It’s not a good thing. Martha Stewart Living Omnipedia Inc. reported a 49% loss in revenue ($17.1 million) for the first quarter. The losses, which weren’t entirely unexpected, were largely the result of lost advertising and subscription revenue on flagship Martha Stewart Living and Martha Stewart Weddings brands, which the company licensed to Meredith Corp. last year. The … [Read more...] about Meredith Deal Hurts Martha’s Licensing Revenues
Articles
Reese Witherspoon Launches Her Brand
Instead of simply endorsing or licensing their name and likeness for a product, many of today’s celebrities are putting up their own money seeking to build and own their personal brands. Victoria Beckham, Justin Timberlake (William Rast), gwen stefani (L.A.M.B.), and Jay-Z (Rocawear) are just a few who’ve made the entrepreneurial model work. Actress Reese Witherspoon is no … [Read more...] about Reese Witherspoon Launches Her Brand
From Brand to Art Work
Playboy’s teaming with Blitzway for a limited edition collection of art figurines designed by global artists featuring iconic Playboy images like the “Bunny” is the latest example of corporate brands being licensed to artists for art work. At $160 a pop, the Playboy deal is more about marketing than profit. “These deals promote artistic creation and give the brand a halo,” … [Read more...] about From Brand to Art Work
Kate Spade Expands in Latin America
Kate Spade & Co. will expand its cornerstone kate spade new york brand in Latin America through an exclusive distribution agreement with retailer and distributor Exclusive Brands International S. A. in 17 territories in Central and South America and the Caribbean. As a result, Kate Spade will no longer operate directly in Brazil. The move is in line with the fashion … [Read more...] about Kate Spade Expands in Latin America
Sears’ Plans Not Friendly to Licensing
Sears/Kmart plans to use funds from real estate sales to transform the company from “outdated traditional store” to one that uses digital technology and personal data to engage customers and find out what they want to buy. While it doesn’t eliminate brick-and-mortar, the plan presages store closings, smaller inventories, and less shelf space for licensed apparel, toys, and … [Read more...] about Sears’ Plans Not Friendly to Licensing
Margaritaville Coming to HSN
HSN is teaming with Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville Enterprises to bring a line of new Margaritaville-inspired cooking, home, electronics, beauty, and apparel products to HSN and HSN Inc. Cornerstone division brands, Frontgate and Travelsmith. The collaboration, HSN’s largest partnership of the year so far, will promote the themes of escapism, relaxation and the “Margaritaville … [Read more...] about Margaritaville Coming to HSN
Frozen Selling 10 Times Faster Than Last Year
If you thought Frozen was a one-year wonder, forget it. Sales of Frozen licensed merchandise for the year are up 10 times above where they were last year at this time, according to Disney officials during a press conference. Earned licensing revenues for Frozen are up 23% over last year. Of course, the big Frozen surge came at the end of 2014. Even so, the Walt Disney Company … [Read more...] about Frozen Selling 10 Times Faster Than Last Year
Pro Sports Licensed Retail Sales Score 5% Increase in 2014: Most Leagues Grow, Driven by Apparel
This is a golden age for pro sports in North America. You can see it in not only the record TV ratings and attendance figures, but also at the cash registers. According to The Licensing Letter's Annual Licensing Business Survey , retail sales of licensed sports goods topped $14.1 billion in 2014. Sports properties now account for 14.1% of all licensed goods sold in the U.S. and … [Read more...] about Pro Sports Licensed Retail Sales Score 5% Increase in 2014: Most Leagues Grow, Driven by Apparel
Ecommerce Grows as Channel for Sports Licensed Goods; Department Stores Down
Mirroring North American trends, retail sales of licensed sports products in the U.S. and Canada originating in the ecommerce channel grew slightly in 2014; department store sales were down a tad and the other channels stayed steady, according to TLL’s Annual Licensing Business Survey. Here’s a quick overview of the TLL distribution findings for sports. Mass/Discount & … [Read more...] about Ecommerce Grows as Channel for Sports Licensed Goods; Department Stores Down
Women lighten up on fragrance, but men spritz with a heavier hand
New research from The NPD Group shows a shift in Americans' fragrance preferences, with women gravitating toward lighter fragrance concentrations such as colognes, while men increasingly purchase eau de parfums (EDP), richer concentrations not traditionally used by American men. Prestige retail dollar sales of men's EDP reached $51.0 million in the year ended February 2015, … [Read more...] about Women lighten up on fragrance, but men spritz with a heavier hand