Fall 2016

BRAND LICENSING EUROPE: ENTERTAINMENT PROPERTIES FIND INTERNATIONAL APPEAL

NFLPA: PLAYERS AND BRANDS PARTNER FOR PROMOTIONS WITH PERSONALITY

PJ Masks ©Frog Box/Ent. One UK Ltd/Disney 2014

Splash and Bubbles VOLUME 33, NUMBER 3

Features 16 The Real Faces of the NFL The NFLPA pairs real-life NFL players with brands to interact with fans on a personal level.

20 Casinos, Slot Machine Suppliers Betting on Licensing With slot machine betting down, casinos and slot machine suppliers are increasingly relying on licensing in a bid to lure a younger audience.

26 Brand Licensing Europe Showcase Our annual look at London’s licensing show, featuring coverage of international brands and properties, and what’s being introduced on the world’s stage.

48 Millennial Moms LIMA Senior Director of Marketing Christina Jordan describes how the licensing industry is shifting to cater to a brand new generation of moms.

Departments 8 Jackie’s Point 9 Stat Shot 10 Licensing News 12 LIMA UK 14 Blogger Bash 2016 22 Licensing 101 24 Property Profile: Kate & MimMim 44 Outside the Box 46 Talking SEO 49 Of Counsel

THE LICENSING BOOK, Fall 2016 — “THE LICENSING BOOK” (ISSN-0741-0107) is published quarterly by Adventure Publishing Group, Inc.®, 307 Seventh Ave., Room 1601, New York, New York, 10001. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY 10001 and additional mailing offices. © 2016 Adventure Publishing Group, Inc ®. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Printed in U.S.A. Subscription rates: $48 per year. THE LICENSING BOOK, THE LICENSING BOOK INTERNATIONAL, WORLDWIDE LICENSING and the “WLE” design, are trademarks and service marks of Adventure Publishing Group, Inc.® registered in the United States Patent & Trademark Office Postmaster: Send address changes to THE LICENSING BOOK, c/o Adventure Publishing Group, 307 Seventh Ave., Room 1601, New York, New York, 10001.

JACKIE’S POINT THIS SUMMER, MY HUSBAND AND I took our kids to Jellystone Park for a family vacation. Of course, our 6 year old’s first question was, “Who is Yogi Bear?” She also didn’t really understand why he was always stealing pic-a-nic baskets, and why we found that so amusing. “Stealing is wrong.”

True. But nostalgia is oh so right. I’m a young Gen Xer (and proud of it!), and my husband is technically a Millennial, but barely.

As parents of two young kids, we impart our nostalgia on them somewhat regularly. This is an important point, because it’s pretty typical of parents from our age group. We have a yearning for simpler times, and let’s admit it: Some of the best properties came out of the 1980s. Now, Yogi Bear is originally a product of the late 1950s, and I’m sure the reason I love Yogi is, in part, due to my parents’ nostalgia, but it’s mostly due to the show’s airing on Cartoon Network’s Cartoon Express animation block throughout my childhood.

Before this summer, I didn’t even know there was a chain of Jellystone Park campgrounds—and I was concerned, at first, that my kids wouldn’t care for Yogi and his pal Boo-Boo, but once they saw our excitement, they were gung ho. Funnily enough, last week I received a press release with the headline, “Maturing Millennial Population Helps Jellystone Park Franchisees Top $100 Million in Revenue for the First Time.”

There is money to be made as “maturing millennials” look to share their favorite childhood memories with their kids. There were far fewer sources of entertainment for kids in the 1980s, so the beloved characters of that era provoke strong memories in the generation of young parents who grew up them.

This is a licensing gold mine, and many manufacturers have already figured this out.

Retro products are most apparent in apparel and toys. Take a walk through Target stores and you’ll see juniors’ apparel featuring a number of retro licenses and styles.

The toy and game aisles boast a number of retro-look products as well.

Next year, Wicked Cool Toys will release Teddy Ruxpin to a new generation of kids.

The announcement was made at Fall Toy Preview in Dallas, where the toy industry gathers

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Adventure Publishing Group Inc.® Vol. 33, No. 3, Fall 2016

each year for an early look at new products for the following year. The announcement was met with a good deal of buzz and excitement, as Teddy Ruxpin was one of the most iconic toys of the 1980s. A number of other toy companies are expanding on or launching retro toy lines next year, which will undoubtedly be met with enthusiasm by retailers and consumers alike.

