The Licensing Letter

Industry Trends

NFTs, social media and new retail rules at Licensing U

Topics have been announced for Licensing U, part of Licensing Expo being produced in May by Licensing International. The goal of the program is to provide attendees with information on the licensing industry. Expert-led education topics will include NFTs, TikTok, retail, and more. Passes for Licensing U will become available on April 11 on the online platform. "The licensing … [Read more...] about NFTs, social media and new retail rules at Licensing U

Average Industry-Wide Royalty Rate Up 0.7 Percentage Points to Reach 8.87% in 2019

Contact the editor at karina@plainlanguagemedia.com The average royalty rate for consumer products licensing contracts jumped 0.7 percentage points to reach 8.87% in 2019, according to TLL’s 2019–2020 Licensing Business Survey. Since 2010, the industry-wide average royalty rate within the U.S. and Canada has grown by a mere 0.3 percentage points to reach 8.87% in 2019. Over … [Read more...] about Average Industry-Wide Royalty Rate Up 0.7 Percentage Points to Reach 8.87% in 2019

Retail Sales of Licensed Wearables Up in Every Territory in 2015

By Glenn S. Demby, Esq. Worldwide retail sales of apparel/accessories/footwear tied to licensed properties were up a robust 3.9% at just below $66.1 billion in 2015. Wearables is a bellwether of overall licensing business due not only to its size, but because it provides an outlet for so many of the industry's most important property types including fashion, … [Read more...] about Retail Sales of Licensed Wearables Up in Every Territory in 2015

Billboard the Latest to Use Private Partners to Expand in China

By Karina Masolova Billboard expands into China with a number of branded media platforms in partnership with Vision Music, a Chinese media company focusing on the entertainment, fashion, lifestyle and sports sectors. Under the agreement, Billboard will provide music content channels via multiple platforms, including print, internet and mobile. The announcement follows … [Read more...] about Billboard the Latest to Use Private Partners to Expand in China

6 Trends in Global Entertainment/Character Licensing

By Glenn S. Demby, Esq. Worldwide retail sales of licensed merchandise based on entertainment/character properties totaled $28.7 billion in 2015, according to TLL's Annual Licensing Business Survey. For the second year in a row, entertainment/character was the fastest growing property type—outdoing 2014's 4.8% increase with even more impressive growth of 6.3%. Here's a look at … [Read more...] about 6 Trends in Global Entertainment/Character Licensing

The Language of Licensing

By Karina Masolova The language of licensing is slowly shifting to reflect new practices and perceptions. To this end, TLL surveyed our readers to gauge the extent of these changes—and while the implications for the business are not necessarily immediate or obvious, they run deep and true. Walking the floor of Licensing Expo 2016, it was clear that there exists a strict … [Read more...] about The Language of Licensing

With VR, Top Entertainment Properties Weave a Web Around Fans

Virtual reality technology is giving entertainment licensors a way to immerse fans more fully in their favorite franchises, with perennial properties including Shrek and Star Wars positioned to reach fans in three dimensions. DreamWorks Animation has entered into a deal with visual effects house Digital Domain to produce VR experiences with popular DWA characters, including … [Read more...] about With VR, Top Entertainment Properties Weave a Web Around Fans

Pokémon GOes Viral in its 20th Anniversary Celebrations

By Karina Masolova Free-to-play augmented reality game Pokémon Go has caused quite a stir—with everyone from retailers to networks eager to get a piece of the pie. The game's success is born of arguably born of a cross between nostalgia for the classic franchise (Pokémon celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2016) as well as consumer excitement for new gaming technology. Pokémon … [Read more...] about Pokémon GOes Viral in its 20th Anniversary Celebrations

Vegan Cosmetics: The Newest Wave in Fashion Brand Building

By Glenn S. Demby, Esq. Quality is no longer enough. Today's consumers also want their brands to have a moral and social conscience. Few sectors have been more responsive to this demand than fashion. Perhaps the most dramatic illustration of this is the proliferation of vegan makeup brands. The Appeal of Vegan "Natural, organic and clean are the buzzwords across the beauty … [Read more...] about Vegan Cosmetics: The Newest Wave in Fashion Brand Building

New Players Enter the eSports Area

By Karina Masolova Turner's Cartoon Network EMEA is the latest company to enter the eSports arena with a single elimination live tournament based on its upcoming mobile game app Adventure Time Card Wars Kingdom in partnership with Machinima. Let's Play Flooping Card Wars! will stream on Machinima's Twitch channel on July 15, when four of the gaming culture site's top … [Read more...] about New Players Enter the eSports Area