Five years ago, Toys 'R' Us opened 350 holiday express pop-up stores during the fourth quarter. The program was vastly scaled back the following year and has pretty much disappeared. And while TRU wasn’t the first to implement a pop-up concept, its efforts in 2009 gave rise to a wide array of much smaller—often single-unit pop-ups—that have been as much about promotion as … [Read more...] about Variations on a Retail Theme
TLL
Sequels and Spinoffs and Standalones, Oh My; Studios are Developing a Wealth of Licensable Projects Through 2020
Sixty-nine sequels, 32 comics spinoffs, three new mummies, and two standalone spin-offs that don’t quite count as sequels, but should have some familiarity from their links to existing properties. That’s the quick tally of feature film releases with strong licensing potential from May 2015 through 2020. The semi-annual chart, which starts on page 3 of this issue, includes 118 … [Read more...] about Sequels and Spinoffs and Standalones, Oh My; Studios are Developing a Wealth of Licensable Projects Through 2020
Adam Levine Adds Womenswear at Kmart
Adam Levine — Maroon 5 lead singer and coach on “The Voice” — is adding a womenswear line to complement the menswear he has at 500 Kmarts. But licensing is about marketing — for both partners. Kmart loyalty program members will have access to exclusive Levine content, and the singer will field questions during a series of Style Chats. … [Read more...] about Adam Levine Adds Womenswear at Kmart
PGA Tour Adds More Superstores
PGA Tour Superstore is adding three more outlets in Orlando, Florida; North Scottsdale, Arizona; and Southlake, Texas in 2014 and plans to more than double its current retail footprint over the next five years, according to the Tour. PGA tour Superstore currently has 19 locations ranging from 40,000 to 50,000 square feet each. The retailer plans to have up to 50 locations by … [Read more...] about PGA Tour Adds More Superstores
Get Your Paul Frank Bento Box
Room Copenhagen, which has been producing LEGO beverage and storage products for several years, and Pantone plates, mugs, trays, and desk accessories, just added the Paul Frank license from Saban for the U.S. Items are centered around lunch kits, travel cups, and similar items, displayed here at this week's media preview for the International Home & Housewares Show. For the … [Read more...] about Get Your Paul Frank Bento Box
Who’s News
Kathryn Klinger joins Creata USA as Director of Licensing and Marketing, overseeing properties such as Monster 500. Klinger joins from G.A. Gertmenian. … [Read more...] about Who’s News
Cool Gear Takes Creative Approach to Licensed Goods
The headline over the poster rings true: Coca-Cola and Cool Gear, a new licensee, genuinely appear to be collaborating. Note the tray at the forefront of the photo below — modeled on a Coke bottle cap. A similar design element adorns the travel cup with the straw, both as shown at today's NYC preview of the International Home and Housewares Show (the main show is in Chicago … [Read more...] about Cool Gear Takes Creative Approach to Licensed Goods
Themed and Specialty TV Channels Build Global Licensing Programs
Global broadcasters have been launching licensing programs based on their themed or specialty television channels. In the past six months: Fox International, Fox One Stop Media Licensing & Merchandising, and agent P&L Global forged a direct-to-retail deal with La Polar stores in Chile for a line of T-shirts, sleepwear, bibs, and other products tied to BabyTV. UKTV … [Read more...] about Themed and Specialty TV Channels Build Global Licensing Programs
Pet-Related Licensed Products Focus on Unique Feature or Underserved Niches
It seems as if almost every property has a license for pet products, from celebrities (Bret Michaels with PetSmart) and characters (Angry Birds with Hartz Mountain) to apparel brands (Dickies with A Crowded Coop) and interior designers (Jennifer Adams with JLA Pets). While some licensed pet products have certainly seen success at retail, many have been nonstarters, either not … [Read more...] about Pet-Related Licensed Products Focus on Unique Feature or Underserved Niches
Character and Toy Properties License Into a Gem of a Category
The jewelry sector-increasingly including precious as well as costume pieces-has been an area of interest for character and toy licensors in recent months: Big Tent signed HNJ Jewelry for a line of fine pieces-including necklaces, bracelets, and rings-tied to the Japanese character Domo. The range is sold globally (outside of Asia) through department, specialty, and … [Read more...] about Character and Toy Properties License Into a Gem of a Category