By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief The Licensing Letter's annual survey on licensing royalties is now available, and we want to hear from you! Since 1978, The Licensing Letter has been providing the inside scoop to licensing professionals on everything from marketing budgets and guaranteed minimums to royalties paid in a wide range of product categories. TLL is currently … [Read more...] about We Want to Hear From You For TLL’s Annual Licensing Royalty Survey
TLL's Guide to Property Types and Product Categories
Read Before Using: $100 MM List Definitions & Methology
Before diving into the top $100 million entertainment/character brands list and its connected analysis, take a moment to consider TLL's methodology. The list reflects the top properties by licensed retail sales in the U.S./Canada only and excludes top-performing global properties that may have $100 million or higher in sales internationally. Note, as well, the difference … [Read more...] about Read Before Using: $100 MM List Definitions & Methology
Coming Up With a Number
One of the most common questions The Licensing Letter receives is about our numbers: Where do they come from? And how accurate are they? First, it is important to note that it is practically impossible to state with absolute certainty the precise amount of licensed retail sales in any given year and/or territory. That being said, TLL works to ensure that growth rates and … [Read more...] about Coming Up With a Number
TLL’s Guide to Entertainment/Character-based Properties
Feature films, cartoon characters, and television programs are the basis of the bulk of Entertainment/Character licensing. A few properties, such as Hello Kitty and It’s Happy Bunny, which have no antecedent in any medium (they were created for merchandise), are also included here because they are treated much as “traditional” character licenses (rather than, say, like an art … [Read more...] about TLL’s Guide to Entertainment/Character-based Properties
TLL’s Guide to Collegiate-based Properties
College and university programs are driven largely by team sports, but also feature products to appeal to general school supporters, including alumni and current students. Click to view Retail Sales of Licensed Merchandise, Based on Collegiate Properties. Representative properties: Harvard, Oxford University, Notre Dame, Ohio State, University of Miami, University of … [Read more...] about TLL’s Guide to Collegiate-based Properties
TLL’s Guide to Product Categories
Product categories are based on the predominant way in which merchandise is classified by retailers and, by extension, licensors, manufacturers, and others in the business. Many products could fall within more than one classification. For example, plush could be considered either “Toys” or “Gifts/Novelties,” clocks could be “Housewares” or “Gifts/Novelties” or “Electronics,” … [Read more...] about TLL’s Guide to Product Categories
TLL’s Guide to Video Game/Interactive/Online-based Properties
This sector includes videogames and videogame-based characters; online-originated properties such as virtual worlds, YouTube videos, blogs, webisodic series, Pinterest, Vine, Snapchat, Instagram, and other social media accounts, texting emoticons, and e-mail greeting cards; mobile apps; and other digital properties. In some cases, such as Pokémon, the licensing is split between … [Read more...] about TLL’s Guide to Video Game/Interactive/Online-based Properties
TLL’s Guide to Traditional Toy/Game-based Properties
This sector includes board games, non-electronic toys, and characters that grow out of such toys and games. If the brand has licensing activity tied to films or television programming, that portion would be included under "Entertainment/Character". Click to view Retail Sales of Licensed Merchandise, Based on Traditional Toy/Game Properties. Representative properties: Bakugan, … [Read more...] about TLL’s Guide to Traditional Toy/Game-based Properties
TLL’s Guide to Trademark/Brand-based Properties
The range of corporate brands with licensing programs is enormous. We break out some of the larger sub-groups, including automotive/vehicle, food/beverage, restaurants, sporting goods, hardware/appliance/tool, home-related, electronics/technology, and electronic media. Retail brands, diet/health brands, luggage brands, and additional brand-based properties are aggregated under … [Read more...] about TLL’s Guide to Trademark/Brand-based Properties
TLL’s Guide to Sports-based Properties
Sports licensing incorporates the major U.S. professional leagues for football, baseball, basketball, hockey, and soccer, including both teams and individuals, as well as other leagues (amateur and professional), athletes, and events including NASCAR, golf, extreme sports, tennis, Olympics, mixed martial arts, minor league teams, outdoors-related properties, amateur sports … [Read more...] about TLL’s Guide to Sports-based Properties