The Licensing Letter

Fashion

Freshness Eludes Celebrity Scents

By Marcy Magiera Despite a small rush of celebrity-licensed fragrances introduced to retail in the late summer and fall, the category still smells off, with marketers Elizabeth Arden, Coty and Parlux all reporting recent sales declines as a result of soft demand for mass market scents. Elizabeth Arden reported earlier this month that sales for its fiscal second quarter, ended … [Read more...] about Freshness Eludes Celebrity Scents

Is Rachael Ray the Next Big Celebrity Lifestyle Brand?

By Glenn S. Demby, Esq. POP QUIZ "I'm not an interior designer. But I've developed my own take on all things home and creating a [home furnishings] collection that represents my daily life is a natural evolution for my lifestyle brand." Question Which celebrity said this?   Taylor Swift Jessica Alba Reese Witherspoon Gwyneth Paltrow None of the above Answer None of … [Read more...] about Is Rachael Ray the Next Big Celebrity Lifestyle Brand?

Big Fashion Licensors Taking Back Control of their Brands

By Glenn S. Demby, Esq. The licensing model is one fashion trend that's unlikely to ever go out of style. But a growing number of fashion licensors—especially the bigger houses—are bucking the trend and taking back direct control of their brands. The most recent example is Puig, the Barcelona-based beauty company and owner of Jean Paul Gaultier fragrances, which earlier this … [Read more...] about Big Fashion Licensors Taking Back Control of their Brands

As Pet Pampering Grows, Licensing Goes to the Dogs

By Marcy Magiera For evidence of Americans' preoccupation with their pets, look no further than Super Bowl Sunday, when Animal Planet's Puppy Bowl XII (in VR, no less) and Hallmark Channel's Kitten Bowl III will fill the hours leading up to the main gridiron event. Or the fact that a Petco survey during the fourth quarter showed that 82% of respondents intended to … [Read more...] about As Pet Pampering Grows, Licensing Goes to the Dogs

Pantones Colors Fashion, Décor Pink and Blue

If a color—or two—can reflect the mood of a people, it could be that we're all just lightening up. Color house Pantone has for the first time named a blending of two shades, Rose Quartz (Pantone 13-1520) and Serenity (Pantone 15-3919), as its Color of the Year for 2016. The positively pastel pink-blue combo stands in stark contrast to the hue of 2015: Marsala, a dark, earthy … [Read more...] about Pantones Colors Fashion, Décor Pink and Blue

The Retail Force Awakens: How Much Money Will Star Wars Make?

By Glenn S. Demby, Esq. Most movie-based entertainment properties have a limited shelf life lasting roughly as long as the film's run. Occasionally, exemplary properties like Cars, Monsters Inc. or Toy Story will drive sales for a few years after the film closes.   But Star Wars is in a universe of its own. There hasn't been a new Star Wars film since 2005. Yet the franchise … [Read more...] about The Retail Force Awakens: How Much Money Will Star Wars Make?

Entertainment, Sports Licensed Goods Lead Black Friday Deals

Hot holiday properties Frozen and Star Wars, and collegiate and NFL licensed merchandise, will be decking the halls of many retailers on one of the biggest shopping days of the year. Some of the nation's largest retailers over the past week moved to control the flow of information about their Black Friday promotions by "leaking" their own Thanksgiving weekend ad circulars … [Read more...] about Entertainment, Sports Licensed Goods Lead Black Friday Deals

Aéropostale Seeks to Raise Cash with International Licensing

Teen specialty retailer Aéropostale, struggling to turn around sagging sales domestically under threat of delisting from the New York Stock Exchange, is expanding through retail and product licensing deals. By expanding through licensing, Aéropostale is positioned to receive a steady income while its licensing partners covers the majority of costs. The chain … [Read more...] about Aéropostale Seeks to Raise Cash with International Licensing

Licensee Accusation: Asics Deliberately Tried to Drive Us Out of Business

By Glenn S. Demby, Esq. What Happened: Asics gave Windsor Financial Group, LLC, financing and exclusive rights to open and operate 13 Asics stores, including flagships in Boston and New York. The deal was supposed to run for 20 years but a couple of years in, Asics terminated the agreement. As a result, Windsor had to close the stores and eat the millions of dollars it had … [Read more...] about Licensee Accusation: Asics Deliberately Tried to Drive Us Out of Business