norwegian Cruise Line to provide stimulating puzzles to their passengers via daily quizzes distributed on the Oceania and Regent lines. For those looking to reach greater audiences by partnering with a renowned education and intelligence-forward brand, working with American Mensa is pure genius! For more information about Mensa, visit americanmensa. org. PAGE 25
LICENSING EXPO
Brands in the Spotlight in Las Vegas Mandalay Bay Convention Center 22-24 May 2018
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The brand zone at Licensing Expo in Las Vegas will feature some of the top players, brands and properties in the brand licensing world. Here, we highlight some of the brands that will be on show.
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The Brand Liaison (F154) has developed a strong reputation for creating strategic licensing programs based on the specific on-screen persona of many of today’s top television stars and social influencers. Leading Actor Kevin James’s launch of his Jamestown Clothing brand leads an all-star roster of celebrities that will be featured by the Brand Liaison at Licensing Expo, including Celebrity/Fashion Licensing Program of the Year Nominee LaurDIY, the YouTube super star with over 17 Million followers that Forbes described as the ‘Millennial Martha Stewart.’ In addition to Kevin James and LaurDIY, The Brand Liaison celebrity licensing includes branding expert Daymond John (Shark Tank), Brady Bunch alum turned furniture designer Christopher Knight (Brady Bunch, MTV), celebrity chef Robert Irvine (Restaurant Impossible), QVC personality and syndicated cooking host “Mr. Food” Howard Rosenthal (QVC, Mr. Food Test Kitchen), the unmistakable Jon Taffer (Bar Rescue), dress designer Sondra Celli (My Big Fat American Gypsy Wedding), and introducing their newest social influencer Sofie Dossi, a leading fashion and lifestyle vlogger best known for her golden buzzer winning performance on America’s Got Talent, who has amassed over 1.3 million followers in just over a year.
Brandgenuity (J122) will continue the expansion and management of the global licensing program for the BMW Group. The company will also develop craveable lifestyle and food extensions ranging from meat snacks and salty snacks to condiments and sliced cheese for White Castle, America’s first fast-food hamburger chain and the home of The Original Slider and will grow the Mrs. Fields licensing program around indulgent snacks and desserts including confections, baking ingredients, frozen breakfast. Brandgenuity will build a licensing program for TCBY with a focus on frozen novelties and yogurt-based snacks. Brandgenuity signed Anheuser-Busch InBev to represent the world’s largest beer brands for licensing in Canada, Europe and Asia. Brandgenuity will explore food extensions for Anheuser-Busch InBev brands in Canada, as well as to build on the success of Pave a la Leffe cheese in categories including crackers, condiments and confectionery. In Europe, Brandgenuity is seeking partners to expand the Welch’s brand into better-foryou, mom-approved food and beverage categories including juice, frozen fruit, smoothies and more. Hawaiian Tropic’s licensed range of fragrances continues to go from strength to strength in the UK, with new categories including gifting in development as the core range expanded to new retailers, including Boots. Brandgenuity will also continue its representation of the NFL Players Association in Europe. The agency will continue expanding licensing programs for its long-term clients and their brands, including Arm & Hammer, Edgewell Personal Care (Hawaiian Tropic, Playtex), MGM (Pink Panther, Rocky, The Handmaid’s Tale and more) and Viacom (MTV, South Park, RuPaul’s Drag Race, Broad City and more). Perfetti van Melle will be present at Licensing Expo with its brands Airheads, represent-
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ed by Seltzer Licensing (booth G127) and with Chupa Chups and Mentos, represented by Lisa Marks Associates (booth H102). The long-standing heritage and built-in brand awareness of these brands allows for both lifestyle-oriented licensing opportunity as well as innovation in food and beverage extensions. This year the Chupa Chups brand celebrates its 60th anniversary in style, with new fashion collaborations with labels such as IT Sugar, Uniqlo, Zara, H&M, Cotton On, FILA and many more. The characteristic flavour profiles are also causing sensation in the beauty and air care categories. The brand is creating buzz in food aisles in Europe with the launch of frozen novelty, bakery and drinks with
leading partners. This business is brokered by Beanstalk, who will now focus on desserts, beverages and on-menu (food service) and will include Chupa Chups first entrance into food licensing in Russia, a key market for Chupa Chups’ core business. The new categories and territories will allow Chupa Chups fans to enjoy their favourite flavours in new ways. Perfetti van Melle’s popular Airheads brand is also unstoppable. Following last season’s success, this spring 7-Eleven will launch an Airheads frozen push pop and a carbonated
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LICENSING EXPO
beverage. The Airheads Extreme experience will also be taken to the next level this summer by Bahama Bucks, who will launch an Airheads ice drink in their franchise and by Jelsert’s mystery flavour freezer bars. Now Seltzer Licensing Group has been charged with identifying and securing additional licensing partners across multiple categories including foods, beverage, lifestyle and housewares. For a more adult target, Mentos offers tremendous opportunities in areas such as personal care. Mentos is a truly global brand which enjoys huge international brand awareness. Inspired by its unique heritage and fresh and fun characteristics, an art portfolio has been developed to roll out categories that reflect the cutting-edge interests of the Mentos consumer to include apparel, personal care, electronics and sports, targeted to young adults across the US and the European market. Howard Robinson (E86) has recently announced that the Selfies for the second year in a row is again a nominated finalist in the LIMA International Licensing Awards to be held in Vegas in 2018. There are currently 72 licensing partners across the UK, USA, Canada, Russia, Poland, France, Germany, Denmark, Finland, New Zealand, Turkey, Hong Kong, Taiwan & China the Selfies have continued to expanded into new categories and territories. Home furnishings have been a strong sector with a number of new licensees for bedding, curtains, cushions, accent rugs, blankets, Wall coverings and dog beds. Interest from digital media companies also continues to grow, collaboration with Butterfly-effected GmbH for a unique mobile application producing a large range of Selfie themes exclusive to Samsung for phones and watches and 1616 Media recently launching a new and unique range of Weavyword digital greetings. The core clients continue to see impressive sales with once again over 1 million Selfie Puzzles being sold and a Lenticular range with Prime 3D now growing to over 120 stationery and gift items.
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The iconic, fan favorite puzzle game – Tetris (S265) – is turning 35 next year. In preparation for the milestone, The Tetris Company today announced that it is readying its lineup of global licensee partners to introduce new Tetris-branded products in 2019 and beyond. Spanning games, beauty, apparel, gear, housewares, decorative items, entertainment experiences and more, Tetris is one of the most recognizable and influential video game brands of all time. Brand representatives will be on hand at Licensing Expo. “For nearly 35 years, Tetris has remained one of the most beloved global video game brands ever,” said Maya Rogers, president and CEO of Blue Planet Software, the sole agent for the Tetris brand. “As we head into this historic anniversary year, and to meet the demand of the brand’s ever growing fanbase, we’ve developed a comprehensive consumer products strategy with a keen focus on delivering merchandise and experiences that are unique to each region and culture. We’re eager to grow the brand’s remarkable footprint by creating meaningful opportunities for brand and licensing expansion in markets around the world.” Tetris enjoys a massive, dedicated fan base that spans the Americas, Europe, Asia, Australia and Africa. To date, hundreds of millions of Tetris-branded products have been sold worldwide and the Tetris game has been played in more than 235 countries and translated in over 50 languages. Tetris games have been introduced on more than 50 platforms worldwide. From computers to online, consoles, mobile, tabletop and more, if a gaming platform exists, Tetris is or will be on it. Recent additions include games for the Nintendo Switch, digital and physical casino slot machines and Instant Games for Messenger. More than just a video game, Tetris has evolved into a lifestyle, showcased by fans daily through their
use of a range of merchandise products. To date, the ever-growing Tetris-branded product lineup includes apparel and accessories, bespoke suits, toys and games, stylish home and office décor, lottery tickets and more. The brand’s network continues to grow with recent additions including Maurizio Distefano The Evolution of Licensing (Italy and Eastern Europe) and Notorious Brands & People (Spain and Portugal). They join BN Licensing (Benelux), Branding Streams (Canada), Dentsu, Inc. (Japan), Home Made Licensing (France) and Lisle International (U.K.). Discovery Communications (F196) has recently completed its acquisition of Scripps Networks Interactive, marking a pivotal moment and a new chapter for the combined company. From this point forward, the new company will be officially known as Discovery. The new Discovery is the global leader in real life entertainment, serving an audience of passionate enthusiasts with content that inspires, informs and entertains across a vast range of deeply loved superfan genres: food, home, travel, animals, cars, investigation, science, families, adventure, kids, European sports and the Olympic Games, and much more. Discovery is now the leading global media IP company in the world, reaching enthusiast audiences in 220 countries and territories and 50 languages, producing 8,000 original hours of programming each year. At the 2018 International Licensing Show, Discovery will focus on licensing programs
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LICENSING EXPO
from the legacy Discovery Networks’ portfolio with a special attention on Discovery #Mindblown, Discovery Shark, Discovery Channel properties appealing to the Discovery man and the fifteenth anniversary of Puppy Bowl XV. #Mindblown is a new global brand opening the curious minds of kids around the world. Found at the intersection of exploration, curiosity, and STEM-based edutainment, #Mindblown was originally created for Science Channel’s on-air promotion and it was a tag line for a gender-neutral STEM toy brand targeting Gen Z-ers looking for engaging content and experiences. The brand launched this year with global toy partner Merchsource. Discovery Channel is the flagship brand for Discovery and the consumer products program translates top series into break out hits that translate well for merchandising programs worldwide and offer long term growth. Their longevity and compelling stories with dynamic and relatable characters make them the right fit for evergreen retail programs. The brand attracts who are self-reliant and hands on with more men 25-54 watching it than ESPN, TNT and FX with more than 25 million watching in 2017. The network has consistently been the #1 non-sports network for men. The brand can be found in the publishing, apparel, gift and novelty, home, toys and games categories and continues to seek new opportunities to bring the Discovery brand and its TV based properties to retail. Priority shoes include Diesel Brothers, Deadliest Catch, Gold Rush, and Naked and Afraid. Finally, Say Yes to the Prom is a 360-degree partnership with Macy’s in which they are the exclusive retailer for dress and jewelry lines. Featured as a shop-in-shop in Macy’s juniors’ department, the collection consists of over two dozen different styles of dresses. The partnership is a perfect example of the magnitude and impact our brands have with consumers. Authentic Brands Group (S212) is a brand development, marketing and entertainment
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company which owns a global portfolio of lifestyle, celebrity and entertainment brands. ABG builds the long-term value 30+ consumer brands by partnering with best-in-class manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers across luxury, specialty, outlets, department stores, ecommerce, mid-tier and mass channels. Authentic Brands Group’s properties at Licensing Expo this year include Above the Rim, Adrienne Vittadini, Aéropostale, Airwalk, Elvis Presley, Frederick’s of Holly-
wood, Frye, Greg Norman, Hart Schaffner Marx, Herve Leger, Hickey Freeman, Hind, Jones New York, Judith Leiber, Juicy Cou-
ture, Julius Erving, Marilyn Monroe, Michael Jackson, Mini Marilyn, Misook, Muhammad Ali, Neil Lane, Prince, Shaquille O’Neal, Spyder, Tapout, Taryn Rose, Thalia, Tretorn and Vision Street. IMG (G124) has been appointed by FCA US LLC as the exclusive global licensing representative for its Jeep, Dodge, Ram and Chrysler brands in a multi-year deal. This new partnership will see IMG grow the four brands’ global presence through a range of licensed categories including apparel, accessories, gaming, outdoor gear and equipment, toys and experiences. The collaboration also includes management of the Jeep, Dodge, Ram and Chrysler brands’ existing licensed product programs in North America, Europe, Latin America and Asia, with a focus on expanding product offerings and sales in department, specialty and online stores. Bruno Maglione, President of Licensing, IMG, commented, “All four of these brands undoubtedly share rich heritage, global popularity and best-in-class expertise. Each brand has its own unique identity and characteristics, which we look forward to extending into a diverse range of quality products across multiple new categories and markets.” IMG will take a region-by-region approach to developing and extending each of the four brands’ licensing programs. A transnational team led from IMG’s offices in North America will develop and manage
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LICENSING EXPO
extensive licensing programs for each brand. Beanstalk (G156), a leading global brand extension licensing agency, offers services including brand representation, manufacturer representation, retailer partnerships, icon representation, Studio B - creative services, approvals management, legal and financial services, and royalty auditing. Their consultant division is Blueprint – Powered by Beanstalk. Tinderbox is our digital media entertainment representation division. Among properties represented include American Cancer Society, Baileys, Bear Grylls Ventures, Black & Decker, Braun, Bruce Lee Estate, Call of Duty, Cantiflas, Captain
Morgan, Celia Cruz, Chupa Chups, Craftsman, Dawn, DeWalt, Energizer, Eveready, Fairy, Febreze/Ambipur, Filippo Berio, Flash, Flipz, Gain, Godiva, Guinness, Harvey Milk, HGTV Home, Howard Hughes, Humphrey Bogart Estate, Jack Daniel’s, Johnnie Walker, Joy, Kelly Ripa Home, La Tasca, Laurel & Hardy, Matthew Williamson, McVitie’s, Microsoft Studios: Crackdown, State of Decay 2, Killer Instinct, Battletoads, Microsoft Studios: Crash Bandicoot, Xbox, Halo, Sea of Thieves, Rare, Forza, Age of Empires; Mr. Clean, Oral-B, Paris Hilton, Pennzoil, Porter Cable, Quaker State, Scope, Stanley, Taco Bell, TGI Friday’s, The Estate of Mahatma Gandhi, The Farrah Fawcett Foundation, The Hummingbird Bakery, The Isaac Hayes Estate, Tide, U.S. Army, Vicks, Volvo, Xbox and Xbox One, Yogi Berra Estate, Zzzquil.
