By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief New Year's Day marked a major change in the music licensing industry, as the Mechanical Licensing Collective went live as part of the Music Modernization Act. The bill was passed in 2018 with the goal of bringing in more fair rules for the compensation of musicians and songwriters, and called for the establishment of a body to oversee … [Read more...] about Music Licensing Collective Goes Live
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Playmobil Launches Classic Volkswagens
German toymaker Playmobil has partnered with equally storied car manufacturer Volkswagen to bring out their own tiny car line for kids. First announced in September, the partnership has resulted in the release of a classic VW Beetle and the original VW Camper Bus, known in Germany as the 'Bulli', and unofficially by a generation of young American travelers as 'the hippie bus'. … [Read more...] about Playmobil Launches Classic Volkswagens
Fashion Licensing Pioneer Ruth McCarthy Manton Dies at 95
Ruth McCarthy Manton, a pioneer in the business of fashion licensing, passed away at her home on Christmas Eve. Manton was also among the first female fashion journalists in the industry, but it was her innovative work after founding Aries Design Management that made her a force to be reckoned with in the licensing business. Manton's idea was to link up top designers directly … [Read more...] about Fashion Licensing Pioneer Ruth McCarthy Manton Dies at 95
Troubled JC Penney Searching For New CEO
JCPenney has survived the ups and downs of the economy for 118 years ... but whether it will survive much longer is open to question. The company now hopes new blood in the CEO suite will help JCPenney turn around a dire situation that saw the department store chain file for bankruptcy in May, after losing money for 10 straight years. CEO Jill Soltau, who took on the position … [Read more...] about Troubled JC Penney Searching For New CEO
VF Corp. Completes Acquisition of Supreme
Two giants of the global shoe industry have merged, as VF Corp. announced it has completed its acquisition of long-time partner firm Supreme, a streetwear company that has collaborated with VF on its North Face, Vans, Timberland and Dickies brands. Supreme, a private company, will now become a wholly-owned subsidiary of VF in what the company calls a "$1 billion global … [Read more...] about VF Corp. Completes Acquisition of Supreme
Fanatics & Lids Reach Long-Term Deal With BNED
The sports merchandise company Fanatics has added to its long list of critical deals in 2020 with a long-term merchandising partnership with Barnes & Noble Education Inc. (BNED), the campus store division of the Barnes & Noble parent company. Fanatics will offer BNED campus stores an expanded product selection and a direct-to-consumer platform. Fanatics' partly-owned … [Read more...] about Fanatics & Lids Reach Long-Term Deal With BNED
Erve Europe Lands Deal With Blizzard Entertainment
Licensing company Erve Europe has signed a deal with Blizzard Entertainment adding the wildly popular Overwatch and World of Warcraft games to its product portfolio. Erve Europe is a leader in character licenses and brands for the continent, producing branded fashion and apparel featuring TV, film, cartoon and video game heroes. As part of Erve Group, the company has six … [Read more...] about Erve Europe Lands Deal With Blizzard Entertainment
#1 TikTok Star Charli D’Amelio and Family Get Hulu Series
Charli D'Amelio must have one of the fastest arcs to stardom of all time, rocketing to 100 million followers as the top TikTok user, and now getting a series on Hulu with her sister Dixie (also a TikTok star of note), and their parents Heidi and Marc. “The D’Amelio Show” will air on Hulu in 2021 as an eight-episode docuseries that follows “the first family of TikTok” as they … [Read more...] about #1 TikTok Star Charli D’Amelio and Family Get Hulu Series
Diageo Goes Big on Dairy Deal With Bailey’s Collaboration
Think of it as one more challenge for your New Year's Resolution to lose weight, as you pack on some more pounds with Diageo's new Baileys Extra Thick Salted Caramel Cream. The new product hitting shelves in the UK this winter is part of a continuing and so far very successful relationship brokered by Beanstalk between Diageo and the global dairy co-op Arla Foods. The Baileys … [Read more...] about Diageo Goes Big on Dairy Deal With Bailey’s Collaboration
Bad Boys Ride Together, Die Together, and License Merch Together
Is it really possible that it's only now, 25 years after the first Bad Boys movie dropped, that one can actually buy Bad Boys' merch? Apparently so, and shoppers have only the week before Christmas to get their hands on the Will Smith/Martin Lawrence-themed clothing line at an online pop-up shop, the badboysmoviestore.com. In celebration of the 25th anniversary of the first … [Read more...] about Bad Boys Ride Together, Die Together, and License Merch Together