The Licensing Letter

Articles

46 Properties Make the $100+ Million Ent/Char List in 2016

Karina Masolova, karina@plainlanguagemedia.com A grand total of 46 properties made the $100 million entertainment/character list for 2016 retail sales, with five new faces joining the pack. See the complete list here. All in all, the top properties generated $43 billion in retail sales of licensed merchandise worldwide. Globally, that marks a $2 billion increase compared to … [Read more...] about 46 Properties Make the $100+ Million Ent/Char List in 2016

$100 Million Superhero Brands Grow 15% in 2016

Karina Masolova, karina@plainlanguagemedia.com While the average $100 million entertainment/character brand grew 8% in U.S./Canada retail sales of licensed merchandise in 2016, superhero brands grew by nearly 15% from the previous year. See the complete list here. The top four superhero brands by retail sales in the U.S./Canada made up almost 11% of the $100 million list's … [Read more...] about $100 Million Superhero Brands Grow 15% in 2016

Who’s News — 11/27/2017

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.   ZAG appoints Marlin Prager as COO & CFO, David Ribardo as Chief Accounting Officer, and Cindy Elfenbein as VP Retail Business … [Read more...] about Who’s News — 11/27/2017

Keeping Up With the Kardashians

By: Karina Masolova, karina@plainlanguagemedia.com Kim Kardashian launches her first direct-to-consumer venture in the fragrance category under her KKW Beauty brand. The limited-edition fragrances are first come, first serve—but the star also plans to release new scents in time for Valentine's Day. Sales were exclusively digital, albeit with a small launch at e-commerce site … [Read more...] about Keeping Up With the Kardashians

Guess Who’s Back

By: Karina Masolova, karina@plainlanguagemedia.com Nostalgia remains strong for retro brands—and it's not just '50s and '60s-inspired designs, icons, and goods. The '90s counts, too. We review the top retro announcements this week. Epic Rights signs *NSYNC, one the bestselling bands of all-time with over 70 million records sold, in time for the 20th anniversary of the pop … [Read more...] about Guess Who’s Back

Corporate TM/Brands Up 2.7% in 2016; Food/Bev & Tech Lead

By: Karina Masolova, karina@plainlanguagemedia.com Retail sales of corporate trademark/brand-based licensing were up 2.7% worldwide in 2016, according to The Licensing Letter's Annual Licensing Business Survey. The U.S./Canada made up almost 80% of retail sales worldwide in 2016, and, in fact, grew at a faster rate than the rest of the world. The U.S./Canada counted $28 … [Read more...] about Corporate TM/Brands Up 2.7% in 2016; Food/Bev & Tech Lead

In & Around 34th Street

By: Karina Masolova, karina@plainlanguagemedia.com I try to trek down to 34th St. Herald Square, in central New York City, every once in a while. As we enter the holiday shopping season, there were some interesting licensed retail activities in and around town. The newest addition to Herald Square is the Build a Bear Workshop. The central attraction is the retailer's three … [Read more...] about In & Around 34th Street

Mass Channels Lead Corporate TM/Brand-based Licensed Sales

By: Karina Masolova, karina@plainlanguagemedia.com As noted in our lead story, the reason why royalties for trademarks/brands are historically lower is, in part, a consequence of many licensed goods being sold through the mass retailer channels. So while the low overhead in these stores brings prices (and royalties) down, the difference in profits compared to other channels is … [Read more...] about Mass Channels Lead Corporate TM/Brand-based Licensed Sales