Before signing any licensing agreement, a licensee has to ensure they are completely covered. Here are the basic steps every manufacturer should take before putting pen to paper. In reviewing licensing agreements you must know what your critical business requirements are and whether the agreement that you are reviewing grants them to you or not. This is one of those difficult … [Read more...] about Pitfalls & Protections in Licensing Agreements
Summer or Not, Mattel and Hasbro Still Feeling Frozen
By Marcy Magiera The extent to which the world's largest toy companies are reliant on entertainment/character licenses is crystal clear in a side-by-side Q2 comparison of giants Mattel and Hasbro. (We added Jakks Pacific to the chart for fun and to further illustrate the point). Two years after the property stormed retail, both companies are still feeling the Frozen effect: … [Read more...] about Summer or Not, Mattel and Hasbro Still Feeling Frozen
Ranking the World’s Largest Licensing Markets
By Glenn S. Demby, Esq. As in previous years, global licensing in 2015 was top-heavy with eight countries accounting for 87.5% of all retail sales, according to TLL's Annual Licensing Business Survey. See the complete list of the top 50 countries by retail sales worldwide, including breakdowns by territory here. The Top 10 The U.S. dominates the world rankings with over $93 … [Read more...] about Ranking the World’s Largest Licensing Markets
With VR, Top Entertainment Properties Weave a Web Around Fans
Virtual reality technology is giving entertainment licensors a way to immerse fans more fully in their favorite franchises, with perennial properties including Shrek and Star Wars positioned to reach fans in three dimensions. DreamWorks Animation has entered into a deal with visual effects house Digital Domain to produce VR experiences with popular DWA characters, including … [Read more...] about With VR, Top Entertainment Properties Weave a Web Around Fans
Pokémon GOes Viral in its 20th Anniversary Celebrations
By Karina Masolova Free-to-play augmented reality game Pokémon Go has caused quite a stir—with everyone from retailers to networks eager to get a piece of the pie. The game's success is born of arguably born of a cross between nostalgia for the classic franchise (Pokémon celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2016) as well as consumer excitement for new gaming technology. Pokémon … [Read more...] about Pokémon GOes Viral in its 20th Anniversary Celebrations
Top Entertainment/Character Properties Drive Comics Sales Above $1 Billion
Pow! Retail sales of comics and graphic novels in the U.S. and Canada grew 10% in 2015, passing $1 billion for the first time in decades, driven by top entertainment/character properties including Star Wars. The new market size analysis comes from comic book data specialist Comichron and online retail trade magazine ICv2 just before giant Comic-Con International opens next … [Read more...] about Top Entertainment/Character Properties Drive Comics Sales Above $1 Billion
Vegan Cosmetics: The Newest Wave in Fashion Brand Building
By Glenn S. Demby, Esq. Quality is no longer enough. Today's consumers also want their brands to have a moral and social conscience. Few sectors have been more responsive to this demand than fashion. Perhaps the most dramatic illustration of this is the proliferation of vegan makeup brands. The Appeal of Vegan "Natural, organic and clean are the buzzwords across the beauty … [Read more...] about Vegan Cosmetics: The Newest Wave in Fashion Brand Building
Shopping for School Supplies, Electronics Moves Online
Back-to-school shopping—including school supplies and electronics—is expected to grow dramatically in the ecommerce channel in 2016, mirroring the growing channel share for ecommerce in licensed product sales overall, as consumers shop for savings. While back-to-school shoppers are still heading primarily to bricks-and-mortar stores, they are increasingly purchasing … [Read more...] about Shopping for School Supplies, Electronics Moves Online
New Players Enter the eSports Area
By Karina Masolova Turner's Cartoon Network EMEA is the latest company to enter the eSports arena with a single elimination live tournament based on its upcoming mobile game app Adventure Time Card Wars Kingdom in partnership with Machinima. Let's Play Flooping Card Wars! will stream on Machinima's Twitch channel on July 15, when four of the gaming culture site's top … [Read more...] about New Players Enter the eSports Area
Stephen Curry & His Warriors Top NBA Sales List
By Karina Masolova Reigning NBA MVP Stephen Curry and defending NBA Champion Golden State Warriors reigned as No. 1 on the NBA's most popular jersey and team merchandise lists for the 2015/2016 season. The team's NBA Finals 2016 win landed them on the top of the popular team merchandise list for the first time since January 2015. See the results below, which are based on … [Read more...] about Stephen Curry & His Warriors Top NBA Sales List