By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief The 'Play and Entertainment' conglomerate Hasbro has for the first time outlined its future plans in a live investor event, and as expected, the news will be game changing for the company and for its licensing partners worldwide. Sit down and grab yourself a coffee or tea, because it's a LOT. At the core of the announcement, Hasbro has … [Read more...] about Special Report: The Future of Hasbro
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Licensing Letter Editor To Deliver Keynote at Octane5 Event
Octane5, the company behind the BrandComply Licensing Enterprise Platform, has announced its 2021 International Open House March 4, 2021, featuring The Licensing Letter Editor in Chief Gary Symons as the keynote speaker. Symons, who also presented Rise of the Virtual Influencer at the SPLiCE Conference last month (Society of Product Licensors Committed to Excellence), will … [Read more...] about Licensing Letter Editor To Deliver Keynote at Octane5 Event
We Want To Hear From You In Annual TLL Survey
The Licensing Letter has launched its Annual Licensing Survey for 2020/21, and we want to hear your opinion on one of the most difficult years in our industry, and what you think is coming for 2021 and beyond. The oldest survey in the industry, the Annual Licensing Survey is a key part of our data offerings for the industry, and the more answers we get, the better and more … [Read more...] about We Want To Hear From You In Annual TLL Survey
Twin Studies Predict Strong Recovery For Licensing and Retail
By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief Two key reports released over the past two weeks illustrate the devastating impact of COVID-19 on the licensing and retail industries … but they also paint an encouraging picture for the economic recovery of both sectors as vaccination programs roll out in America and around the world. License Global released its report—COVID-19: What … [Read more...] about Twin Studies Predict Strong Recovery For Licensing and Retail
LEGO Named World’s Most Popular Kids Entertainment Brand
By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief According to a sweeping new report on brands for children, LEGO is now the most popular kids’ entertainment brand in the world, followed by Disney, Marvel, Barbie, and with Paw Patrol rounding out the Top 5. The data comes via a report from Brand Trends, in which mothers provided answers to a survey on behalf of their children, from ages 0 … [Read more...] about LEGO Named World’s Most Popular Kids Entertainment Brand
Hasbro Not Toying Around With Gina Carano
By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief Talk about a rough week at the office. Toy giant Hasbro says it will no longer produce any toys featuring former Mandalorian star Gina Carano, who plays the part of the popular character Cara Dune. Carano was fired from her role in the hit Disney+ series after posting a series of controversial social media messages, she was dropped by her … [Read more...] about Hasbro Not Toying Around With Gina Carano
Rebel Music Streamer Audiomack Clinches Deals With Universal, Sony
By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief Audiomack, a music streaming service with a difference, has concluded key licensing agreements with Universal Music and Sony Music. The deal follows on its first agreement with one of the Big Three music publishers, when it signed a licensing agreement in 2019 with Warner Music, and then expanded that agreement to additional markets in … [Read more...] about Rebel Music Streamer Audiomack Clinches Deals With Universal, Sony
Google Gives Ground in War Over Who Pays For News
By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief US tech giant Google has announced a new policy to pay for some licensed news content in the UK, after coming under intense fire in Europe and Australia for allegedly profiting from news content without compensating the news organizations that produce that content. Google is now faced with new legislation that could force it to pay massive … [Read more...] about Google Gives Ground in War Over Who Pays For News
A Tale of Two Toymakers Influences Their Content Goals
Hasbro Restructuring Eone, Mattel Creating More Content By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief The toy industry enjoyed a surprisingly strong year in 2020, despite and partly because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but that doesn't mean toymakers haven't faced serious challenges in their operations. Despite the strong year for toy sales overall, Hasbro has seen a drop in their share … [Read more...] about A Tale of Two Toymakers Influences Their Content Goals
TikTok And Universal Expand Their Musical Alliance
Universal Music Group (UMG) has entered into a landmark agreement with TikTok that will continue its transformation of the way music is marketed and sold. As earlier reported in The Licensing Letter, TikTok has entered into a number of music licensing agreements with publishers that allow its users to combine popular song tracks with their short videos on the social media … [Read more...] about TikTok And Universal Expand Their Musical Alliance