Bravado (N244) is the leading global provider of consumer, lifestyle and branding services to artists and entertainment properties. Part of Universal Music Group, Bravado represents artists and provides services including sales, licensing, branding, and ecommerce to give artists the ability to create deeper connections with fans through products and brand experiences. Properties include 5 Seconds of Summer, Ariana Grande, Black Sabbath Elton John,
Billboard (D124) is one of the world’s most trusted and iconic music brand that defines industry trends with an authoritative voice and brings experiences to life for brands and fans everywhere. The Hollywood Reporter is the most influential and definitive voice in high-end entertainment with unprecedented access to Hollywood’s news, fashion and lifestyle. Brand Central (D142) is a global brand consultancy that provides comprehensive business solutions in the areas of brand extensions, manufacturer representation, and trend intelligence to the world’s most recognized brands. Their mission is to help clients unlock the full potential of their brands to enhance value while generating substantial revenue. Brands represented include Bible bb’s, Brat: Chicken Girls and Total Eclipse, Brooklyn & Bailey, Cap’n Crunch, Chloe Lukasiak,
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Cute Girls, Hairstyles, Jake Paul and Team 10, Mister Rogers Neighborhood, Pantone, Rube Goldberg, Snyder’s Of Hanover, Sonic Drive-In, Tapatio Hot Sauce and True and the Rainbow Kingdom.
Eminem, Guns N’ Roses, Hank Williams, Jessie J, Justin Bieber, Justin Timberlake, Lady Gaga, Nicki Minaj, Prince, Queen, Rod Stewart, Rush, Selena Gomez, Sex Pistols, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Travis Scott and Whitney Houston. CAA-GBG Global Brand Management Group (G144) is the world’s largest licensing
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LICENSING EXPO
and brand management company, representing globally iconic brand properties and personalities. Strategic and design-driven, they are category leaders in fashion accessories, footwear and apparel with a deep product expertise and global scope. For 90 years, Caterpillar Inc. (C80) has been making sustainable progress possible and driving positive change on every continent. Customers turn to Caterpillar to help them develop infrastructure, energy and natural resource assets. Caterpillar has embarked on ambitious licensing efforts throughout its history to help the brand grow beyond its roots. Epic Rights (A170) have signed with Britney Spears to debut a branded line of merchandise. Generated by the momentum of Britney Spears’ award-winning and record-breaking Las Vegas residency, “Britney: Piece of Me,” and in anticipation of her upcoming tour, the multi-platinum, Grammy Award-winning pop icon is joining forces with global brand management and licensing company Epic Rights to develop and launch a line of high quality fashion and lifestyle branded products that reflect her personal sense of style, lifestyle, artistry, and creativity. “Britney continues to be one of the biggest pop stars in the world with numerous multi-platinum records and awards over the past 20 years. As a passionate artist, successful businesswoman and devoted mother, her strive for excellence is unparalleled,” added Dell Furano, CEO of Epic Rights. With one of the bestselling fragrance lines of all time, with Elizabeth Arden, available in over 85 countries and her recent campaign starring as the face of Kenzo, Spears and Epic Rights together, will continue to expand her brand presence in the marketplace, globally. Spears’ personal involvement in all aspects of the collection will ensure authenticity across a number of targeted categories including fashion apparel, hair care, accessories, exercise and electronics. The anticipated retail launch for the Britney Spears Lifestyle program is Spring 2019. Epic Rights will also manage Spears’ e-com-
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merce initiatives including Amazon. Healthy Lifestyle Brands (F96) is the premier health and wellness integrated licensing and brand management company. They are leaders at connecting credentialed experts such as Andrew Weil, M.D., Tieraona Low Dog, M.D., and a select celebrity brands with licensed product and endorsement opportunities in the fast-growing categories of Health and Wellness. Brands include Andrew Weil M.D, Denise Austin, EWG Verified and Tierona Low Dog M.D.
style guides, retail initiatives, and seasonal programs securing placement in key retail accounts nationwide. Over 35 licensees are expanding placement of Corona apparel, footwear, beach gear, glassware, serve ware, coolers, BBQ accessories, gift sets, sports and outdoor games, electronics, and gear, delivering more than 600 sku’s in 20,000+ retail doors. Further properties on view this year include Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Aquafina, Kellogg, Entenmann’s, Jack Link’s, Waste Management, Cabot, The World of Eric Carle, Stikbot and 1-800-Flowers.
Maui and Sons (D88) is an action sports lifestyle brand created in 1980 in Los Angeles California. The brand is distributed and licensed in more than 100 countries across the globe. Brands include Jimmy’Z International and X-Caliber Skateboards.
Art Brand Studios (F134) licenses the artwork of Marjolein Bastin, Simon Bull, Blend Cota, Eric Dowdle and Thomas Kinkade Studios. The company is looking for licensing partners in seasonal, home décor, garden, publishing, gift and collectible categories.
Meredith Corporation (K94) connects with 200 million consumers and speaks to women about what matters the most: home, family, herself. Key brands on show this year include Homes and Gardens, Shape, EatingWell, Allrecipes, Traditional Home, and FamilyCircle.
Global Icons is excited to be showcasing at the 2018 Licensing Expo, as the year brought
Joester Loria (C154) report that 2018 is shaping up to be another record breaking year for the Constellation Brands beer portfolio, including Corona Extra, #1 imported beer, Corona Light, #1 imported light beer, and Modelo Especial #2 imported beer. These iconic beer brands continue to outpace the competition. Corona beer has celebrated more than two decades as the #1 selling imported beer in the US and is the only top five selling beer brand to show an increase in sales, while Modelo posted another consecutive year of double digit growth. Likewise, the Corona and Modelo licensing programs continue to grow with new design assets and
in a slew of new worldwide licensees, added more iconic brands to the agency roster, and celebrated 20 years in the Licensing business. As the 20th year exhibiting, Global Icons is looking forward to featuring some of their brands and properties including Ford, Hostess, Vespa, Turtle Wax, Dickey’s Barbecue Pit and Magic Chef. Showcasing Hostess and Turtle Wax for the first time, the agency is eager to expand each license program further into new strategic categories. In addition to its US offices, executives from the UK and China offices will also be in attendance to maximize global opportunities.