One concern to watch out for when re-launching a retro property is authenticity.

There are a lot of ingredients that go into a successful re-launch, but one key element is the excitement of the parent (i.e. the one who is experiencing the nostalgia, and the one with the wallet). Wicked Cool strikes an excellent balance with its new Teddy by maintaining its core look and concept. It’s a storytelling plush bear in the image of the original. There is an accompanying app, which allows kids to follow along with Teddy’s tales, but the toy can work without the app as well.

When you take a retro property and refresh it for a younger generation, it’s important to maintain the key elements that parents recognize; you don’t want to lose site of the “retro” appeal. Getting carried away with a total revamp of entertainment, characters, and too much technology leaves parents feeling a lack of connection, and—potentially—disappointment. You may as well just launch a brand new property if you’re going to change it that drastically.

Some might argue that this summer’s Ghostbusters reboot walked that fine line.

Some hardcore fans felt it was a bit too different from the original, and perhaps a more direct reboot (i.e. with male leads) that paid more homage to the original would have sold more collector-style product. Personally, I loved the new film and have a collection of toys to prove it.

•••• Jackie Breyer is editor-in-chief and co-publisher of The Licensing Book, and editorial director at Adventure Publishing. She has been reporting on the toy and licensing industries for 14 years. Contact her at jbreyer@adventurepub.com.

Laurie Schacht President laurieschacht@aol.com Jonathan Samet Co-Publisher jsamet@adventurepub.com Jackie Breyer Co-Publisher/Editor-in-Chief jbreyer@adventurepub.com Marissa DiBartolo Senior Editor mdibartolo@adventurepub.com Ali Mierzejewski Senior Editor amierzejewski@adventurepub.com Stephanie Grassullo Assistant Editor sgrassullo@adventurepub.com Maddie Michalik Assistant Editor mmichalik@adventurepub.com Joe Ibraham Art Director jibraham@adventurepub.com Ronel Puello Editorial Assistant rpuello@adventurepub.com Bill Reese Production Director breese@adventurepub.com Lori Rubin Comptroller lrubin@adventurepub.com

Adventure Publishing Group, Inc.® 307 Seventh Ave., Suite 1601 New York, NY 10001 Telephone: (212) 575-4510; Fax: (212) 575-4521

Fall 2016

Growing reliance on mobile technology is changing the way smartphone users across all generations interact with brands and companies. Mobile-optimized websites and apps are now the rule, rather than the exception, and brands that do not provide easy mobile access to information and products risk alienating shoppers and losing their loyalty (and discretionary income) for years to come.

The ever-growing presence of smartphones in the lives of consumers means new opportunties for brands to better reach their target markets and develop marketing strategies, products, and services suited for the mobile customer. These opportunties are strongest among the emerging segment of digital natives.

Source: Euromonitor International: Global Consumer Trends Survey 2016

Fall 2016

The Licensing Book • 9

LICENSING NEWS

A New Breed of Female Heroines Changes the Landscape of Popular Girls’ Brands According to a new report from Kidz Global, new international, entertainment-based brands are eroding the reign of classic girls’ products and brands worldwide. Barbie was the leading global brand for girls in 2012, but this year the classic doll shared the top spot with Disney’s Frozen.

Hello Kitty also lost ground to Peppa Pig and My Little Pony, both of which are entertainment-based and growing in popularity.

Kidz Global’s research suggests that entertainment-based brands tend to be the most popular. The firm attributes Frozen’s success to the global movie’s release in 2013, as well as the content released in partnership with Netflix. As a result of Disney’s Alibaba partnership and the opening of its new resort in Shanghai earlier this year, the franchise is still popular for girls in China, even with the country’s restrictions on foreign content. “The current trend is for female heroines who are bold, active, and empowered” says Philippe Guinaudeau, CEO of Kidz Global.

Additionally, statistics show that although quiet, consensual characters are popular with children aged 0 to 6, above the age of 7 kids are instead looking for empowered characters and plenty of action and humor, which is exactly what they can find with the likes of the top brands listed above” adds Guinaudeau.

In Russia and China, local brands still perform well alongside entertainment-based international brands. That being said, children welcome global characters they are able to discover via digital content or movies, which suggest that there is still potential for international brands to reach success in emerging countries.

