The Licensing Letter

Retailers

Toys R Us Is Back in Business … Again

Big news for those in the toy and toy licensing industry, as brand management company WHP Global announced Monday it has acquired the controlling interest in Tru Kids, the parent company of Toys R Us, Babies R Us and the Geoffrey the Giraffe brand. Toys R Us has struggled to survive in a world beset by a rapid shift to e-commerce, and filed for bankruptcy protection in 2017. … [Read more...] about Toys R Us Is Back in Business … Again

LEGO Caps Breakout Year With 13% Growth

By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief The LEGO Group has been on a tear throughout fiscal 2020, launching new and innovative products, signing key licensing deals, and continuing its run as one of the world's top kids' entertainment companies. That success has also translated into growing revenue, as the European tosco reported a 13% increase in revenue to $7 billion, at a time … [Read more...] about LEGO Caps Breakout Year With 13% Growth

Minecraft Gets Physical With Scavenger Hunt

The massively popular online world of Minecraft has now crossed into the real, physical world in an innovative cross-promotion with the Australian department store chain Big W. Minecraft, which allows players to build out their own virtual worlds and environments, is considered by many to be the world's best-selling video game of all time. Now, fans in Australia are seeing the … [Read more...] about Minecraft Gets Physical With Scavenger Hunt

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

Fanatics & Lids Reach Long-Term Deal With BNED

The sports merchandise company Fanatics has added to its long list of critical deals in 2020 with a long-term merchandising partnership with Barnes & Noble Education Inc. (BNED), the campus store division of the Barnes & Noble parent company. Fanatics will offer BNED campus stores an expanded product selection and a direct-to-consumer platform. Fanatics' partly-owned … [Read more...] about Fanatics & Lids Reach Long-Term Deal With BNED

Tesco Releases its Top Ten Toy List for Xmas 2020

What’s the top toy on every retailer’s Christmas list this year? According to the Britsh supermarket giant Tesco, a doll that talks about its feelings tops the Xmas Wish List for 2020, followed closely by Lego’s Super Mario Starter Course, which also placed highly last year. The Kindi Kids ‘Shiver & Shake’ Rainbow Kate is an interactive doll featuring over 40 sounds and … [Read more...] about Tesco Releases its Top Ten Toy List for Xmas 2020

Discounters, Specialty Channels Drive Licensed Entertainment/Character Sales in 2019

Contact the editor at karina@plainlanguagemedia.com Brick-and-mortar channels fielded 81.2% of all licensed entertainment- and character-based sales in 2019, according to TLL’s Annual Licensing Business Survey. Physical retail’s share of U.S. and Canadian sales has decreased from 86.0% in 2009, when TLL began tracking this data. Since then, ecommerce channels have jumped … [Read more...] about Discounters, Specialty Channels Drive Licensed Entertainment/Character Sales in 2019