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BRAND VISUALIZATION
Visualization: A Technique to Achieve Your Goals By Pete Canalichio
Have you ever had a dream so audacious that you thought it would be nearly impossible to achieve? If you answered, “Yes,” than I know how you feel. While not every one of my dreams has become a reality, along the way I discovered an approach of picturing that has helped me achieve most. This powerful technique of visualization has helped me achieved many of my personal and professional goals over the past 40 years. The first time I used visualization came my junior year of high school when my father brought home a brochure from the Naval Academy. By the time I finished reading it, I knew more than anything I wanted to become a Midshipman. I began picturing myself at the Academy in Annapolis, Maryland in my naval uniform with my right hand raised and swearing to uphold and defend the constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic. With that image burnt into my mind, the things I needed to do in order to achieve this goal started manifesting themselves. I realized that in order to get into the Academy I would have to step out of my comfort zone. At that moment fear became my greatest motivator – fear of missing out, fear of rejection and, most daunting, the fear of not achieving my dream. I soon realized that in stepping out of my comfort zone I was not only getting closer to what I ultimately wanted, but also that I was enjoying myself along the way. In February of my senior year I received a letter from The Naval Academy inviting me to become a member of the Brigade of Midshipman. I was ecstatic. Since that day I have PAGE 32
had other big dreams and in each instance I would picture where I wanted to be and visualize what I would be doing and with whom I would be doing it once I got there. And while sometimes my dream did not come true, I knew I was better off because of my efforts and the journey I got to experience. Once I graduated and completed my service in the U.S. Navy, my next goal was to get into the business world. I earned my MBA and started working in the Finance department for The Coca-Cola Company. After five years of crunching numbers I grew tired of my day-today tasks and aspired to try something different. It was then that I decided I wanted to get into marketing where the work looked a lot more enjoyable. Through visualization I was blessed to land a job on the sponsorship negotiations team and later got to work in brand licensing on multiple Olympic Games. One of my greatest accomplishments came while working with a woman named Gabriella on the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia. Our job was to create a Coca-Cola pin trading center. Since 1889, in Athens, pin trading had become the number one spectator sport at the Olympics. If we were successful, this would be the 15th consecutive Games where Coca-Cola would have an official pin trading center. However, from the outset we were faced with one project ending challenge after another. Gabriella became worried that failure was imminent. “Picture us standing in the Coca-Cola pin trading center at the Olympics in Sochi,” I implored. While the challenges kept coming our way, we found ways to overcome each and every one. A few months later the two of us were standing in the pin trading center and I turned to Gabriella and exclaimed, “We did it!” She then turned to me with a big smile and replied, “Pete, I believed because you believed.” Not only was this one of the greatest compliments that I have ever received, in that moment I realized that my visualization technique that I had been using throughout my life could help others have the clarity and determination they needed to achieve their own
goals. As I progressed in my career and became more and more aware of the underrated importance companies were placing on brand licensing to reach their growth goals, I reflected back on my visualization strategy. I knew that companies with some guidance could utilize this technique to achieve their growth targets using brand expansion, extension and licensing. It was then that I sat down with more than three-dozen licensing industry leaders to ask them about their approaches, beliefs, experiences and disappointments. From the information gathered, I wrote the book Expand Grow Thrive and co-created the LASSO framework. LASSO is an acronym that stands for Lateral, Addictive, Storied, Scalable, and Own-able. Understanding where a company’s brands fall in each of the five critical elements will help guide them to reaching their optimal growth state. Lateral – presents a clear line of sight between what the brand stands for and everywhere that it is seen. Addictive – generates curiosity, encourages consumers to seek it out, and makes consumers return time and time again. Storied – conveys a brand’s history, sparks familiarity, and compels consumers to collect memories that link them back. Scalable – finds the optimal areas to grow, stay true, and completely omit. Own-able – develops a deep relationship with consumers where they feel as though they have stake in any action that is taken. Using my visualization technique has not only helped me achieve my dreams, but it is also something I deeply believe can benefit others. I urge everyone to use visualization for any dream they may have because in the words of Walt Disney, “If you can dream it, you can do it.” Expand Grow Thrive: 5 Proven Steps to Turn Good Brands into Global Brands Using the LASSO Method, by Pete Canalichio, Emerald Publishing, February 2018. TOTAL BRAND LICENSING
RISE OF THE INFLUENCER
Are influencers viable licensing options?
Influencers has been a red-hot topic within the world of media over the last couple of years and with the success of JoJo Siwa in 2017, the question is; will this just be a trend or are influencers actual viable licensing options? The nuts and bolts of it are yes. JoJo Siwa has really paved the way for what can be done with the right influencer. The key point here is the right influencer. There are many social influencers out there with over 1 million subscribers / followers but are they actually influencers? Are their fans engaged with their content? Do their fans look up to them and find them aspirational figures? These are the questions licensors need to ask themselves. If any of these questions are a no, then this isn’t the right influencer to partner with. With more and more brands working with influencers on media campaigns a licensing deal creates a fantastic partnership and allows the licensor to generate a long tail social campaign, due to the influencers strong affinity with that particular product. This year Tiana from the largest kids UK channel “Toys AndMe” will be partnering with Vivid Toys to launch a range of Toys AndMe toys. Partnering with an influencer with 8.1m subscribers and generates over 100m views per month will ensure incredible social reach. The toy unboxer becoming a toy creates a fantastic story to fans and ensures long tail organic content. TOTAL BRAND LICENSING
With this trend continuing to grow across PR and marketing the same will be the case for the licencing market. Another top tip is to work with agents that have experience of brokering licencing deals. Being aware of what other licensing deals have been set up is key as over doing this with one influencer will be detrimental, having the right balance with the right partners will also complement the deal. Viral Talent manage Toys AndMe and some of the biggest social influencers within the kids and family space and have licensing programmes set up for their top tier talent. If you are a brand and considering working with influencers, make sure to follow the points above before committing to the deal. Also working with agents within the space to provide the extra layer of comfort in knowing your product will receive the exposure and commitment it deserves. For more information contact Viral Talent www.viraltalent.co.uk PAGE 33
CELEBRITY As celebrity licensing grows year after year, its legal foundation known as the Right of Publicity is in flux in the U.S. and worldwide. The Right of Publicity is the unnamed centerpiece of many licensing transactions: Loyola’s Sister Jean apparel, Babe Ruth in Sony’s MLB The Show 18 video game, and Mathew McConaughey’s Lincoln advertisements. Technology propels the growth of celebrity licensing into scenarios like live concerts with Tupac, Michael Jackson or Ronnie James Dio holograms, new performances by deceased actors in Star Wars and Hunger Games, and the limitless potential of virtual reality, apps and social media. Technology also necessitates strong Right of Publicity recognition. The Right of Publicity is the right to control the commercial use of one’s identity. The right generally survives after death and ensures that a rights owner can decide not only the terms by which a commercial use occurs, but whether it will occur. This principle connects to a hot-button issue regarding taxation of publicity rights in estates like those of Michael Jackson and Prince. Occam’s Razor dictates that if income derives from the asset, tax the income. Levying a tax simply because income could be derived would create severe inequities. About half of the states in the U.S. recognize the Right of Publicity by statute, and most recognize it via common law (with or without a statute). Hawaii and Alabama are among the latest to enact a statute, and I recently was responsible for amending Indiana’s Right of Publicity statute (which is considered a model for other states). However, New York’s recent legislative effort has been marred by hyperbolic proclamations that it would lead to a wave of litigation and imperil the First Amendment. The same refrain was eagerly delivered by lobbyists in the Indiana amendment, but we are still awaiting that wave of litigation and the First Amendment is alive and well in every state with a Right of Publicity statute. Even if New York’s legislation is passed, New York still would be weaker than many other states. Without a statute, perhaps attorneys should advise all notable persons to cut ties with New York before dying? Any area of the law can be abused. PAGE 34
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CELEBRITY
Muhammad Ali’s suit against Fox or Lindsay Lohan’s claim against EA are not proof that publicity rights are a detriment to creative works or free speech. If Lohan is identifiable in Grand Theft Auto V, or if Fox’s Ali spot is deemed an extended advertisement before Super Bowl LI, shouldn’t those uses be examined? Docudramas, sports features and video games are being created at a rapid pace, and many publicity rights opponents will vigorously enforce their interests when threatened. The legal system is constructed to deal with abusive claims, and judges are perfectly capable of balancing the Right of Publicity with other interests. As I write this, a company is preparing to release the speech that President Kennedy
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would have delivered on November 22, 1963 if he had not been assassinated. An Italian apparel company called Steve Jobs uses a J logo with a bite out of it. Deepfake apps use machine-learning to superimpose people’s faces into any manner of video content. Consent is not part of the algorithm. What could go wrong? The licensing industry benefits from strong intellectual property recognition. The Right of Publicity provides a response to infringements and buttresses many licensing deals. After all, it is impressive how Sony incorporated Babe Ruth into MLB The Show 18, and who could have predicted that Sister Jean, at 98, would become the latest participant in the licensing industry?
Jonathan Faber is Managing Partner and General Counsel of Luminary Group LLC, the exclusive representative of Babe Ruth, Vince Lombardi, Jesse Owens, Major Taylor, Cy Young, Johnny Unitas and other personalities. Faber often serves as an expert witness, including litigation involving Nikki Sixx, Uma Thurman, 50 Cent, and Zooey Deschanel. Faber teaches The Right of Publicity at McKinney School of Law, Indianapolis. For more information on the Right of Publicity, visit RightOfPublicity.com, the leading online Right of Publicity resource.
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CELEBRITY
Authentic Hendrix Teams with Epic Rights and Perryscope Productions to expand and enhance the Authentic Hendrix Retail Brand Authentic Hendrix, Epic Rights and Perryscope Productions will launch the new Authentic Hendrix global retail program at Licensing Expo, in Las Vegas. The new venture reflects the unique and singular style of one of the world’s greatest guitarists with exciting and never-before-seen licensed photos, music and lyrics. Together with Authentic Hendrix Classic and Legacy Works Epic Rights and Perryscope Productions will offer retailers, manufacturers and licensees an all-new Authentic Hendrix brand guide with iconic new photographs along with logos, lyrics, album and fashion inspired by the unique style of Jimi Hendrix. Authentic Hendrix merchandise and product lines pay homage to Hendrix, the man Rolling Stone magazine annointed “The greatest guitarist of all time!” PAGE 36
The Authentic Hendrix brand program will include fashion apparel, headwear, footwear, tops, figures, wall art, accessories, jewelry, home décor, digital products, collectibles and never-before-licensed products from a wealth of material handed down from Authentic Hendrix and Experience Hendrix. The new Authentic Hendrix merchandise will begin arriving at retail by early summer 2018. CEO/President of Experience Hendrix and Authentic Hendrix, Janie Hendrix, stated, “We’re very intentional about giving our fans and friends something they’ll truly enjoy and appreciate-something that celebrates Jimi and his extraordinary spirit. Epic Rights and Perryscope Productions understand that. We’re excited about the collaboration. And having it coincide with the release of Both Sides of the Sky makes this even more exciting.”