Shaftesbury/Smokebomb, TPF Toys Dive into Deals for Splashlings Shaftesbury/Smokebomb and TPF Toys signed licensees in the U.S. for the mermaid-themed property Splashlings.

New licenses for Splashlings include clothing for girls ages 4 to 14 from Children’s Apparel Network; sleepwear and underwear from Intimo; cold weather accessories, rain gear, and hats from Concept 1; stationery and beauty from Fashion Angels; backpacks, bags, and accessories from Global Designs; bedding and bath from Jay Franco; cookies from Clever Cookies; and candy from Boston America.

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FremantleMedia Kids & Family, Shellhut Entertainment Partner for Comedy Series FremantleMedia Kids & Family (FMK) announced that the animated comedy series Tasty Tales of the Food Truckers will be the first project from its co-production deal with Shellhut Entertainment.

Targeting kids ages 6 to 9, the series follows the culinary adventures of a trio of animal friends—Sonny, Tong, and Andi—who travel the world in their food truck. FMK holds the distribution and licensing rights for the series in all territories, with the exception of Thailand.

Petco Unveils Exclusive Trolls Pet Fans Collection

Zag Launches Miraculous Ladybug YouTube Channel and Webisodes

Petco unveiled a collection of pet toys and accessories inspired by the DreamWorks Animation film Trolls. The line consists of products featuring characters from the film, such as Poppy, Branch, Biggie, and Mr. Dinkles. The Trolls Pet Fans Collection for cats and dogs is now available exclusively at Petco and Unleashed

by Petco stores nationwide and online at Petco.com/Trolls.

Petco will also offer an in-store giveaway and grooming offer for pets and owners: The One-Day Trolls Craft Giveaway on Nov. 12 includes Trolls finger puppets and more, plus 25 percent off of all Trolls Pet Fans Collection; and the Poppy and Branch Spa Package where Petco’s grooming salons will offer a $25 Poppy and Branch Spa Package featuring custom shampoo and conditioner, scented spritz, three additional spa upgrades, and a Trolls-inspired headband.

Zag America LLC announced the launch of its Miraculous Ladybug YouTube channel and webisode series. The channel and all of its exclusive content revolves around the animated series Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir, currently airing worldwide in more than 80 countries on Disney Channel and on Nickelodeon in the U.S. Zag will offer two formats: The first 10 webisodes will use 3-D animation imagery and the second wave of Miraculous webisodes will reveal a new fan-created 2-D animation.

Fall 2016

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LIMA UK

BRAND LICENSING EUROPE:

GROWTH OF A PHENOMENON

by KELVYN GARDNER, managing director, Licensing Industry Merchandisers’ Association (LIMA) UK IT’S TIME FOR BRAND LICENSING EUROPE (BLE) 2016. Hard to imagine that this event is now 17 years old.

The very first show was held in the rather classy Landmark Hotel in Marylebone in 1999. I can remember it very clearly as it was not only the first BLE, but also the trade show debut for my newly formed consultancy business, Asgard Media. It also signaled the creation of The Licensing Phrase Book—but we’ll talk about that another time.

From that fledgling event, two days in west London, we have seen develop the full-on three-day extravaganza we have now. My, how things have changed over that time! The size of the show is much bigger, of course, and the number of visitors far greater. Of at least equal—if not greater—importance has been the steady transformation of BLE into a truly international licensing event, second only to Licensing Expo in scope and size.

Walking the halls of Olympia now, you find exhibitors from around the globe. North American licensors who, five years ago, would have left BLE for their local agents to handle, now set up their own shop for the duration.

Japanese, Korean, Chinese, and Russian companies are present. Mainland Europe has many exhibitors.

All of this is reflected in the makeup of the visitors, too. The variety of languages you hear in Olympia rivals—and maybe even surpasses—the experience you’d have outside Buckingham Palace for the changing of the guard each London morning. For several years now, overseas visitors have remarked about the “BLE buzz.” The compact Olympia venue, whilst hardly a state-of-the-art exhibition space (trying to hide its Queen Victoria period origins), means that aisles between booths are packed, an obstacle course for those hurrying to make a meeting for which they are already 10 minutes late.

This creates a tangible atmosphere of real business being done. We should also mention the fact that, almost uniquely in my experience, meetings are booked and kept right through to the final minutes of the final day of the event. The Olympia staff, almost literally, have to throw people out when the show closes.

