By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief MGM's roaring lion is now purring happily in the Amazon stable, after the eCommerce giant acquired the historic film studio in a critical, $8.45 billion deal. That sum makes the MGM acquisition the second largest in Amazon's history, but Jeff Bezos and crew are betting their investment will pay off as part of the company's strategy to … [Read more...] about Amazon Shakes Up Streaming With MGM Acquisition
Amazon
We Can All Look Better, Thanks to Queer Eye Licensing Deal
Sartorially challenged men and women everywhere can rest easy, knowing a new licensing agreement will bring the Emmy award winning fashion sense of Queer Eye to an ecommerce portal near you. Scout Productions, the company behind the hit series, announced on November 5 a multi-layered licensing program of new products and the launch of QueerEyeStore.com, bringing fans all … [Read more...] about We Can All Look Better, Thanks to Queer Eye Licensing Deal
Who’s News: September 2019
Are you hiring—or being promoted, changing jobs, retiring, launching a new company, or otherwise changing your employment? Contact the Editor at karina@plainlanguagemedia.com to announce the news in our next issue of Who's News. Direct contact information is made available through TLL's Licensing Sourcebook Online (subscription required). 8/19/2019 Update Endemol Shine North … [Read more...] about Who’s News: September 2019
Discount, Ecommerce Channels Add $1.3 Billion in U.S. & Canada Licensed Sales
Contact the editor at karina@plainlanguagemedia.com The discount/mass and online/ecommerce channels alone added an additional $1.3 billion in licensed retail sales in 2018, according to TLL's Annual Licensing Business Survey. That's exactly 91.0% of the $1.5 billion growth in licensed retail sales from 2017. The share of retail sales of licensed merchandise conducted … [Read more...] about Discount, Ecommerce Channels Add $1.3 Billion in U.S. & Canada Licensed Sales
Wrap-Up: Experiential, Promotional & Personalized
Contact the editor at karina@plainlanguagemedia.com King Features taps toxicfox for a Betty Boop personalized character collection that allows users to transform their likeness into Betty Boop character art that can then be printed onto a wide range of items including mugs, suitcases, tote bags, and apparel. Currently available in the U.K. and Ireland, the collection is coming … [Read more...] about Wrap-Up: Experiential, Promotional & Personalized
The Boom of Private Label: Why DTR Licensing is Crucial to Retailer Success
By Yizan He, Founder & CEO of Alfilo Brands, www.alfilo.com. Note from the editor: Just under half (43%) of respondents to TLL's Licensing Business Survey said that the incidence of direct-to-retail (DTR) deals increased in 2018 compared to the previous year. A roughly equal share said that the number stayed the same or decreased (17% each; the remaining 22% indicated they … [Read more...] about The Boom of Private Label: Why DTR Licensing is Crucial to Retailer Success
Digital Deets: Retail, Social & Gaming Updates
Gen Z is shopping more frequently and spending more on fashion than Millennials are, according to a study from LIM College. Although the two generations tend to align in overall values, Gen Zers tend to appreciate the material things in life, including shopping at malls and physical stores. It's not only Gen Z—this last holiday season, everyone appreciated the convenience of … [Read more...] about Digital Deets: Retail, Social & Gaming Updates
Retail Watch: Thanksgiving, Black Friday & Other Trends
Contact the Editor at karina@plainlanguagemedia.com. Here are the top trends and data points to help you digest this five-day holiday weekend. This story has been updated for Dec. 3, 2018 to incorporate additional data, especially for Cyber Monday. The National Retail Federation (NRF) predicts that holiday sales, both in-store and online, will increase anywhere from 4.3% to … [Read more...] about Retail Watch: Thanksgiving, Black Friday & Other Trends
One-Quarter of Top 2018 Holiday Toys are Licensed
Contact the Editor at karina@plainlanguagemedia.com. Roughly 29% of the top 2018 holiday toys are licensed, according to lists created by Walmart, Target, Amazon, and Kmart. In 2017, retail sales of licensed toys/games sank -4.4% to $7.7 billion in the U.S./Canada, according to TLL’s Annual Licensing Business Survey. This was largely due to the impact of the Toys 'R' Us … [Read more...] about One-Quarter of Top 2018 Holiday Toys are Licensed
Retail Watch: Holiday, Online & Experiential
Contact the Editor at karina@plainlanguagemedia.com. Online holiday shopping sales hit a record $108 billion last year, per ORIS Intelligence. The research firm identifies Amazon Prime Day, the 36 hour-long global shopping event, as the leading such event, beating out Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales combined. And with greater sales comes an increase in pricing parity: ORIS … [Read more...] about Retail Watch: Holiday, Online & Experiential