Dell Furano, CEO of Epic Rights and Norman Perry, CEO of Perryscope Productions jointly stated: “Jimi Hendrix embodied an iconic artistry and unparalleled musical talent with an incredible sense of style that is recognized worldwide with multiple generations of fans. We simply could not be more excited to work with Janie and her team to take the Jimi Hendrix® brand to a new level.” “With the release of Both Sides of the Sky by Sony Legacy, and the approaching 50th anniversaries of the release of the seminal LP Electric Ladyland (Oct ’68), his legendary performance at the Woodstock Festival (Aug ‘69), and the legendary two-day, four show concerts set by his later group, Band of Gypsys (Dec ‘69), we have great milestone moments to drive our new retail program,” added Furano and Perry. TOTAL BRAND LICENSING
PROFILE
‘The most famous band to have walked on earth’ Despite the fact that it is the most popular group ever, with over one billion records sold to date, the term ‘The Beatles’ describes more than just a group and its music. It is an adult brand with longevity. Its target group easily ranges from young people (14 – 18), the so called FOMO Group (fear of missing out), who have the feeling that they missed something extraordinary in the 1960s, to the young at heart Beatle fans 60+ and everyone in between. When you refer to The Beatles you also describe a social and cultural phenomenon
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driven not just by the continuing appeal of the music but by the song titles, album covers, the films, the image, the lifestyle – in fact all the associations that have grown up around the group over the years. In short, you describe the brand as The LOVE Brand! Since Christmas 2015 the Beatles songs have also been airing via the major streaming platforms (Apple Music, Spotify etc.) - platforms usually used by a younger audience. During the first 48 hours they were available, Beatles songs were streamed over 50 million times. And, according to Spotify, 65% of the audience was under 34 years. If you Google ‘The Beatles’ you easily get 150 million hits (Michael Jackson 48m, Rolling Stones 40m). Their Facebook site enjoys 43 plus million fans, on Twitter they have almost 3 million followers and on Instagram 1 million followers. In 2016, the official Beatles Website counted 4 million unique visitors and 305,000+ visitors went straight to the Beatles Online Store. In 2017, they recorded a sharp increase in Europe. Michael Lou has been running V.I.P Entertainment & Merchandising AG in Hamburg for the last fourteen years and represents The Beatles and Yellow Submarine as licensing agent in German speaking markets. Michael looks back at how licensing The Beatles were
ten years ago. “I had to call potential licensees and was asked over and over again whether Beatles fans have not passed away by now. However, over the last few years, helped by the trend for all things retro, licensees have been calling me asking whether they can have a license.” The most recent licenses reflect the wide range of target groups that The Beatles and Yellow Submarine products cover. These go from mass market products like socks (marketed as limited edition Yellow Submarine editions by Happy Socks) to stationery products by Moleskine, LEGO´s Yellow Submarine assembly kit (more for the adult target group), to a variety of turntables by Pro-Ject from Austria that retail at around € 600 (in line with the emerging trend towards vinyl records). In addition there is Raymond Weil´s Beatles chronometer which retails at €1150 and a very exclusive collection of writing instruments by Mont Blanc which range from €680 to €30,000 that recently hit the market for Christmas. Michael Lou´s future plans are to license an “All you need is Love” jewellery line and to interest other market leaders to use the legendary artwork from the cult cartoon movie Yellow Submarine for fashionable sneakers/ shoes, bags, jeans and fashion accessories. PAGE 37
PROFILE
The Beatles’ legendary animated hit film Yellow Submarine is returning to cinemas across the UK and Ireland on 8th July 2018. An unmissable cinema event, this momentous big-screen revival will give generations of audiences the golden opportunity to revisit Pepperland for the 50th anniversary of the film’s original release. Re-released across the Picturehouse chain and independent cinemas – more than 60 cinemas in total – the launch is already being supported by a strong marketing campaign in the form of trailers, posters, social media campaigns, promotional events, brochures and press engagement. Tickets were made available in mid-April. Long before this major anniversary it was
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clear that the film’s inventive animation, wit and original ideas have retained their appeal to audiences of all ages ever since the film’s debut in 1968. In fact Yellow Submarine enjoys such high levels of awareness that Caroline Mickler Limited, which manages the UK licensing programme for The Beatles brand together with Apple Corps, has been able to pursue a successful licensing strategy, specifically for Yellow Submarine. The latest licensing announcements clearly show how the film’s exuberant fusion of music, film and art continue to be an inspiration for very diverse Yellow Submarine-related product. This is illustrated by recent licenses that include a graphic novel from Titan
Books, t-shirts and gifts from online fashion retailer Truffle Shuffle, a picture book and panorama pop-up book from Walker Books, an adult apparel collection from Pretty Green, tents and camping accessories from Field Candy, and kids’ musical instruments from John Hornby Skewes. There’s even a special Yellow Submarine edition of the classic Monopoly board game from international games company Winning Moves, in which the London streets, stations and utilities are replaced by Nowhere Land, Rainbow Tunnel, Sea of Green, Trombone Express and Mersey Works (to name only a few), as well as new versions of the Chance and Community Chest squares and cards that say It’s All In The Mind and Nothing is Real. The tokens are different too. Instead of dog, top hat, racing car and thimble, players can choose from Old Fred, Sgt. Pepper Drum, Dreadful Flying Glove, Jeremy Hillary Boob, Love Sign and Yellow Submarine. And the Yellow Submarine story won’t end there. As Caroline Mickler says: “Yellow Submarine, as a film and a licensed property, has enjoyed lasting popularity with consumers and licensees alike, as well as showing itself adaptable to a wide range of products. This unique brand has never gone out of fashion in 50 years – and I’m certain it will still be popular and successful after 100.”
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INTERVIEW
Can you outline a brief history of Curtis/ The Saturday Evening Post? The story of America’s oldest magazine reaches back to 1729, when Ben Franklin began publishing The Pennsylvania Gazette. The paper continued publishing even after Franklin was called away to assist the American Revolution. By 1821 it had been renamed The Saturday Evening Post. Over the next 70 years, it distinguished itself by bringing news of important events of the day, such as the growth of the nation, the westward migration, new technologies, and the Civil War. In the 1890s, the Post was purchased by an enterprising publisher named Cyrus Curtis who had started the first magazine-publishing empire with his highly successful Lady’s Home Journal. Curtis gave the Post a dynamic young editor: George Horace Lorimer. Lorimer grew the magazine by carefully selecting outstanding work from both established
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For over 250 years The Saturday Evening Post has been documenting US history, and with it comes a vast bank of iconic images. Here we chat with Curtis Licensing about their past, present and future… authors and young talent. He introduced Americans to authors like F. Scott Fitzgerald and Sinclair Lewis. In its first century, the Post published works by Edgar Allen Poe, Mark Twain, O. Henry, Stephen Crane, and Jack London (whose “Call of the Wild” was serialized in 1903). Even after Lorimer’s tenure, the magazine continued to develop promising young writers like Kurt Vonnegut, Ray Bradbury, and J.D. Salinger. With the advent of color printing, Lorimer invented the modern magazine cover with bold, beautiful works of art from leading and up-and-coming illustrators. In 1916, he discovered an unknown young artist named Norman Rockwell. Soon Rockwell’s work was frequently gracing the cover, delighting readers across the nation with his humble, humorous,
narrative art using ordinary Americans. Over the years, Rockwell and more than 500 other illustrators painted thousands of iconic covers and inside illustrations for the Post including J.C. Leyendecker, Stevan Dohanos, N.C. Wyeth among others. The combination of great writing and magnificent art soon sent the Post’s reputation soaring. From a readership in the thousands at the turn of the century, it grew to two million by 1920. Decades after Lorimer’s departure, circulation continued to increase, eventually surpassing 6.5 million in the 1960s, which made it one of the largest publications of its day. In the late 1960s, following an economic downturn, the magazine was reorganized and was relocated to Indianapolis. The magazine continues to thrive today as a bimonthly, ded-
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INTERVIEW icated to keeping Americans informed of important social trends as well as continuing to promote the best of American arts and culture. Thanks to its unique history and richness of content, it is able to frame current events in historical context, often citing its own reporting to show parallels between today’s news and events of the past. The Post is also continuing its long tradition of encouraging new writers and artists. Each issue also features an extended collection of illustrations and news from its vast archive, including some of Rockwell’s most popular works of art. The Saturday Evening Post also publishes the award-winning youth magazines Humpty Dumpty and Jack and Jill. Its archival copyrighted content includes materials from a variety of other publications such as Country Gentleman, Turtle, Children’s Playmate and many others bringing the collection to over 6,000 illustrations. Having been at the side of Americans in various forms since 1728, through the events and cultural shifts that have shaped the country’s character, The Saturday Evening Post remains America’s Magazine. You obviously have an incredible breadth of images, which ones/brands have been the most successful over the years? While the popularity of certain “themes” or “genres” are to some extent affected by world trends and events, there are some collections that have always been historically successful for us. As you can imagine, Norman Rockwell’s illustrations are always popular. Even though over 500 illustrators have created images for the covers and inside pages of The Saturday Evening Post, Norman Rockwell is the
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most recognized among our artists and with good reason. His style combines easy to relate situations with a humanity and warmth that is relevant around the world, so it is not surprise that his images are used by licensees in almost every category, not only the US, but also abroad. Having said that, our “Holiday” and “Retro” themed illustrations are also amongst our most popular. I think all three collections have similar appeal in that they each portray a “slice” of American culture, which is very appealing to the companies we work with. I also think one of our strengths is the unique look and especially the “feel” of our art. There are many Santa images out there, however, few of them instill in us the same emotion or sensibility as a J.C. Leyendecker or Rockwell Santa, which I would say epitomize the spirit of not only Santa Claus himself, but the season as a whole. Whether we remember this images from our own childhood or come across them for the first time on a product, our Holiday and Retro images convey “the ideal” version of the world we want to see. And do you see certain trends, e.g., the trend for nostalgia/retro, mean that certain images or artists suddenly become popular again? This is an interesting question. I would say that overall, the larger interest in our core categories is not really affected by trend. For instance, our Holiday artwork and more specifically our classic Santas are always popular and evergreen. At the same time, we have other art categories, such as Coastal or Lodge that may be a bit more reactive to market trends. I think as a general rule, we look at trends as a tool or
guide to refresh our already popular images, as well as pull new content from our extensive archive. We constantly look at trend when updating our existing collections. An updated font, a new color treatment or a combination of previously separate images can make all the difference sometimes and can bring renewed life even to the most popular image. Studying trend also helps us narrow down our search so that we can find new content and elements, which would otherwise be more difficult since we have over 6,000 pieces in the archive! Whether we are looking for images as specific as “cacti” or “llamas” or searching for a more general look like line drawings or “Modern Southwest,” we pride ourselves in reacting quickly to style and trend changes. Regarding Norman Rockwell - do you still see a huge popularity for the artist and what have been some of your most successful licensing campaigns to date? We have had many successful merchandise programs over the last 30 years with companies like Disney, Mattel, Enesco, Lifetime Brands and many others. However, some of our most successful licensing campaigns have been promotional in nature. After September 11, 2001, we did an award winning campaign with The New York Times titled “Make Sense of Our Times” that included our famous “Freedom From Fear” image of a mother and father tucking their children into bed. The newspaper in the father’s hand had been modified to show the September 12 edition of the New York Times with a banner headline of “U.S. Attacked”. Another ad featured Rockwell’s “Happy Birthday Ms. Jones” cover with
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INTERVIEW the teacher standing before a classroom of young students. Behind her, hanging on the blackboard, is a map of Afghanistan which was the single element added to the original painting to communicate America’s prevailing concern. More recently, we worked with Johnson and Johnson on their “What Matters Most” Tylenol print and online holiday campaign which centered on the “Freedom From Want” image of a family gathered around the table for Thanksgiving dinner. The campaign paired Rockwell’s iconic image with that of a Japanese family, an African-American family, and a blended family that includes a lesbian couple, showing that important family values transcend background, race, sex and age. Another notable program was the “Throwback Thanksgiving” campaign with Butterball, where the Freedom From Want illustration was displayed on packaging for Butterball’s premium fresh turkeys. The illustration appeared on print, web and social media advertising using #TBThanksgiving for a sweepstakes where participants submitted a throwback Thanksgiving family photo for a chance to win prizes. The illustration appeared on 3.5 million fresh turkeys available at over 15,000 grocery stores nationwide, including Walmart and Costco. The campaign received ample press and television coverage. Sales of the specially-wrapped turkeys generated between $75-100 million dollars in retail sales. And with the Post, how far does the recognition stretch for the brand - and is it internationally known as well? As you can see from our magazine’s history, The Saturday Evening Post is unique in that
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we are America’s longest running magazine. We have literally been chronicling American history as it unfolded, from before the American Revolution. As amazing as that may be, for many years, the emphasis was on making the Post the best magazine that it could be, and not necessarily on growing the brand. That is especially the case internationally. While there is a lot of interest abroad, especially on Norman Rockwell’s artwork in Asia and Europe, further growing SEP’s recognition as a “brand” is one of our focuses for 2018.