The other phenomenon that has now reached Olympia is that this officially three-day event now occupies

12 • The Licensing Book

four or even five days. LIMA has its board meeting on Sunday afternoon. On Monday there are several licensor presentations and anniversary parties for prominent UK licensing businesses. LIMA stages its House of Commons retail panel on Monday afternoon. Add in the many evening events, the on-booth drinks parties, and the need to find a restaurant most evenings, often for clients, and there is never a dull moment. I’d love to encourage you to come to the House of Commons on Monday Oct. 10, or to the LIMA BLE Garden Party on the night of Oct. 12, but both sold out weeks ago. Sorry if you don’t have a ticket for either. Whatever your personal agenda for BLE 2016, however, this is one show that has made—and continues to make—its mark in the licensing world. ••••

Kelvyn Gardner has been in the international licensing business for almost 30 years. Since 2006, he has served as the managing director of the UK division of LIMA. Gardner contributes to the judging of the UK Licensing Awards and is a trustee of the industry’s charitable company, The Light Fund.

Fall 2016

BLOGGER BASH

BLOGGER BASH 16 MAKING WAVES IN NYC

THE THIRD ANNUAL BLOGGER BASH TWO-DAY CONFERENCE took place on July 13 and 14 aboard the Majesty Yacht, docked at Pier 81 in New York City. Revolutionizing the way brands and bloggers connect, the event welcomed more than 400 bloggers, 150 members of traditional media, and more than 100 brands. From kids’ entertainment to music, high-end fashion, and the best in baby care, Blogger Bash had something for everyone.

The event made a huge splash on social media, with more than 325 million Twitter impressions. Brands such as Mattel, Warner Bros., Sony, eOne, Roku, Orek, HoMedics, Zazzle, Armitron, Skylanders, Spin Master, Nickelodeon, and Care Bears brought their latest and greatest products to show off to the most influential consumers in the digital arena. These brands were able to connect with seasoned bloggers with an average of more than 195,000 UMVs and an average Twitter following of 12,700.

Parent bloggers and family vloggers are some of the most influential voices when it comes to promoting brands and new products

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across all industries, and Blogger Bash is the perfect way to connect with these people. Whether you want to host a party that is all about you, or if you want to be part of a larger themed party, such as the Toy Insider’s Sweet Suite toy event, there’s something to fit every brand and every budget.

The fourth annual Blogger Bash will take place in July 2017, providing attendees with an unrivaled and unforgettable experience. This event will give you the perfect opportunity to grow your blogger network, meet popular YouTubers, receive invaluable feedback on new product introductions, and find new brand ambassadors. And—these bloggers know their stuff. In the age of the internet, social media matters, and these bloggers have a lot of influence across YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and more.

If you are interested in getting involved with Blogger Bash next summer, contact Laurie Schacht at thetoyinsidermom@gmail.com or (212) 575-4510, or visit bloggerbash.com.

••••

Fall 2016

A LOOK INSIDE

The Real Faces of the NFL The NFLPA’s licensing strategy pairs real-life NFL players with consumer products and promotional partners to interact with fans on a personal level and develop products that deliver real personality.

by ALI MIERZEJEWSKI, senior editor THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE PLAYERS’ Association (NFLPA) has a special challenge when it comes to licensing. Through its licensing and marketing arm, NFL Players Inc., the NFLPA represents more than 2,000 individual IPs, each a living, breathing human with his own individual passions, interests, thoughts, and opinions. In what might be one of the most impressive balancing acts in the industry, the NFLPA navigates deals between brands and its players to make the perfect match for promotions.

“That’s where our expertise comes in,” says Steve Scebelo, vice president, licensing and business development, NFLPA, “in having the knowledge base with the players to go back to our partners and being able to say ‘Here’s a list of players that we think are a) interested and b) would be a good fit for this type of program.’”

This sort of personal match up allows for partnerships such as the one the NFLPA set up with licensee Electronic Arts (EA) and promotional partner Discovery Education.

Together, the companies put together an in-school educational program that used EA’s Madden video game franchise to help teach middle school students about math and science. The program included a launch event at a Washington D.C. area school

16 • The Licensing Book

where multiple Washington Redskins players were in attendance, as well as a virtual field trip to EA’s headquarters, led by Washington quarterback Kirk Cousins.

The players were chosen to participate based on both geographical location and their investment in promoting educational programs.

