Growing competition; continued decline in the brick and mortar backyard; currency devaluation in Europe and Asia; a fourth quarter retail fiasco. 2015 was a tough year for the fashion industry. Yet, for all of the challenges, fashion licensing prospered in not only in the U.S./Canada but worldwide, according to The Licensing Letter’s Annual Licensing Business Survey. Global … [Read more...] about Apparel Fuels 3.1% Growth in U.S./Canada Fashion Licensing—Global Growth Is Even Higher
Publishing
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
Turtles Toys Twice as Big as 2014
Licensed Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles figures from Playmates were the top toy of 2014, according to The NPD Group, when the last franchise feature film was in theaters. In an effort to build on that success, the toy lines for this year's TMNT: Out of the Shadows are expected to be twice as big, sources recently told TLL. Nickelodeon last week announced lines from Playmates … [Read more...] about Turtles Toys Twice as Big as 2014
Licensing for Mobile Games Opens Up to New Players
The mobile game licensing paradigm is changing. Although powerful gaming apps like Angry Birds still rule the roost, new players are getting into the game—not just licensees who turn digital properties into non-digital products but also licensors who license their own property for apps and mobile games. While retail sales of licensed video games/software fell -26.4% to $2.93 … [Read more...] about Licensing for Mobile Games Opens Up to New Players
Star Wars Demonstrates Power of Franchises for Licensing, Theaters
By Marcy Magiera As this story was being written and The Licensing Letter’s semi-annual chart of movies with licensing potential compiled, Star Wars: The Force Awakens was breaking advance ticket sales records two months ahead of its Dec. 18 opening. Online ticketing sites Fandango and MovieTickets.com reportedly crashed for some users under the heavy traffic when tickets went … [Read more...] about Star Wars Demonstrates Power of Franchises for Licensing, Theaters
Social Media Ledger
By Karina Masolova At Brand Licensing Europe, keynote speaker Cassey Ho outlined the history behind her successful merchandising program (over 200 SKUs available from her online store and speciality boutiques). Her key points for building a successful brand—staying true to oneself, listening to the fan community—ring true for all digital celebs TLL identified as licensing … [Read more...] about Social Media Ledger
King, Patterson are America’s Favorite Authors
The J.K. Rowling-created world of Harry Potter has been licensed for everything from pajama pants to theme parks (already in Orlando, Fla, and Japan, the newest Wizarding World of Harry Potter will open at Universal Studios Hollywood in 2016). Yet, the powerful author ranks only No. 3 on the list of the 10 most popular authors with U.S. readers. The only other author on the … [Read more...] about King, Patterson are America’s Favorite Authors
‘Days’ Marks 50 Years with Photobook
By Marcy Magiera There was a time, pre-selfie, when Americans commemorated the days of their lives with the family photo album. Daytime TV families the Bradys, the Hortons and the DiMeras of fictional Midwestern town Salem are about to again be captured the old-fashioned way in the "Days of our Lives: 50 Years" official photobook, to be published Oct. 27 by Sourcebooks for the … [Read more...] about ‘Days’ Marks 50 Years with Photobook
It’s a Dog’s Life
Life magazine, that is. Life and venerable home goods marketer Laura Ashley are among the brands entering licensing agreements for pet products. Life has signed licensee GHS Studio to make pet beds and bean bags, while Laura Ashley teamed with Unique Petz for a full line of items including leashes, furniture covers, kennels, carriers, toys, and more. Americans spent an … [Read more...] about It’s a Dog’s Life
Japanese Phenomenon Poised to Enter U.S. Market
By Marcy Magiera Yo-kai Watch is arguably the hottest kids' property in Japan. Now the franchise, about a young boy who uses a special watch to summon spirits who are causing pesky problems for people, is about to hit the U.S. In November, Nintendo will launch a Yo-kai Watch game for its handheld 3DS, about the same time that Viz Media's Perfect Square imprint will introduce … [Read more...] about Japanese Phenomenon Poised to Enter U.S. Market