We have worked with companies around the world who have loved our artwork and want to use it, but in many cases, they don’t know anything about the artist or how the artwork came about. Our goal is not only to continue growing our licensing programs based on our archive, but also to bring more awareness to The Saturday Evening Post magazine, which is the source of it all to begin with. You can visit Curtis Publishing at Licensing Expo in Las Vegas Booth # L-214
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SOCIAL MEDIA
Would you let a Brand sponsor your photo on Social Media? 30% of UK Consumers would... Brand engagement with consumers has significantly evolved over time. The rapid rise of the internet and social media has facilitated companies with a growing variety of platforms to create more personalised interactions with their brand. This in turn has enabled brands to harvest loyal consumers who follow their every action and become early adopters of any new products/services they offer. Interested in the relationship between brands and consumers, Online British Marketplace OnBuy.com analysed findings from YouGov, who surveyed more than 2,000 Brits to better understand how they would let a brand they like sponsor them should the opportunity arise. OnBuy.com interestingly found that just under a half of Brits (42%) would let a desired brand put their logo and the words “sponsored by” in the bottom corner of profile photo on all social media channels they have a presence on. Similarly, 36% would be happy to allow a brand to do the same for each photo they post on social media. Thereafter, 39% of Brits would be most willing to appear in a brands television advertisement. Further on, 37% of Brits would be prepared to wear a shirt or top with a large picture of the brands logo on it every day for a month whilst 19% would astonishingly do so for the whole year. On the other end of the scale, Brits (3%) would be least willing to change their own first name to a brands name. After this, just 5% of Brits would get a brand’s logo as a tattoo somewhere on their body to symbolise the impact a respective company has had on them. Moreover, 6% would replace or add a brand’s name to their own middle name – this type of dedication exhibited by Nathan Yorkshire Tea Garner who ditched his original middle name in favour for his favourite brand of tea. Natalie a Fashion Blogger and ‘Brand Champion’ from London said, “I have been a fashion PAGE 42
blogger for just over a decade now. During the first few years I was reviewing a lot of different lifestyle brands. As the quantity and quality of my content improved, I managed to gather a large following. This is when a well-established brand proposed to me some sponsorship possibilities. Since I admired their design and innovation, I decided I would be happy to regularly wear their clothing and then, visually post it on my blog and social media channels to promote the brand. So far, it’s been very fruitful for both parties. I think these sorts of arrangements work best when a company collaborates with influencers who are the most relevant to their industry/ market – as that’s when it really feels mutual and authentic.”
Cas Paton, Managing Director of OnBuy. com commented, “In the digital age, the connection between companies and consumers has become more intertwined. As a result, companies have been better able to gain an insight into those who truly represent as well as support them. Consequently, this has allowed them to identify and approach certain consumers to become ambassadors/advocates for the brand. What this research highlights is that there are certain sponsorship avenues which British consumers would be less inclined to accept and entertain when displaying their affection and endorsement for a brand.” https://www.onbuy.com
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PROFILE
The RHS and the art of licensing The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) licensing campaign is a well-established, award-winning success. That’s partly because high, and positive, brand awareness, combined with a unique art-based design resource have established the brand, not just in gardening products but in gifting and homeware and a number of other categories. As you might expect, the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), through its very successful licensing campaign, endorses or licenses a wide range of popular gardening-related items – including garden sheds, benches, boots, gloves, chemical-free lawn fertiliser products, seeds and plants, mulches and garden tools. All of these items are, of course, carefully assessed to ensure that the high standards required of a leading gardening charity are met. The RHS remains popular as a brand for many gardening licensees. But that doesn’t mean the products it endorses are simply functional; a lot of care goes into design and style. For example, Jayco, the UK’s foremost specialist supplier of quality work gloves, launched The RHS Collection, an award-winning range of beautiful ladies’ gardening gloves, made using superior deerskin and available in three styles, with a different floral image on the back of each style of glove. Then there’s a range of illustrated RHS-endorsed stepping stones from Kelkay, a market leader and trusted brand in
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the manufacturing and distribution of aggregates, paving and fountains, with the theme Endangered Wildlife Stepping Stones. However, non-gardening categories are also successful – and continue to thrive. Caspari, a respected publisher of beautifully designed and printed paper products, has produced an RHS range of social stationery. Churchill China, a leading manufacturer of high-quality ceramic tableware, and an RHS partner for many years, launched a contemporary gift set of four mugs with illustrations of classic garden tools, a set of two stacking mugs with the allotment as its theme and an assortment of classic bone china Royale mugs featuring images on the theme of Curious Birds. On a very different note, Prosecco Truffles, Pink Gin & Tonic Truffles, Raspberry & Champagne Truffles, and a festive 15-chocolate Christmas Belgian Chocolate Collection make up new additions to the Amelie Chocolat /RHS luxury range. Gifts, notebooks, flasks, napkins, artisan gin, dresses and much more have been among the other successes of the RHS licensing campaign – and 2018 is seeing many more new licenses or expansions of existing licenses. There are a number of reasons for this. The positive associations and high level of awareness associated with the RHS as a brand certainly help. In addition the RHS licensing team insists on high standards, and awareness of the RHS and its aims, from all licensees. Also, however, many licensees draw their design ideas from artwork supplied by the RHS Lindley Library – the world’s finest collection of botanical art containing more than 25,000 superb images – and the style guide derived from that artwork. It’s an approach that has really paid off for licensees, giving them a memorable and unique resource with which to develop memorable products, packaging or both. It has paid off for the RHS too. In 2017 the RHS won the award for Best Licensed Heritage Or Institution Brand at The Brand & Lifestyle Licensing Awards, underlining its
campaign as one of the strongest of all charity licensing programmes. Another nomination in this category followed in 2018, while no fewer than three RHS licensing partners received nominations in product categories. The RHS Chocolates by Nature Range from Amelie Chocolat and RHS Honeybee Gin from Warner Edwards both appeared in the Inspired Innovation Brand Licensed Product or Range category. However, the RHS Flora Apparel range from Coast went one better – it won the Best Brand Licensed Adult Apparel Product or Range category! Today the RHS can boast 57 royalty-generating licensees, generating close to £1 million in 2017, with a big market in major supermarkets and garden centres at home – and a growing market abroad. This success is set to continue, but, when choosing partners, the licensing team always remains aware of what drives the appeal of the brand. As Cathy Snow, RHS Licensing Manager, says: “We never forget what the brand represents: the joy, achievement and physical and mental health benefits of all things related to gardening. This is a charity brand that is successfully delivering all it promises by sharing the best in gardening through its magnificent shows and its fabulous gardens – and licensing only the very best gardening, gifting and homeware products.”
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WORLD CUP
In the 40th anniversary year of Panini’s first UK domestic football sticker album (‘Football 78’), many of those who took part in the craze that dominated school playgrounds during the ‘80s remain a prime target market for the Italian company and those licensing the brand.
Each time there is a World Cup year, the collectibles giant comes into its own, with hundreds upon hundreds of millions of packets of stickers due to be sold worldwide in the next few months now the ‘FIFA World Cup Russia 2018’ Panini sticker album has launched. Although Panini have never officially released definitive figures, the 2014 Brasil edition was the biggest-selling World Cup sticker album ever. Nostalgia played a large part in that success, with the bulk of UK sales made by men in their ‘30s – the very same people who were responsible for Panini’s success over here at its outset. All that had changed was those collectors had exchanged the school play-
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ground for the cyber landscape – and the pub – to do those all-important swaps that would help them complete the album. Unsurprisingly, companies have been keenly viewing Panini – and the adult target market eagerly lapping up their produce – on the licensing front. Introducing, therefore, the ‘Panini Heritage Range’ – as part of the FIFA World Cup Collection. Click Distribution and Bioworld International have both licensed the past Panini World Cup album covers to bring out items that are certain to be of interest to grown-ups who remember immersing themselves in the
By Greg Lansdowne collections when they originally landed in the shops. Milton Keynes-based Click are bringing out mugs, keyrings and lithographs depicting each of the first 12 Panini World Cup albums (1970 to 2014). CEO Mark Hillier is steeped in football sticker history, having worked for WH Smith Distribution as Sales Manager for their Panini department during the ‘80s heyday. He then moved on to form the Merlin collectables business as one of four founding members, taking over from Panini as the main football sticker brand of the ‘90s. Click’s relationship with Panini is a strong one as they help them get their products displayed and sold
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WORLD CUP through any retailer who doesn’t sell a newspaper (Panini use the newstrade wholesalers for these accounts). Therefore, Click seemed a good fit to get involved with the ‘Panini Heritage Range’. Hillier says, “Panini are a great company to work with, so we approached them with our ideas, fortunately they liked them and we were able to work out a licensing agreement that should work for all of us.” Panini also regularly finds itself on the other side of the licensing negotiating table – usually battling with chief collectibles rival Topps (the US company who bought out Merlin in the ‘90s). In terms of football, tender rights packages are put up every few years by domestic league competitions around the world as well as UEFA and FIFA for their international tournaments. Panini has a long-standing relationship with FIFA for the World Cup and UEFA for the European Championships (Euros) but Topps presently hold the rights for the UEFA Champions League and English Premier League. Even once a successful bid is made with the tournament organiser, there is still work to be done in negotiating rights with the national/ domestic teams, depending on the album. As an example, the 2018 World Cup will be the first such album in which England appear in their authentic kit since ‘Italia 90’ as Topps held the national team’s collectables license between 1997 and 2014. Hiller explains, “I guess the biggest challenge is obtaining the rights to produce either domestic, European or Global product. It’s been a while since I was involved in negotiating rights for football collections, but I
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can imagine it’s a very expensive business nowadays. Once the rights are obtained sourcing images and designing an appealing collection can sometimes be challenging, but Panini and Topps are experts at this.”