With access to more than 2,000 players, from starting superstars to the injured reserve to the practice squad, the NFLPA is able to offer its partners players at all budgets and all levels, so that each agreement is unique to the individual partner that it serves.

Different from most other licensors, marketing commitment dollars are not collaborative spends in NFLPA agreements. Scebelo says that they work with each of their licensees to create a unique marketing program, and then the licensees can spend with the players to directly promote their product. The commitment of the players is then outlined by the licensee’s budget.

HOW FANTASY FOOTBALL CHANGES THE GAME Now, more than ever, NFL fans are plopping down on their couches with more than just a cold beer and some hot wings. Smartphones glued to their hands, they probably spend more time refreshing their fantasy league results and flipping back and forth between games than they do cheering on the team that’s featured on the jersey they’re wearing.

Fantasy football and other very social ways of watching NFL games have revamped the way that fans engage with players. Fans tend to be more loyal to the players that they drafted on their fantasy roster than to a team in general. The NFLPA’s licensing strategy also coincides with this new way that people are watching football.

“The way that the fan base and the community of fans follow sports now, they make much more personal connections with the players. In many instances, that transcends the team affiliations that those fans have,” says Scebelo.

Plus, professional football players have never been more accessible than they are in this age of social media. Since fans are connecting in a more personal way with their favorite players, it benefits the NFLPA and its licensees to gain those strong brand connections with the players as well. Players are promoting themselves—

Fall 2016

and their personalities—on their own social platforms, while still showing off products they love. Social media allows players to connect with fans in a more direct and personal way that younger football fans can appreciate, offering licensees a broader avenue to reach consumers.

“I think it’s great that we’re expanding our reach to younger audiences,” says Pittsburgh Steelers Pro Bowl running back DeAngelo Williams. “It just goes back to us as players being able to showcase our personalities off the field as much as possible, allowing people to get to know us more. Like I’m a huge fan of The Walking Dead, and it would be great to see us do something with that. And because of what we do and the NFLPA does, I can totally see it happening.”

ANCHOR LICENSEES EA and the NFLPA are now in the 27th iteration of the Madden NFL video game, with this year’s game featuring New England Patriots’ tight end Rob Gronkowski. For most football fans, Madden is an integral supplement to their football season, allowing them to step onto the field and play with the best.

“The last two years have been back-toback record years in terms of sales, which is phenomenal when you think about a game that has that length of history and legacy,” says Scebelo.

In addition to the aforementioned partnership with Discovery Education, EA and the NFLPA work together to come up with fresh new marketing promotions each year that integrate new technologies, as well as the NFL players’ love of the video game.

“We’re always looking at ways that we can bring the players and the different partnerships together that push the envelope, that really make sense, and that connect with the games, and really look to continue that kind of engagement with our fans year round with the product,” says Randy Chase, senior marketing director, strategic alliance marketing, EA. For example, last year, EA and NFLPA partnered with Uber for Madden’s launch day, so that people who ordered a Madden Uber would be greeted by an Uber car with an NFL athlete inside, who personally delivered their copy of the game. They also set up Super Bowl programs with the car service, where if users ordered an Uber Pool, they might get one with an NFL player in it who would play Madden with them on the way to their destination.

EA and the NFLPA are always evolving the Madden

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franchise with digital and mobile gaming expansions and partnerships featuring new technologies.

“A lot of people come at the game differently now,” says Chase. “You have that younger generation coming up that can have a favorite team, but they are also more fantasy football-focused.”

EA’s answer to this is new modes in Madden, Ultimate Team and Draft Champions, which allow gamers to put together their own teams with players that match their play style, providing different ways for people to play the game based on how they follow the sport. Plus, with the addition of downloadable content and mobile games—which are simplified versions of Madden, ideal for younger players—Madden is expanding just as much as the NFL itself.

“Madden used to be a kind of NFL start-of-season product, and now it’s very much a year-round product where players can interact throughout the football season, but then they can also get their football fix in the off-season,” says Chase.

The NFLPA also works with other anchor licensees to go beyond traditional and expected programs. Fanatics, a sports apparel and fan gear company, is revamping its program to focus on what they’re calling Micro Mo-

Any Given Emoji, developed

by Whalerock Industries, lets players purchase emoji and sticker packs featuring their favorite players.

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A LOOK INSIDE

ments—moments that celebrate any small moments of action on the field, whether it be career milestones or rookie break outs.

