By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief A report from NPD Group shows growth in the North American toy sector has stalled, after two record breaking years. “After three record-breaking years for the toy industry, 2022 was a challenging year. U.S. consumers were forced to endure significant economic headwinds stemming from inflation and adverse macroeconomic factors,” said … [Read more...] about North American Toy Revenue Flatlined in 2022
News & Trends
Music Licensing: Is Justin Bieber’s Catalog Worth More Than $200 Million?
Data From Spotify Says Yes By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief (Photo of Justin Bieber by Budiey) Justin Bieber has agreed to sell his entire music catalog to Hipgnosis Songs Capital for more than $200 million. Hipgnosis announced the deal via press release, saying it has acquired “Justin Bieber’s 100% interest in his Publishing Copyrights (including the Writer’s Share … [Read more...] about Music Licensing: Is Justin Bieber’s Catalog Worth More Than $200 Million?
Toy Industry Shocker: Hasbro to Lay Off 1,000 Employees
By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief US toy and entertainment company Hasbro announced Jan. 26 that it would be restructuring, laying off 15% of its workforce. The news rocked Wall Street analysts, as Hasbro shares dropped sharply in overnight trading after the late day announcement Thursday, and continued its fall on Friday. Hasbro primarily blamed the decline in … [Read more...] about Toy Industry Shocker: Hasbro to Lay Off 1,000 Employees
Who’s News: ZAG Appoints Former Target Exec As VP of Retail Development
By Allison Watkinson TLL Reporter ZAG has appointed veteran retail expert Gaye Dean as the company's new VP of North America retail development. In her new position at Zag, Dean will manage strategic relationships across all tiers of retail throughout North America for the ZAG Heroez brand franchise. Her initial focus will be to work with retailers on this year’s product … [Read more...] about Who’s News: ZAG Appoints Former Target Exec As VP of Retail Development
Who’s News: Former Disney Exec Tapped to Lead UP&E’s Global Strategy
By Allison Watkinson TLL Reporter Universal Products & Experiences has appointed Rafael 'Rafa' Macias to lead the company's global commercial strategies. Macias' newly created position at UP&E is officially titled EVP and global commercial officer of consumer products. In his new position, he will oversee not only strategy, but also consumer products development, … [Read more...] about Who’s News: Former Disney Exec Tapped to Lead UP&E’s Global Strategy
Sustainability: Moose Toys Sets Net Zero Goal For 2040
By Allison Watkinson TLL Reporter The Moose Toys company recently announced its commitment to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions to net-zero by 2040. The Australian toy company has set several long and short term sustainability targets that are in line with the international Paris Agreement. These goals will be verified by the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) … [Read more...] about Sustainability: Moose Toys Sets Net Zero Goal For 2040
Who’s News: Former BBC Exec To Lead Partnerships At Insights Family
By Allison Watkinson TLL Reporter The Insights Family has appointed former BBC executive Rachel Bardill to lead their marketing and partnerships team. The Insights Family is a marketing intelligence company that specializes in providing information on kids and families. The company uses data science, machine-learning algorithms, and proprietary technology to provide … [Read more...] about Who’s News: Former BBC Exec To Lead Partnerships At Insights Family
Licensing Law: Black Eyed Peas Suing MGA Over Pooping Unicorn Song
Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief As a journalist, you never think you're going to write a sentence like "The Black Eyed Peas are suing a toy company over a pooping unicorn toy," but such is life. When I saw the news that BMG Rights Management has filed a suit against MGA over their Poopsie Slime Surprise: Dancing Unicorn toy, I had to double check to make sure someone … [Read more...] about Licensing Law: Black Eyed Peas Suing MGA Over Pooping Unicorn Song
Licensing Market Data: Insights Releases Its Future Forecast for 2023
By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief Market intelligence firm The Insights Family has released its annual Future Forecast 2023 report, which predicts 12 key trends in the kids, teens, parents, and family universe to watch out for this year. This is the fifth edition of the Future Forecast 2023, and the The Insights Family says the annual data release is proving to be a highly … [Read more...] about Licensing Market Data: Insights Releases Its Future Forecast for 2023
Why You Need to Watch the Getty Images Lawsuit Against Stability AI
By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief In a world first, Getty Images is suing AI art generator Stability AI for copyright infringement, alleging it processed millions of its images. Stability AI is the company that created the popular art generation tool Stability Diffusion, which has already created millions of images for its users. However, like other similar programs, … [Read more...] about Why You Need to Watch the Getty Images Lawsuit Against Stability AI