The Licensing Letter

Articles

The Future of Ecommerce is In-store

By Karina Masolova, karina@plainlanguagemedia.com With traditional retail business models crashing down, and ecommerce on the rise, retailers will need the power of brands to thrive. Two dominant trends emerge when looking at the future of retail: retail-tainment and omnichannel. Despite the rise of ecommerce, shoppers still prefer to see, touch, and experience products. … [Read more...] about The Future of Ecommerce is In-store

Spotlight: Kids’ Tech Toys

We had the chance to attend the Kids’ & Family Tech Expo in New York, where attendees showed off the latest in tech innovations to hit the toy shelves. The name of the game is STREAM, and to be more specific, programming and engineering. But while many toys were meant for a younger set, the price point was relatively high—targeting the pure-play offerings topping … [Read more...] about Spotlight: Kids’ Tech Toys

Who’s News — 9/18/2017

Julia Jensen is SVP, Publicity & Communications for Warner Bros. Entertainment Consumer Products. Nickelodeon names Jose L. Castro as SVP Softlines. Castro will manage existing partnerships and develop new business opportunities across all categories including apparel, accessories, and home goods. He will also serve as the liaison for all global fashion collaborations and … [Read more...] about Who’s News — 9/18/2017

Preschool Properties With Some Licensing Activity

The preschool market is one of the most stable we track, compared to other property types and product categories. In 2016, licensed retail sales of preschool brand-based, preschool-oriented merchandise grew 6.7% to reach almost $12.8 billion. You've seen the top 20 list—now TLL is releasing a selection previously available only to paid subscribers. See below for an accounting … [Read more...] about Preschool Properties With Some Licensing Activity

Retailer’s Top Toys of the 2017 Holiday Season

By Karina Masolova, karina@plainlanguagemedia.com The top toy lists from Toys 'R' Us, Target, Amazon, Walmart, and Kohl's are out! Just over one-third of the top toys of the holiday season are licensed offerings. This year, we've identified which toys are licensed, their respective manufacturer, and which are exclusive to the retailer. See the complete list below. In 2016, … [Read more...] about Retailer’s Top Toys of the 2017 Holiday Season

TRU’s Debt & Other Toy/Game News

By Karina Masolova, karina@plainlanguagemedia.com In the face of a $400 million debt due in 2018, Toys 'R' Us has retained a law firm to help restructure its financial obligations. The toy retailer has not ruled out bankruptcy as part of its plan, and is also looking at obtaining additional financing. TRU is also continuing to work with financial advisory firm Lazard, which … [Read more...] about TRU’s Debt & Other Toy/Game News

Spotlight: K-Food in America

By Karina Masolova, karina@plainlanguagemedia.com While Korean food (K-food) is just a small part of the speciality foods industry, it's the touchpoint for many questions about branding, such as: What does it take to market an entire industry? A country? American retail sales of specialty foods reached $99 billion in 2016, and make up 15% of all retail food sales, according … [Read more...] about Spotlight: K-Food in America

The Appeal Behind the Top $100+ Million Brands

The top $100 million entertainment/character brands aren't equal when it comes to consumer engagement, awareness, and appeal. According to E-Poll Market Research's E-Score character survey for adults aged 13–49, while most of the top-selling properties on our list have what we could consider "universal appeal" across all age groups, some don't. Using their data, we've compiled … [Read more...] about The Appeal Behind the Top $100+ Million Brands

Founders Beware: Retaining Ownership of IP

Departing the organization you helped found without an agreement as to ownership of intellectual property could mean leaving your property behind, according to a recent decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. The Federal Circuit held in Lyons v. Am. College of Veterinary Sports Med. & Rehab. that an originator of a service mark may not own the mark … [Read more...] about Founders Beware: Retaining Ownership of IP