Sanrio joins forces with Snapchat to bring over 30 character stickers to the app, including Hello Kitty, My Melody, Badtz-Maru, Chococat, and Keroppi. The month-long partnership coincides with Sanrio Character Ranking 2017, an annual competition where fans get the chance to vote for their favorite Sanrio character. Each sticker used will count as a vote for the chosen … [Read more...] about Entertainment in Experiential & Social
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Who’s News
Rovio names Simo Hämäläinen as the new head of its brand licensing business. Firefly Brand Management promotes Pamela Harris to VP. She will continue to develop and direct the sales and licensing programs for clients including: Zoltar, Bob Ross, Jimi Hendrix, Pink’s Hot Dogs, Laura Ashley, Hell’s Kitchen, Legends Football League, and key entertainment properties from Endemol … [Read more...] about Who’s News
Licensed Sales Up 2.7% Worldwide; U.S./Canada Leads in Growth
Retail sales of licensed merchandise went up 2.7% worldwide in 2016 to reach $167.5 billion, according to TLL's Annual Licensing Business Survey. Generally, licensed sales outperformed GPD by a wide margin—despite low consumer spending power, retail activity was high. In areas seemingly plagued by political and economic instability, retail some Survey respondents reported … [Read more...] about Licensed Sales Up 2.7% Worldwide; U.S./Canada Leads in Growth
Licensing Litigation
Hollywood Reporter reports that Disney "narrowly preserved" a win against author Royce Mathew in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals over its Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. The legal battle has been on-and-off for over a decade, but the current controversy centers around a release Mathew signed when he withdrew a 2005 complaint alleging that Disney had used his work. Mathew … [Read more...] about Licensing Litigation
Who’s News
Open call Looking to hire or be hired? Contact our business development team to feature your listing on TLL. Just want to feature your new hires? Contact editorial. Simon Gresswell is the new COO of Sanrio, responsible for all business in EMEA, Oceania, South Africa, India as well as Mr Men Little Miss worldwide. The Kirby Organization launches a new licensing, endorsement, … [Read more...] about Who’s News
TLL’s Guide to Entertainment/Character-based Properties
Feature films, cartoon characters, and television programs are the basis of the bulk of Entertainment/Character licensing. A few properties, such as Hello Kitty and It’s Happy Bunny, which have no antecedent in any medium (they were created for merchandise), are also included here because they are treated much as “traditional” character licenses (rather than, say, like an art … [Read more...] about TLL’s Guide to Entertainment/Character-based Properties
TLL’s Guide to Collegiate-based Properties
College and university programs are driven largely by team sports, but also feature products to appeal to general school supporters, including alumni and current students. Click to view Retail Sales of Licensed Merchandise, Based on Collegiate Properties. Representative properties: Harvard, Oxford University, Notre Dame, Ohio State, University of Miami, University of … [Read more...] about TLL’s Guide to Collegiate-based Properties
TLL’s Guide to Product Categories
Product categories are based on the predominant way in which merchandise is classified by retailers and, by extension, licensors, manufacturers, and others in the business. Many products could fall within more than one classification. For example, plush could be considered either “Toys” or “Gifts/Novelties,” clocks could be “Housewares” or “Gifts/Novelties” or “Electronics,” … [Read more...] about TLL’s Guide to Product Categories
TLL’s Guide to Video Game/Interactive/Online-based Properties
This sector includes videogames and videogame-based characters; online-originated properties such as virtual worlds, YouTube videos, blogs, webisodic series, Pinterest, Vine, Snapchat, Instagram, and other social media accounts, texting emoticons, and e-mail greeting cards; mobile apps; and other digital properties. In some cases, such as Pokémon, the licensing is split between … [Read more...] about TLL’s Guide to Video Game/Interactive/Online-based Properties
TLL’s Guide to Traditional Toy/Game-based Properties
This sector includes board games, non-electronic toys, and characters that grow out of such toys and games. If the brand has licensing activity tied to films or television programming, that portion would be included under "Entertainment/Character". Click to view Retail Sales of Licensed Merchandise, Based on Traditional Toy/Game Properties. Representative properties: Bakugan, … [Read more...] about TLL’s Guide to Traditional Toy/Game-based Properties