The Licensing Letter

Entertainment/Character

E-commerce Sales Surge as Specialty Purges Entertainment/Character

By Karina Masolova, karina@plainlanguagemedia.com. Retail sales of licensed merchandise based on entertainment/character properties grew to reach $31.1 billion worldwide, according to TLL's Licensing Business Survey. In the U.S./Canada, retail sales grew 3.4% to reach $13.2 billion. Across the board, Survey respondents reported that social media is now a dominant means of fan … [Read more...] about E-commerce Sales Surge as Specialty Purges Entertainment/Character

Content Watch: New Series & Activations

Differential Brands Group will acquire the majority of Hong Kong-based Global Brands Group Holding Ltd.’s North American licensing business for $1.38 billion in an all-cash deal expected to close Q3 2018. The acquisition is expected to boost Differential Brands’ annual revenues up to more than $2.3 billion. The assets at stake comprise all of GBG's North American children’s … [Read more...] about Content Watch: New Series & Activations

Experiential, Content & Alternative Initiatives

FC Barcelona is ending its 17-year partnership with Nike where it ceded its retail and licensing rights to FCBMerchandising. The football club forms a new company to manage its retail, licensing, and merchandising activity. The newly formed Barça Licensing and Merchandising will take over its rights on July 1 and oversee a $77 million merchandising business spanning three of … [Read more...] about Experiential, Content & Alternative Initiatives

Mobile & More Content Licensing

Universal partners with mobile-game developer Ludia for AR mobile game app, Jurassic World Alive. Players collect, discover, and create a variety of dinosaurs while exploring their own neighborhoods and cities around the world. Starting June 6 through July 31, select Walmart and AMC locations will allow players to collect branded supply drops and resources. Hasbro parters with … [Read more...] about Mobile & More Content Licensing

Experiential Activations

A new cross-media fitness campaign from Disney and Aspics features a series of "super work-out" videos, in-store activations, and a footwear collection all meant to celebrate the release of Incredibles 2. Mixed martial arts organization UFC and AirAsia, its sponsor and presenting sponsor of UFC Fight Night Singapore, launch the first UFC-branded livery on an AirAsia Airbus … [Read more...] about Experiential Activations

What Kids Want (to Wear)

It turns out that when it comes to what types of entertainment/character brands kids want to wear, they turn to a hero, according to E-Score Character. The research service identified the most sought-after characters for clothing by age group. All of the properties identified below have established licensing programs and, to varying degrees, have extensions in apparel, … [Read more...] about What Kids Want (to Wear)

Royal Weddings: Marvel/Epic & Nestle/Starbucks

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are not the only royals whose union we are celebrating this week. Nestle strikes a $7.5 billion cash deal with Starbucks for the exclusive right to sell the chain's packaged coffees and teas around the world—not including future revenues from product sales and royalties. Starbuck's current packaged business is worth approximately $2 billion; the … [Read more...] about Royal Weddings: Marvel/Epic & Nestle/Starbucks

Birthday Cheer

Jim Davis’ Garfield celebrates his 40th birthday this year with a new TV series, book, feature film, and merchandise with the help of Paws, Inc. Later this year, a new animated series of 120 30-second shorts titled Garfield Originals will be released. An animated Garfield movie is also in development with Alcon Entertainment. The sarcastic fat cat is also collaborating with … [Read more...] about Birthday Cheer

State of Toys & Games

Hasbro snaps up all intellectual property, category rights, and content libraries owned by Saban Properties and its affiliates for $522 million—including entertainment brands Power Rangers, My Pet Monster, Popples, Julius Jr., Luna Petunia, Treehouse Detectives, and certain others. The offer is subject to a number of closing conditions, including obtaining required regulatory … [Read more...] about State of Toys & Games