Meanwhile, Bioworld International licensed the Panini brand to produce a nostalgia-fuelled range of t-shirts, which are due to hit the shops in the near future. Head of Licensing, Richard Radford, said, “With the excitement of the forthcoming tournament, we’re really pleased to be working with Panini on their FIFA Heritage range, and look forward to seeing the range of t-shirts across the various retailers this summer.” Managing Director of LIMA UK, Kelvyn Gardner, will also have a keen eye on the success of Panini in World Cup year, having trod a similar path as Hillier at the forefront of the UK football collectables industry. Gardner was Marketing Director of Panini during the ‘80s, before leaving to help set up Merlin towards the end of the decade in the role of Licensing Director. His Panini World Cup experience dates back as far as the early ‘80s, so is well aware of the value of a good performance from the England team in helping to ramp up interest in football stickers. Gardner recounts, “During the World Cup in 1982 we were actually
winding up a meeting at the Panini office (the plan was to finish before England kicked off against France in their opening game). We were running a bit late so switched on the game in the background in the board room and sales prospects got a sudden boost when Bryan Robson scored after just 27 seconds of the match!” More information on the Panini Heritage Range products are available here: www.clickdistribution.co.uk and www.bioworldcorp. com Greg Lansdowne is a freelance writer and PR advisor. His book on football stickers (‘Stuck On You – The Rise & Fall…& Rise of Panini Stickers’) was published by Pitch in 2015. More on Greg’s work can be found here: greglansdowne.com
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OPINION
Since the horrific mass shooting at a school in Parkland, Florida on February 14th, 16 companies have terminated discounts and other benefits that they had been offering to NRA members and requested that their names be removed from the NRA website. At least five major retailers have announced that they will no longer sell semi-automatic weapons, raised the age to 21 for any gun purchase or discontinued using a particular supplier. These and other companies have taken a position. Perhaps the CEOs are more activist than past CEOs have been. But it’s more than that. Brands can no longer simply stay on the sidelines. The expectations of consumers have changed. This is particularly true of younger consumers -- Millennials and Gen Z (born between 1998 and 2014) -- who want brands to stand for something, take a position, have a purpose. Much more so than their older counterparts, Gen X and Baby Boomers. And, importantly for brands, those younger generations are digitally native and deeply interconnected through social media. In the currently charged political environment, however, taking a position can be a challenge for a brand - every strong position will likely please some and offend others. Keurig found itself in the cross-hairs last November when it pulled advertising from Fox following Sean Hannity’s downplaying of the PAGE 46
allegations against then U.S. Senate candidate from Alabama, Roy Moore. Some applauded the decision, others posted videos of themselves on social media destroying their Keurig coffee makers. Sometimes taking a position is simply altruistic, such as Walgreen’s “Get a Shot, Give a Shot” program which administers flu shots to children around the world. Smart brands can be quick to respond to positive social movements, like Tom’s of Maine. Yet, it is becoming difficult for brands to separate themselves from the important transformations and conversations happening in society. The products or services that today’s consumers, particularly younger consumers, buy are often an extension of who they are as people and the causes with which they align. Frequently, depending on the issue, there can be no neutral ground for a company already associated with the issue. This is certainly true of guns. That’s why in the recent weeks virtually all of the companies (but not all) that were associated with the NRA have terminated their programs. The first was First National Bank of Omaha, which issues the NRA VISA card; followed by Delta Airlines; United Airlines; Avis; Hertz; Allied Van Lines and North American Van Lines (both owned by Sirva); Alamo, Enterprise and National car rentals (all owned by Enterprise Holdings); Starkey Hearing Technologies; MetLife; Chubb; True-
Car (an automobile pricing and information website); SimpliSafe (a security monitoring company); and Symantec (a cybersecurity company). Among the few that have remained associated with the NRA is FedEx, which has tried to stay neutral by saying it supports gun legislation but won’t take a political position. I’m not entirely certain that this won’t be construed as taking a position. Dick’s announced that it will stop selling assault rifles entirely and any gun to a customer who is under 21 years old. Walmart, which stopped selling assault rifles in 2015, will now require any purchaser of guns to be 21 years old and will discontinue selling anything resembling a semi-automatic weapon, such as toys. Kroger has raised the age limit to purchase a gun to 21 at its Fred Meyer stores as has LLBean. REI has discontinued buying outdoor products from one of its major suppliers, Vista Outdoor, which also manufactures assault weapons (REI does not sell guns), until it establishes a plan of action with respect to selling assault firearms. Advocates -- and consumers -- on both sides of the aisle are staking out their positions. A boycott is in the works against FedEx. Protests against Amazon and Apple were organized because they continue to offer NRA TV channels from their streaming services (without TOTAL BRAND LICENSING
OPINION offering any comment). The Georgia Legislature killed legislation that would provide a jet fuel tax break at Atlanta Airport, Delta’s hub. Social media is humming with gun enthusiasts saying goodbye to Dick’s following its announcement. And so it goes. But there’s a real difference now, and it’s a generational paradigm shift. The people who were born or just toddlers in 1999, when the Columbine school shooting occurred, can now vote. They have been raised with the internet and social media and are interconnected to a degree that no other generation has been before. Many in Gen Z are not yet voting age, but they are old enough to have strong opinions and are digitally sophisticated. These younger demographics have come of age during a time of mass shootings -- at schools, places of worship, clubs, movie theaters, and shopping malls. They are morally outraged and want it to end. They have growing political clout (which will only continue to grow), they have growing purchasing power (which will only continue to grow) and they have communication clout via social media. They are now driving the conversation. And, as I noted at the start, they want their brands to take a stand on social, political and cultural issues of the day. Millennials and Gen Z are also less loyal to brands than older generations. They are more
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likely to move around among brands. So, taking a position or not taking a position on a subject that is important to them can drive these groups towards or away from a brand. Millennials are already an important consumer group. The older end of Gen Z are just becoming consumers. But watch out -- Gen Z makes up 25% of the U.S. population and will be a bigger wave than both Millennials and Baby Boomers. As much as brands have been focused on Millennials, they are now turning their attention to Gen Z. Hopefully, these companies that have staked out a position on guns, from Delta to Hertz to Chubb to Dick’s, among others, are taking their positions based upon their company’s values. Due to their involvement with the NRA or with retailing guns, they have been called upon to make difficult decisions in the wake of the Florida shooting. That’s true of FedEx, Amazon and Apple as well. Deciding to make no change in business practices is also a difficult decision and should be consistent with company values. But these companies, generally public companies, must also consider their bottom lines. Will a decision hurt or help sales? Will a decision help retain consumers and recruit new ones or will it drive them away? Will it create a brand halo or brand damage?
The CEO of Dick’s, Ed Stack, said “The whole hunting business is an important part of our business, and we know there is going to be backlash on this. But we’re willing to accept that.” (The New York Times, February 28, 2018). But in a nod to the younger demographics, Stack also said, “We love these kids and their rallying cry. Enough is enough. It got to us.” (The New York Times, March 1, 2018). The reaction to Dick’s decision was swift on social media, with a majority voicing support for the decision but a not-insubstantial minority that was critical. Given its position as a leading gun retailer, Dick’s could not remain neutral and became part of the conversation. And that will likely become true of all of the companies mentioned above, to a greater or lesser degree. But as for those younger consumers (as well as others), in my opinion, the actions of the companies taking a stand by terminating special benefits to NRA members or limiting the sales of guns and ammunition will burnish their reputations with this important demographic, at least for the short term and possibly longer. The co-host of MSNBC’s Morning Joe, Mika Brzezinski, summed it up perfectly recently one morning, when the Dick’s announcement was made at the time the program was on air, when she said, “I know where I’m going to buy running shoes today.”
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NOSTALGIA
Nostalgia ain’t what it used to be, runs the old joke. But it’s alive and well in the licensing world – and it’s a key ingredient for growth for global brand Michelin and its licensees. Brands don’t have to have almost 130 years of illustrious history to tap into consumer demand for vintage or retro chic, but it certainly helps to lend credibility to their offerings. And Michelin’s back catalog is impressive. The Michelin Brothers invented the detachable pneumatic tyre in 1891, and the company has been responsible for almost every major breakthrough in tyre technology since then. From the revolutionary radial tyre in 1946 to the Michelin Visionary – a puncture-proof, 3D-printed, fully-regenerating concept tyre and wheel combination – the brand has always been associated with innovation. In parallel with this, Michelin has an unrivalled motor sport heritage, offering another rich vein for brand and licensees alike. Michelin has also been at the heart of content marketing since 1900. A free guide to encourage France’s 3,000 drivers to travel further – and therefore use more tyres – included recommendations on where to stop for food. Now restaurants across the world aspire to be awarded a Michelin Star. In 1898, a passing observation led to the birth of a company mascot who has been at the heart of every part of Michelin’s business ever since. The Michelin brothers noticed that a pile of tyres would resemble a man if it had arms and legs – a Michelin Man. Caricaturist O’Galop gave the vision life, and
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Michelin is a 130 year old brand, here we take a nostaligic look at this worldwide recognised brand Bibendum, to give him his official name, now presides over a brand that has just been valued at $7.9 billion. The Michelin Man has evolved over the years to become more than a simple advertising icon. He is a globally recognised character, synonymous with the Michelin brand and in 2000, at 102 years old, he was elected the world’s best brand symbol ever by the UK’s Financial Times. Today he embellishes many licensed products around the world in the form of gifts and collectibles from toys and clothing to memorabilia and reproduction items using both vintage and contemporary designs. Christian Delhaye from Michelin’s licensing business says, “The Michelin brand is incredibly powerful because of its rich heritage based on strong values, a commitment to innovation, passion for motor sport and our brand hero, the Michelin Man. All of these were born in the past, but remain at the heart of the brand today. This is why Michelin brand has such a high level of recognition and appreciation around the world.” “It’s human nature to reminisce about ‘the good old days’ and a rich heritage is a powerful
selling tool across the world which we want to harness for the benefit of our consumers and our licensees.” But this alone cannot drive commercial success for either Michelin or its licensees. To avoid products falling into the novelty category, they must incorporate both quality and real design flare – to emphasise the brand’s enviable reputation for quality and value which more than justifies its premium price point. Michelin aims to give its customers positive experiences whenever they leave the house, whether that’s using their car, motorbike or bicycle, eating in a lovely restaurant or staying in a beautiful hotel. Brand heritage can play a part but it’s the brand’s reputation for quality, reliability and cutting edge innovation that sets Michelin apart and which allows its licensees to grow strong, sustainable revenues. Mr Delhaye added, “There are several different strands to our brand that, combined, create real consumer demand and value. If we want to develop a successful licensing business, we have to work in partnership with licensees to make sure we deliver exceptional products and exceptional service to our consumers. That’s our aim.”
