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
Entertainment/Character
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
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
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
Franchises and the 360 Experience Dominate Vegas
Over the last week, 16,000 attendees braved triple-digit temperatures at Licensing Expo 2016 in Las Vegas. Over 150 new exhibitors entered the fray—totaling 460+ licensors and agents representing over 35 countries. See this coming Wednesday's Deal Sheet for a complete breakdown of new properties showcased and deals announced. The top trends that we'll see in licensing over … [Read more...] about Franchises and the 360 Experience Dominate Vegas
At 50, Original Series Still Drives Star Trek Licensing
The original Star Trek series debuted on Sept. 8, 1966 and aired for only three seasons. Fifty years later it's hard to believe that the show had such a short run, given the influence it has had on the entertainment landscape, spawning five more TV series and 13 feature films, and licensing. The latest franchise film, Star Trek Beyond, will premiere at this month's … [Read more...] about At 50, Original Series Still Drives Star Trek Licensing
360 Degrees to Every Brand
More than ever before, consumers are demanding access to brands on multiple platforms. This is nothing new: companies around the floor have been aware of the need to develop what are now being called "360 programs," where linear and digital entertainment, live experiences like shows and theme parks, social media, advertising and consumer merchandise are all essential parts … [Read more...] about 360 Degrees to Every Brand
E-commerce Sales Top $11 Billion in 2015; Led by Trademarks and Entertainment
By Karina MasolovaOver $11 billion in licensed merchandise was sold through e-commerce retail channels in the U.S. and Canada in 2015, according to The Licensing Letter’s Annual Licensing Business Survey. Factoring out automobiles and fuel, the U.S. Commerce Department estimates that 10.5% of all U.S. retail sales in 2015 were made online. In contrast, TLL estimates that … [Read more...] about E-commerce Sales Top $11 Billion in 2015; Led by Trademarks and Entertainment
Entertainment/Character Once Again Fastest-Growing Property Type in 2015
By Marcy Magiera Entertainment/character licensing put on a display of superhero strength and speed in 2015, growing 8.0% to dash past $11 billion in retail sales in the U.S. and Canada, according to The Licensing Letter’s Annual Licensing Business Survey. It was the property type’s third consecutive year of notable growth: after five years of decline from 2008 through 2012, … [Read more...] about Entertainment/Character Once Again Fastest-Growing Property Type in 2015
Star Wars’ Direct Path to the Top of Entertainment/Character
By Marcy Magiera The following is an excerpt from TLL’s feature story on entertainment/character licensed brands. See the complete run-down here, including retail sales by product category and retail distribution. Like the entire entertainment/character universe, which began to grow in 2013 but really took off in 2014, Frozen was introduced with the Disney film in 2013, but … [Read more...] about Star Wars’ Direct Path to the Top of Entertainment/Character