The Licensing Letter

Property Types

Average Royalty Rates Inch Up by 0.2% in 2018: Ent/Char Drives Increases in Property Types

Contact the editor at karina@plainlanguagemedia.com. The average royalty rate across all property types and product categories edged up 0.2% in 2018 to reach 8.81% in the U.S./Canada, according to TLL's Annual Licensing Business Survey. Since 2006, the average royalty rate across property types and product categories has remained in the quite narrow 8.7–8.8% corridor, with … [Read more...] about Average Royalty Rates Inch Up by 0.2% in 2018: Ent/Char Drives Increases in Property Types

U.S./Canadian Brands Contribute $111 Billion to Worldwide Licensed Sales

Contact the Editor at karina@plainlanguagemedia.com. Worldwide licensed retail sales reached $171 billion in 2017; of that, $111 billion (or 65%) can be attributed to brands originating from the U.S./Canada, according to TLL's Annual Licensing Business Survey. Respondents to the 2018 Survey overwhelmingly cited American brands when asked which region's brands increased the … [Read more...] about U.S./Canadian Brands Contribute $111 Billion to Worldwide Licensed Sales

Average Royalty Ranges Smooth Over Large Gaps

Over the last decade, the average royalty rate has hovered around 8.7% for all licensed goods. But while averages are important, ranges are perhaps even more so in evaluating your licensing program. In general, the average royalty rate in the U.S./Canada has remained relatively stable over the last decade—and the same has held true for royalty ranges. In a survey of royalty … [Read more...] about Average Royalty Ranges Smooth Over Large Gaps

Fashion, Entertainment & Corporate Brands Lead Globe

Global retail sales of licensed merchandise reached $171 billion in 2017, according to TLL’s Annual Licensing Business Survey. Territories outside the U.S./Canada saw greater growth as a whole; international licensed retail sales grew 2.5% to reach $62 billion in 2017. With the U.S./Canada generating $109 million in licensed sales, that means that internationally-based sales … [Read more...] about Fashion, Entertainment & Corporate Brands Lead Globe

Licensed Sales Reach $109 Billion in U.S./Canada in 2017

Licensed retail sales grew just 2.3% in 2017 to reach $109 billion in the U.S./Canada—the slowest rate of growth observed since 2014, according to TLL's Annual Licensing Business Survey. Licensed sales only marginally outperformed GPD; the U.S. economy expanded by 2.2% and the Canadian by 3% in 2017. This last year marks the seventh year of positive growth for the region—the … [Read more...] about Licensed Sales Reach $109 Billion in U.S./Canada in 2017

It’s Getting Crowded: A Census of Licensors

Over 2,500 unique companies own and license out intellectual property for branded consumer goods in the U.S./Canada. TLL breaks down the numbers behind the Licensing Sourcebook to discover where the money is—and for which property types the field is getting crowded. Please note that this breakdown won't tell you the relative size of the licensing business—after all, it doesn't … [Read more...] about It’s Getting Crowded: A Census of Licensors

Most Valuable Brands: Celebrity & Sports Top-Earners

On average, a licensed property will generate $7.53 million in retail sales a year within the U.S./Canada—according to data from TLL's Annual Licensing Business Survey and the Licensing Sourcebook. The most valuable brands—as determined by calculating the total number of properties owned by licensors in the Licensing Sourcebook relative to licensed retail sales in the … [Read more...] about Most Valuable Brands: Celebrity & Sports Top-Earners

Mainland China Up 7% to Reach $6.7 in Licensed Sales

By Karina Masolova, karina@plainlanguagemedia.com For those of you heading to China Licensing Expo in Shanghai—or who are just thinking of doing business in the fifth-ranking market for licensed goods worldwide, we've put together a quick cheat sheet breaking down the numbers behind mainland China. China is remarkable in terms of its relatively rapid slowdown. In 2013, … [Read more...] about Mainland China Up 7% to Reach $6.7 in Licensed Sales

The Future of Ecommerce is In-store

By Karina Masolova, karina@plainlanguagemedia.com With traditional retail business models crashing down, and ecommerce on the rise, retailers will need the power of brands to thrive. Two dominant trends emerge when looking at the future of retail: retail-tainment and omnichannel. Despite the rise of ecommerce, shoppers still prefer to see, touch, and experience products. … [Read more...] about The Future of Ecommerce is In-store