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SHOW REVIEW
Sports Merchandise and Licensing Show
Review
November saw the return of the Sports Merchandise and Licensing Show (SMLS) to London’s Stamford Bridge; now in its fourth year, this trade show has firmly cemented its place as one of the most important in the industry calendar. SMLS will return to the Bridge on Monday 12th November 2018. After last year’s successful expansion, the 2017 Show hosted a record 81 exhibitors; this included many first-time exhibitors alongside returning ones. Occupying two halls of the iconic stadium, home of Chelsea FC, the 110 stands showcased the latest in products and services for the sport merchandise and reTOTAL BRAND LICENSING
tail industry. A high return rate of exhibitors proves the value of exhibiting at SMLS. This year saw many familiar exhibitors back at the Bridge, such as Forever Collectibles, Source Lab, Score Draw, Brecrest, Hy-Pro International and Storm International, to name a few. Both exhibitors and visitors enjoyed the valuable opportunity to catch up with so many of their industry contacts and meet a variety of new ones, too. Each year, SMLS welcomes many new, innovative exhibitors, this year’s additions included the likes of cake decorators Culpitt, IT software and service providers Sanderson
and baby-products supplier, Novatex. SMLS provides the perfect platform for new, start-up companies with bright ideas introduce themselves to the industry. The large range of merchandise offerings were complemented by a number of companies providing key services, vital to building successful licensing and retail businesses. Visitors are assured of a variety of exhibitors, providing a one-stop shop for all retail and licensing needs. SMLS has become increasingly popular for International exhibitors, attracting US based companies including Outerstuff, ’47 and Big Time Jersey, alongside an increasing selection PAGE 49
SHOW REVIEW
of exhibitors from across Europe. The international attraction from both a visitor and exhibitor perspective contributes to making SMLS one of the most important exhibitions in the sport industry. The diverse nature of the products and services on display at SMLS attract an equally varied range of delegates, with the Show experiencing record attendance levels this year. Delegates representing over 200 companies
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visited the Show, in search of a variety of licensing and retail opportunities and services. Whether these be representatives from some of Europe’s biggest Clubs - Manchester United FC, Arsenal FC, Juventus FC and AFC Ajax looking for licensees to help grow their brands, or clubs from the lower leagues of English football looking for new products to stock in their club stores, the Show caters to all requirements. Equally, SMLS demonstrated
its appeal to a wealth of different sports, with the NBA, NFL and WWE among the other sports and entertainment brands represented. To find out more about how your company could benefit from exhibiting at SMLS, contact the organisers on merchandiseshow@ chelseafc.com or visit the show website sportsmerchandiseandlicensingshow.com. Visitors and others can also keep up to date with the latest news on Twitter: @SMLS2017
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HOWARD ROBINSON
Selfies nominated Finalist for 2nd year running It has recently been announced that the Selfies for the second year in a row is again a nominated finalist in the LIMA International Licensing Awards to be held in Vegas in 2018. With currently 72 licensing partners across the UK, USA, Canada, Russia, Poland, France, Germany, Denmark, Finland, New Zealand, Turkey, Hong Kong, Taiwan & China the Selfies have continued to expanded into new categories and territories. Home furnishings has been a strong sector with a number of new licensees for bedding, curtains, cushions, accent rugs, blankets, Wall coverings and dog beds. Interest from digital media companies also continues to grow, collaboration with Butterfly-effected GmbH for a unique mobile application producing a large range of Selfie themes exclusive to Samsung for phones and watches and 1616 Media recently launching a new and unique range of Weavyword digital greetings. The core clients continue to see impressive sales with once again over a million Selfie Puzzles being sold and a Lenticular range with Prime 3D now growing to over 120 stationery and gift items. There is much activity in the few weeks running up to Licensing Expo with the Selfies exhibiting at the Licensing Expo in Tokyo, Japan. Encouraged by the increasing demand from Asia Howard has now appointed licensing agent Ramon Go to represent the Selfies in China, South Korea, Philippines and Indonesia. In early May the first phase of a new Selfie Beach Resort officially opened in the Philippines after which Howard will be racing back to present the Selfies at Licensing Expo in Vegas only a few days later. Exciting times! Licensing Expo booth E86 TOTAL BRAND LICENSING
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NHM
Where Science Meets Style The UK’s Natural History Museum is developing a successful licensing campaign that builds on its strength as a visitor attraction, leading science research centre and home to some stunning art and artefacts. In addition, the recent development of innovative new style guides has allowed the campaign to expand into more style and design-led categories.
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It’s an exciting time for heritage licensing. Many museums, galleries and institutions are finding clever and arresting ways to combine a clear statement of identity with an appealing, stylish and memorable look to build licensing campaigns light years removed from the days of postcards and keyrings in a foyer shop. A perfect example is the Natural History Museum. The world-class visitor attraction houses 80 million specimens spanning billions of years. It welcomes more than five million visitors annually. In 2016 its licensing campaign already had over 30 licensees. However, last year a different take on natural history was introduced when Wild Bangarang launched four legging print designs that take dinosaurs, fossils, and diatoms and weave them into stunning colourful images for adults’ and kids’ leggings. This was an early hint of the shape of things to come. Already a brand-new strategy for the Natural History Museum’s licensing campaign had been signalled in 2016, with the appointment of a new Senior Licensing Manager – Maxine Lister, whose background includes licensing for BBC Worldwide on such hits as Doctor Who and Sherlock.
While ensuring that the Museum’s existing strengths – in areas like science kits, dress-up and stationery – were not overlooked, the licensing programme developed a new approach. Areas like homeware, gifting and adult apparel are all targets for the refreshed licensing campaign – but the team knew they had to make them stand out without compromising the Museum’s identity. Thus, in 2017 two brand-new and comprehensive style guides, one updating the offering for children aged six and above, and the other, for the first time, specifically targeting adults, were unveiled. The children’s guide cleverly combined an emphasis on the Museum’s teaching remit – combining witty designs and bright colours with scientific accuracy and a clear focus on the flowers, fossils, insects, mammals and marine life that the Museum is associated with. Adult licensing is more design-led but still authentically about the Museum. It’s an ingenious approach that takes imagery inspired by the entire heritage of the Museum — and its exhibits and artworks — TOTAL BRAND LICENSING
NHM
to create bespoke patterns and exclusive design programmes and collections. “The design ideas in the two guides work with the sheer diversity of the museum’s exhibits to build extraordinary and colourful shapes and
“to challenge how people think about the natural world – its past, present and future” collages that can enhance items like apparel, textiles and homewares to extraordinary effect,” Lister explains. Armed with the new guides the team approached this year’s BLE with modest trepidation. What would the reaction be? They needn’t have worried. A very successful Brand Licensing Europe saw the Natural History Museum not only gain a marked increase in visitors to its stand but also saw that interest translated into real business. A number of contracts are currently under negotiation in new categories and there are a
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number of current licensees launching products over the coming months – many inspired by the guides. The guides help to add a further dimension to a brand strategy that continues to have a strong appeal for partners with a science or natural history-related product portfolio. Certainly, the Museum’s expertise in natural history was an attraction for award-winning eco outfit Seedball, who have released a new NHM range of wildflower seeds that provide food (or attract the food) for bats, beetles and birds. Slightly more light-hearted, but still requiring strong scientific bona fides, are GSC’s dress-up Triceratops and Tyrannosaurus Rex costumes for the very young and The Carat Shop’s sterling silver range of charms that include classic animals such as the Dodo, Stegosaurus, Dragonfly and Zebra. As well as exhibits, the Museum has a rich store of elegant and unusual animal and floral artwork. Many of these now adorn a sophisti-
cated collection of stationery from Museums & Galleries, a new letterpress collection of greeting cards from long-term licensee Archivist and a range of decorative tiles with an underwater theme from StoryTiles. The plan is now to update the style guides offering on a regular basis, while keeping past guides available, expanding the choice for licensees with an interest in design-led items. At the same time of course the Museum will continue to draw on its strength as a source of original artworks and as a science brand where it best suits a product or category. But whether it’s apparel using collaged pictures of birds and insects, an umbrella using kaleidoscopic designs based on museum artefacts, or a reproduction of an 18th century botanical illustration every licensed product also has, in its own way, to make a clear statement. It has to underline the Museum’s identity and its core aim – ‘to challenge how people think about the natural world – its past, present and future’.
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B&LLA’s
The B&LLAs 2018 winners are: Best Brand Licensed Fashion Accessories or Lifestyle Product or Range V&A Bag And Accessories Collection from Knomo Award sponsored by CPLG Best Brand Licensed Health & Beauty Product or Range Krispy Kreme Beauty Gifting Collection from H&A Award sponsored by Joules Best Brand Licensed Adult Apparel Product or Range RHS Flora Apparel by Coast Award sponsored by National Geographic Best Brand Licensed Gifting Product or Range Orla Kiely Stationery Collection from Wild & Wolf Award sponsored by Prima and Country Living Best Brand Licensed Food or Beverage Product or Range Baileys Coffee Pods from Tassimo Award sponsored by TSBA Group Best Brand Licensed Homewares Product or Range V&A Collection from John Lewis Award sponsored by Vintage Kellogg’s PAGE 54
Celebrating the Industry at The Brand & Lifestyle Licensing Awards. Organised by the team behind the UK Licensing Awards, The Dorchester hosted this glittering event in London on Thursday 26th April, attended by over 400 industry guests. Best Brand Licensed Children’s Product or Range Crayola X Charlotte Olympia Award sponsored by Start Licensing
Best Specialist Brand Licensed Retailer Execution DFS Award sponsored by Brandgenuity Europe
Best Brand Licensed Consumer Hard Goods Products or Range Marshall Wireless Multi-Room Speaker System from Zound Industries Award sponsored by Golden Goose
Best Licensed Heritage or Institution Brand Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) Award sponsored by BLE
The Inspired Innovation Brand Licensed Product or Range Military Wives Choirs Homeware and Fashion Accessories from M&Co Award sponsored by Discovery Consumer Products Best High Street Fashion Brand Licensed Retailer Execution M&Co Award sponsored by Beanstalk Best Department Store Or Mixed Retailer Brand Licensed Execution John Lewis Award sponsored by Happy Jackson Best Supermarket Brand Licensed Execution Tesco Award sponsored by The Smiley Company
Best Licensed Lifestyle Brand Laura Ashley Award sponsored by PowerStation Studios Best Licensed Non-Food Brand Goodyear Award sponsored by Those Licensing People Best Licensed Food or Beverage Brand Jelly Belly Award sponsored by Corsair Best Licensed Fashion or Talent Brand Sara Miller London Award sponsored by Spring Fair & Autumn Fair The Brand Licensing Ambassador of the Year Richard Pink, Pink Key Licensing Award sponsored by Brandcomply.com
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ADULT
LICENSE TO THRILL We caught up with Kate Hodgson-Egan, Lovehoney International Trade Sales Manager; Sabrina Earnshaw, Lovehoney Trade Sales Manager and Bonny Hall, Director of New Product Development at Lovehoney What would you say about working in the adult industry as a female? Is it female-friendly? Any surprises about working here? Any preconceptions that turned out not to be true? KHE: I’ve always found the adult industry female friendly and felt welcome in all working environments and situations. 15 years ago there was a lot more “porn” but as people have become more educated about adult products there has definitely been a huge shift within the industry, this is thanks to companies like Lovehoney. We have to thank people like E L James for Fifty Shades of Grey and TV Shows such as Broad City - it’s ok to talk about sex and sex toys! SE: I’m very comfortable working in this space and feel like I have a lot of great female mentors. I joined the pleasure products industry five years ago fresh from University and I’ve always felt very welcome. BH: I’ve always felt very comfortable working in the adult industry as a female. I feel lucky that I work with such a great team and to have strong supplier relationships. I do think that there is a side to the industry that is still the original ‘old men’s club’ but it’s becoming outdated and it’s certainly less noticeable than it was 15 years ago.
