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)
Articles
Retail & Legal Tracker
U.S. retailers are stocking up on merchandise in advance of potential tariffs on Chinese imports, according to the National Retail Federation’s latest monthly Global Tracker report. The number of cargo containers to be received at U.S. ports that are forecasted for July and August would each set new records for the number of containers imported in a single month; the first half … [Read more...] about Retail & Legal Tracker
Asia Drives Global Licensed Sales Up 2.4%
Global retail sales of licensed merchandise reached $171 billion in 2017, according to TLL's Annual Licensing Business Survey. Licensed sales grew 2.4% from 2016, a slightly slower rate of growth than the 2.7% observed in 2016 and 2015. Overall, growth was tempered with 59% of the top 50 countries whose licensed retail sales activity TLL measures observing slower licensed … [Read more...] about Asia Drives Global Licensed Sales Up 2.4%
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
M&A & Restructuring
Newell Brands continues its restructuring efforts under an expanded accelerated transformation plan, which includes the divesting of two more brands and applying all after-tax proceeds (an estimated $10 billion) from its divestitures to debt. Jostens and Pure Fishing are added to the chopping block along with non-core businesses Rubbermaid Commercial Products, Rubbermaid … [Read more...] about M&A & Restructuring
Counterfeit Goods & China
China's top court rules in favor of Christian Dior, overturning two rulings by lower courts and admonishing the local trademark office for rejecting an application by the French fashion house to register a perfume bottle trademark. The Trademark Review and Adjudication Board wrongly rejected a 2015 application by Dior to register a trademark of its teardrop-shaped J’adore … [Read more...] about Counterfeit Goods & China
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
Experiential: Live Shows, Tech & Film
This fall, Feld Entertainment and Universal Brand Development bring DreamWorks Trolls The Experience, a 12,000-square-foot 90-minute immersive walkthrough adventure, to New York. The live location-based experience marks the first collaboration in a multi-property relationship that will develop and create other large-scale and mobile pop-up immersive experiences. DreamWorks … [Read more...] about Experiential: Live Shows, Tech & Film
Who’s News—5/7/2018
Are you hiring—or being promoted, changing jobs, retiring, launching a new company, or otherwise changing your employment? Email Jen at jen@plainlanguagemedia.com and we'll announce the news in our next issue of Who's News. Centa IP hires Gail Mitchell as CEO and Val Fry as VP Licensing. Mitchell is based in Australia; she formerly worked at Hasbro and The Fusion Agency. Fry … [Read more...] about Who’s News—5/7/2018