The Licensing Letter

Toys and Games

Topps Hits a Hot Market Home Run

By Glenn Demby A Topps official described it as “the perfect storm.” 285-pound Mets pitcher Bartolo Colon is a beloved player with a cult following who also happens to play in New York. And he picked the perfect time to strike his blow—a Saturday evening game on national TV airing just a few minutes after the Kentucky Derby. But while luck played a part, Topps’s spectacular … [Read more...] about Topps Hits a Hot Market Home Run

Turtles Toys Twice as Big as 2014

Licensed Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles figures from Playmates were the top toy of 2014, according to The NPD Group, when the last franchise feature film was in theaters. In an effort to build on that success, the toy lines for this year's TMNT: Out of the Shadows are expected to be twice as big, sources recently told TLL. Nickelodeon last week announced lines from Playmates … [Read more...] about Turtles Toys Twice as Big as 2014

Store Check: Target at Culver City, CA

By Marcy Magiera A week before Disney’s Zootopia scampered into theaters accompanied by predictions of a $67 million opening weekend, limited merchandise was on the shelf at Target stores. A local Target in Culver City, Calif., gave the new IP a toy aisle endcap, sparsely filled with small action figures, playsets and plush. It was unclear whether the selection was already … [Read more...] about Store Check: Target at Culver City, CA

Toys/Games, Food/Beverage & Apparel Lead Growth on Products Side

For the second straight year, toys/games was the fastest growing product category, posting an 8.1% increase. Growth in toy and game merchandise has mirrored (and fed off of) the success of the entertainment/character property type over the past three years. As in 2013 and 2014, connection to “A-list” entertainment properties like Frozen, Star Wars and Minions drove growth in … [Read more...] about Toys/Games, Food/Beverage & Apparel Lead Growth on Products Side

TOTY’s Top Toys Hit the Nostalgic, Tech Sweet Spots

By Karina Masolova The 113th North American International Toy Fair once again played host to the The Toy Industry Association's annual Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards. Three of the top toys are licensed—sweeping the boy's, girl's and preschool categories—with Doc McStuffins in the top stop for the preschool and overall toy of the year. Unsurprisingly, the top brand was Disney's … [Read more...] about TOTY’s Top Toys Hit the Nostalgic, Tech Sweet Spots

Toy Fair 2016

By Karina Masolova While last year’s Toy Fair was dominated by Frozen and Minions, this year their effects were felt more literally, with attendees braving sub-zero degree weather. Although the power brands are nowhere near gone, there was a greater diversity of new properties as well as nostalgia-fueled reboots, re-launches and spinoffs. Technology-enhanced play and STEAM (if … [Read more...] about Toy Fair 2016

NPD: Star Wars Toy Sales One-Third Higher than Frozen

By Marcy Magiera Star Wars, the space epic whose newest chapter has knocked down box-office records around the world, also drove sales of movie licensed toys up by almost 10% in 2015, according to The NPD Group's year-end accounting of U.S. toy sales. Connection to entertainment content was the key driver behind the growth of the toy industry in 2015, NPD found, with overall … [Read more...] about NPD: Star Wars Toy Sales One-Third Higher than Frozen

The State of Girls’ Toys

By Karina Masolova 2016 promises to be bigger than ever for licensed toys and games. Category sales reached almost $7 billion in 2014, according to TLL’s Annual Licensing Business Survey, and are expected to grow this year. But amidst soaring success, girls’ toys have been seeing slumping sales, with giants such as Mattel and Hasbro reporting declines. To counter this, the … [Read more...] about The State of Girls’ Toys

Toy Sales to Grow This Holiday Season With Boost from Licensing

By Karina Masolova, additional reporting by Marcy Magiera Toy sales are on the up, thanks to licensed goods, as researchers are predicting a very merry holiday season for toy manufacturers and retailers around the world. With no one brand or trend dominating this year, retailers are stocking up on a variety of toys and games—translating into financial success across the … [Read more...] about Toy Sales to Grow This Holiday Season With Boost from Licensing