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What were the highlights of 2017 in terms of your licensed products? KHE: 2017 was a huge year for us introducing mainstream brand licenses into the adult market. Lovehoney is a trusted partner within adult and mainstream industries and the license partnerships we have really showcase this. We’re looking forward to see what 2018 has to bring. SE: Going mainstream with our licensing (e.g. Broad City) and reaching a whole new audience. BH: I personally loved working on the Broad City range of pleasure products. It was such a unique and fun brand to develop product for. To have so much content for inspiration to put behind the products and the packaging was great. Broad City was something of new direction for you in terms of licensing strategy. It’s audience is a younger (18-25) demographic and mostly female - did the range have the desired outcome? What was the outcome? KHE: Broad City is such a fun brand to work with, it’ so colourful and fun to merchandise in stores. Broad City’s appeal is to a younger demographic but we’ve included products that’ll appeal to all ages and genders, there is definitely something for everyone within this collection. SE: The collection is doing particularly well in college towns in the US.
BH: I believe that the product we developed resonated very well with the target audience. We had a great spread of toys across a wide price point that directly related to content within the show. Using the quotes from the show on the products themselves was also a great way to bring further exposure to the brand using the toys. The YAS KWEEN bullet was the best-seller because people love the quote! What’s coming up in 2018? Where does Lovehoney see itself going? What will replace Fifty Shades of Grey? Will the brand continue or is it time-out for Ana and Christian? KHE: 2018 has already had a great kick off with the launch of two new brands which were showcased last week in Los Angeles. This is just the start of what we have in the pipeline for the year ahead - we’re all very excited! BH: We have an exciting project on the boil right now that we are excited to be launching towards the end of 2018. It is of course top secret! In terms of Fifty Shades of Grey we are definitely not ‘replacing’ it as a brand. It will continue to be a key brand for is for future product development. We’re working on new project that will be out before the end of the year and I’m definitely of the belief that it’s Fifty Shades Forever… Ana and Christian will live on for many many happily married years to come!
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SPACE
International Space Archives Global Licensing Programme Expands through Licensing Management International Ltd. The International Space Archives is a digital library organising the incredible imagery created by the human exploration of our universe. Over the past fifty years, manned and unmanned space programmes in the United States and other countries have amassed a huge amount of still and motion photography which is unique in its scope and splendour. The International Space Archives brings together the best of this still and video imagery in one comprehensive collection. The photos, films and video in the archive come from a variety of sources including NASA and the space programmes of Russia, Japan, China, India, the European Union and others. The ISA library of assets can be viewed through their website www.internationalspacearchives. com. Licensing Management International are developing their licensing programme with the ISA in the build up to two special 50th anniversaries coming up in 2018 and 2019. 2018 - 50th Anniversary of the Apollo 8 mission, which was the first manned mission to leave Earth’s orbit and head to and circumnavigate the moon over Christmas, December 1968. 2019 - 50th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission, the first man on the moon, that was in July 1969. The licensing programme is expanding rapidly and now includes New Era Caps in Korea who have developed their apparel and headwear range using the ISA mission patches. The development of the programme is now rolling out through other New Era Cap Co. Territories (US, EMEA, Japan), plus further apparel licensees in Korea, Japan, Europe and the UK. Most recently Westminster Collections have secured a deal to develop a range of collector medals to celebrate the whole Apollo Space Programme.
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LICENSING JAPAN REVIEW
LICENSING JAPAN 2018 concluded with a great success! Japan is the world’s third largest market for licensed products and Licensing Japan is the largest trade show for the brand and character licensing business in the country. Held from April 4 to 6 at Tokyo Big Sight, Japan, the show gathered around 300 exhibitors, 42,594 trade visitors, 11,267 conference attendees and 449 press visitors - including visitors to concurrent shows. The numbers of trade visitors increased by 10% this year compared with last year. - again including concurrent fairs. A new Bizmatching system was put in place this year, an online support service where exhibitors and visitors could search what they were looking for and set up appointments with one another. About 500 appointments were arranged through the new system and participants conducted very productive and lively meetings on site. Within Licensing Japan 2018, the Japan Character Awards which awards the best in brand and characters of 2018 in Japan was held by the Character Brand Licensing Association (CBLA). Lisa Larson won Best Brand of 2018.
All in all the show proved to be another great success. Next year’s Licensing Japan Dates: 3-5 April 2019 Venue: Tokyo Big Sight, Japan Organised by: Reed Exhibitions Japan Ltd All Enquiries: http://www.licensing-japan.jp/en
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BRAND BUSINESS
Tips and Insights for Brand Licensing in 2018 By Allan Feldman, Founder & CEO of LMCA
Licensing is constantly evolving. Three decades ago there was close to zero activity in the field of corporate brand licensing. Fast-forward 30 years later and there are now a reported 1,000+ brands engaged in trademark licensing. This exponential growth in the quantity of licensors means that a larger number of brands are now competing for a smaller pool of qualified licensees. Add competition for distribution, an oversaturation of consumer attention and narrowing retail channels to the mix and companies now have lot to consider when deciding upon the strategies and tactics for developing and expanding their brand licensing programs. PAGE 60
Based on the current state of licensing, below are some tips to help enhance your brand’s licensing efforts, stand out against competition, and prepare for the future of the industry. 1. Adjust yourself for slower growth With 2,500+ licensed brands now competing for top licensees and distribution, the growth prospects for any single brand will be more limited than before. Programs must adjust for that change in growth and develop a longterm view for steady and realistic sales growth. 2. Greater commitment required With this increased competition, just dabbling in licensing, which may have been OK for brands before, will not work anymore. Past experience with a category or channel is no longer a predictor of success in licensing. Instead, licensing will require a more dedicated and qualified staff, greater financial investment and a longer time horizon. 3. More creativity Cookie-cutter programs won’t cut it in today’s crowded market, where innovation drives new opportunities for consumers to connect with TOTAL BRAND LICENSING
BRAND BUSINESS brands. In the vast sea of sameness that exists among many consumer product categories, greater creativity, analysis and thought will be needed to differentiate your brand from the competition. Successful brand licensing will depend on your ability to stand out from the pack. This will be key to your ability to justify your licensing program’s purpose within your organization. 4. Globalization Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Eastern Europe and other parts of the world are increasingly important. These complex regions show tremendous near and long-term growth potential. This translates to the need for more local expertise and boots-on-the-ground in navigating these countries. 5. One size does not fit all In-depth awareness and understanding of regional differences and cultural preferences around the globe can make a program or, if you are not careful, hurt your brand. Programs must be customized to individual markets while staying true to the brand and the brand’s core equity.
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6. More involvement from top management Part of this increased organizational commitment needs to come from internal alignment. C-Suite buy-in and support are critical to building and growing successful programs. Companies will need to approve the larger financial and staff investment and achieve organizational alignment to ensure the success of the program. 7. Strategic foundations Programs will need to have more strategic foundations and goals beyond simply monetizing the brand. Why? Because you need good reasons to pursue initiatives that will cost more and return less (see #1 and #2, above). Think of this as a strategic approach to increasing brand value. What is the monetary value of new brand shelf-space and touchpoints delivered through brand extension licensing? How much traditional advertising spend would it take to realize the same level of brand awareness? 8. Future-oriented Programs built around more strategic goals will be forthcoming. More likely than not,
your competitors are using licensing to defend market position and increase their awareness, relevancy and importance in the market. The danger of falling backwards, losing touch and disappearing is real. 9. Career growth Licensing professionals will be in more demand than ever before … and operate at higher levels within the corporation. You can see it in the number of prestigious business schools offering various levels of courses that cover licensing as a strategic business tool. Licensing is no longer just a stop on a person’s resume, but an exciting and lucrative career path full of attractive opportunities. 10. Continued rewards A licensing career is becoming more attractive. In spite of the challenges, the cross-discipline nature of the work (creativity, business, legal, sales, psychology, marketing, deal-making) and the direct link to seeing actual results will continue to make this a dynamic, fun and extremely rewarding career with limitless growth potential.
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INFORMATION
The Useful Page... INDEX OF ADVERTISERS China Licensing Show............................................................................................. 55
Did you know…? To go with our Food & Drink Feature, here are some Foodie Facts...
Howard Robinson..................................................................................................... 5 Juventus.................................................................................................................. 15 Licensing Japan...................................................................................................... 59 LIMA...................................................................................................................... 64 Mindmix................................................................................................................... 7 Pink Key Consulting.............................................................................................. 17 Science Museum..................................................................................................... 11 Smiley....................................................................................................................... 1 Sports Merchandise & Licensing Show................................................................. 2, 3 Tempting Brands................................................................................................ 9, 23
UPCOMING SHOWS & EXHIBITIONS Blueprint Shows May 17 - 22 www.blueprintshows.com Surtex May 20 - 22 www.surtex.com National Stationery Show May 20 - May 23 www.nationalstationeryshow.com Licensing Expo May 22 - 24 www.licensingexpo.com LIMA International Licensing Awards May 22 www.licensing.org
Arachibutyrophobia is the fear of getting peanut butter stuck to the top of your mouth. (Yes, this is a real fear.) M&M’s stand for Mars & Murrie, the names of the two people who invented the chocolate candy.
The Licensing Awards Sept 11 www.thelicensingawards.co.uk
There are more than 7000 varieties of apples grown in the world
Brand Licensing Europe Oct 9 - 11 www.brandlicensing.eu
Crunchy Cheetos were invented in 1948, and puffy Cheetos were first rolled out in 1971.
Frankfurt Book Fair Oct 10 - 14 www.buchmesse.de MIP Junior Oct 13 - 14 www.mipcom.com/mipjunior MIPCOM Oct 15 - 18 www.mipcom.com
Children’s Media Conference July 3 - 5 www.thechildrensmediaconference.com/
China Licensing Expo Oct 16 - 18 www.chinalicensingexpo.com/en
Korea Character Licensing Fair July 18 - 22 www.characterfair.kr
SMLS Nov 12th www.sportsmerchandisingandlicensingshow. com
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In Kentucky, it is illegal to carry an ie cream cone in your back pocket.
LIMA 2018 Sports Licensing Roundtable 5-6 Sep www.licensing.org/events
Mindmix 2018 June 27 www.licensing.org/events
Licensing Expo China July 25 - 27 www.licensingexpochina.com
Ketchup was sold in the 1830’s as medicine.
Subway is the largest restaurant chain in the world. There are more Subways in the world than McDonald’s. Pizza Hut made a delivery to the International Space Station in 2001. It cost around $1,000,000. About two new Starbucks have opened every day since 1987. Onion is Latin for “large pearl’ The tea bag was introduced in 1908 by Thomas Sullivan of New York The tall chef ’s hat is called a toque
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Do you know that there’s a magazine specifically for the brand licensing sector around the world? Want to know more? www.totallicensing.com Editorial: Francesca Ash - francesca@totallicensing.com • Becky Ash - becky@totallicensing.com Advertising: Jerry Wooldridge - jerry@totallicensing.com • Joanna Cassidy - joanna@totallicensing.com
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