The publishing sector includes three primary areas: Books, newspapers/magazines, and comic books and strips. Licensing of books is dominated by children’s titles and focuses on children’s book characters. However, there are also specialized imprints for adults such as Rand McNally, Berlitz, and For Dummies, and some adult nonfiction authors have launched licensing efforts as … [Read more...] about TLL’s Guide to Publishing-based Properties
TLL's Guide to Property Types and Product Categories
TLL’s Guide to Non-Profit-based Properties
Technically, a non-profit is defined by its status as a charitable institution. However, within that broad categorization, non-profit licensing programs tend to focus on healthcare, environmental/nature, animal rescue, and relief/social service organizations. Some non-profit organizations fall into other licensing sectors; non-profit museums are categorized under “Art” and … [Read more...] about TLL’s Guide to Non-Profit-based Properties
TLL’s Guide to Music-based Properties
Musicians and bands, living and dead, are included in “Music.” Apart from merchandise licensing based on the individual or group name or imagery (the Rolling Stones tongue or the Grateful Dead dancing bears, for example), owners of music copyrights grant authorizations to perform or record music. These uses are outside the scope of consumer products licensing unless the usage … [Read more...] about TLL’s Guide to Music-based Properties
TLL’s Guide to Celebrity-based Properties
This sector includes living actors, actresses, models, chefs, business executives, and others. (Musicians, athletes, and artists are categorized under “Music,” “Sports,” and “Art,” respectively.) While many celebrity-based deals include endorsements and promotional tie-ins, we look exclusively at the product licensing generated by these individuals. However, sometimes … [Read more...] about TLL’s Guide to Celebrity-based Properties
TLL’s Guide to Property Types
Properties that are licensed, or with potential for licensing, come from many sources—from art to celebrities, fashion designers to feature films and television programs, sports leagues and personalities to toys, videogames, and food and beverage brands. Although some properties cross over into several sectors, for the most part they are classified under the property type … [Read more...] about TLL’s Guide to Property Types
TLL’s Guide to Fashion-based Properties
Fashion designers and labels primarily fall into three groups — apparel (and accessories), footwear, and home/interior design. Within these broad groups fall non-personality-driven labels, such as OP, Burberry, and Carter’s, and designer names, such as Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, and Norma Kamali. Fashion-rooted licensing programs typically enable the brand to expand into … [Read more...] about TLL’s Guide to Fashion-based Properties
TLL’s Guide to Art-Based Properties
Art licensing includes two sub-categories: Art & Artists Fine artists and designers (living and deceased) who create images with products in mind, including textile and surface designers, as well as fine artists who create art for art’s sake, for whom licensing is a secondary concern. The first group accounts for the lion’s share of art licensing; these artists’ work is … [Read more...] about TLL’s Guide to Art-Based Properties
TLL’s Guide to Estate-based Properties
Estate licensing includes deceased celebrities who would fall under the “Celebrities” category in life. Deceased celebrities whose licensing strategies remain the same in death as in life, primarily musicians, artists, and athletes, remain in “Music,” “Art,” and “Sports,” respectively. There are a few exceptions: Celebrities that started in one of those categories but have come … [Read more...] about TLL’s Guide to Estate-based Properties