Entertainment/character licensing put on a display of superhero strength and speed in 2015, growing 8.0% to dash past $11 billion in retail sales in the U.S. and Canada, according to The Licensing Letter’s Annual Licensing Business Survey. It was the property type’s third consecutive year of notable growth…
SPORTS
Professional Bull Riders Take Licensing by the Horns
April 29, 2016
Riding a wave of interest in all things western, Professional Bull Riders is partnering with a new event retail and merchandising company and expanding its wine, fragrance and apparel lines…
RETAIL TRENDS
Lady Gaga and Elton John Become the Latest to Launch a Macy’s Exclusive
April 29, 2016
Limited-edition celebrity lines are an old hat for Macy’s. But here are some different celebrities (hint: not named Donald Trump) finding a home for their exclusive product lines at Macy’s…
MOVIE MERCHANDISE
Turtles Toys Twice as Big as 2014
March 28, 2016
Licensed Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles figures from Playmates were the top toy of 2014, according to…
SOCIAL BRANDING
Giorgio Armani Becomes Latest High Profile Fashion Designer to Go Fur Free
March 28, 2016
Fashion licensors have been among the most scrupulous in aligning their brands with the right social causes (or at least making sure their brand isn’t associated with the wrong ones)…
BRAND BUILDERS
Emily Weiss Gives Beauty a Millennial Makeover
March 18, 2016
Blogger turned businesswoman Emily Weiss is building a digital beauty brand for the 21st century. Here are four ways the face of beauty brand building in the 21st century is changing…
HOT MARKETS
St. Patrick’s Spending to Reach $4.8 Billion
March 14, 2016
A robust 55% of Americans, or 133 million people are planning to indulge in the Irish spirit on Thursday. On average, they’ll spend…
Housewares
Licensed Housewares at IHHS
March 7, 2016
Retail sales of licensed housewares goods in the U.S. and Canada grew a 1.5% in 2015, according to The Licensing Letter’s Annual Licensing Business Survey. And as consumer confidence in the economy grows, sales are only expected to increase. The 2016 International Home + Housewares Show (IHHS) in Chicago…
Retail
Store Check: Target at Culver City, CA
March 7, 2016
A week before Disney’s Zootopia scampered into theaters accompanied by predictions of a $67 million opening weekend, limited merchandise was on the shelf at Target stores. See how other brands fared…
Retail Sales
2015 Retail Sales of Licensed Goods in U.S./Canada Top $103 Billion; Entertainment, Sports Drive 3.4% Growth
February 26, 2016
Retail sales of licensed goods in the U.S. and Canada grew a robust 3.4% in 2015, according to The Licensing Letter’s Annual Licensing Business Survey. At just under $103.3 billion, total sales surpassed the $100 billion mark for only the second time…