“With their Micro Moments program, Fanatics is able to have product ready for players almost instantaneously. We have really short approval time frames that we’ve worked out with them so that they can bring product to market in the most ideal and optimal time frame,” says Scebelo.

That means that if there’s a breakout career that was unexpected before the season, such as Atlanta Falcons’ running back Devonta Freeman last season, Fanatics can quickly add him to the product lines. This growing capability for made-to-order products is fitting into the “at-that-moment” way people are watching football.

Trading card company Panini is also working with the NFLPA to expand its influence. An exclusive partner with the NFLPA for trading cards, Panini has the rights to NCAA cards as well, so it is able to make a comprehensive collection for the players.

Panini and the NFLPA are working on international promotions as well, to tie in with the already established NFL promotions being done with the international games. Early this September, NFLPA retained Brandgenuity to grow and manage its licensing efforts in Europe

and expand its impact internationally.

TECH-BASED GROWTH In addition to the digital and mobile gaming additions to EA’s Madden franchise and the international expansion, the NFLPA is also looking to expand its digital growth. The popularity of fantasy football, mixed with the digital age’s ability to smack talk your friends almost instantly via text message, provides the opportunity for everyone’s favorite new language to flourish: emojis.

The NFLPA is working on three sets of emoji and sticker packs. The first was developed internally and shared with players and licensees. The second was developed by Los Angeles-based Whalerock Industries (developers of the Kimoji keyboard for Kim Kardashian West) and launched the first pack of 170 Any Given Emojis on Sept. 8, the opening of football season. “[Fans] are already communicating in this way, we’re just giving them more appropriate tools to communicate with,” says Jared Heinke, head of digital, Whalerock.

“We’re helping them expand their language by giving them icons and imagery that are more relevant to the conversations they’re having every Thursday night, all day Sunday, and Monday night.”

In fact, during development, Heinke says that

Kirk Cousins at EA Headquarters with students during the EA/ Discovery Education in-school educational program

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Whalerock realized very quickly that although the stickers and emojis are great for fans in general, they’re really valuable for fantasy football leagues.

Whalerock doesn’t see a great divide in age demographics either, so they’re serving the NFL fan base as a whole.

“People are getting more comfortable knowing that there are tools outside the unicodes that they can communicate with, and they’re going to pick and choose the tools that they want to use,” Heinke says.

The NFL players themselves love to be involved in partnerships like this because of the social and personal nature of the emojis. In fact, Pittsburgh’s Williams tweeted at Whalerock to let him know how upset his daughter was that she couldn’t find an emoji of her father. Thanks to Whalerock’s ability for a quick turnaround, they were able to remedy that and tweet his emoji back at him.

This ability for fast response time, and direct connection with an actual human being, makes partnerships like the one with Whalerock more meaningful for both players and fans alike. Since the NFLPA is so keen on making sure their licensees are a good match, it breeds responsive, two-way partnerships that benefit all parties.

“It was really great to work collaboratively with the players,” says Heinke. “We wanted them to see the process so that they knew who was designing these for them, they could give direct feedback, and they could get a sense of how we were thinking about it. [It’s] important and impactful as we build out the opportunity.”

The emoji sets have been turned into an apparel line for Fanatics, with T-shirts featuring the artwork from the emojis created by the NFLPA. This gives the NFLPA the opportunity to work on brand integration, where multiple partners can collaborate on a common theme.

The final emoji and sticker pack comes from SportsManias, which launched real-time emojis for the NFLPA. Similar to Fanatics’ Mirco Moments strategy, the real-time emojis reflect exciting plays in the games very shortly after they happen. It also gives them a chance to develop emojis for career milestones that fans are waiting for and excited to witness.

REAL-LIFE SUPERHEROES “It’s hard to find a more impactful group of individuals than the players in the NFL,” says Heinke. “When you look at a collective who have more influence over how we—primarily North Americans—communicate, how we spend our time, how we talk to one another, what we talk about, I think the NFLPA is probably—if not the most—influential group of individuals.”

This high degree of influence puts NFL athletes among some of the most recognizable properties, including entertainment brands that are highly revered.

The NFLPA focuses on making these athletes heroes off the field as well, touting them as real-life superheroes,

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“It’s hard to find a more impactful group of individuals than the players in the NFL.” unlike the caped crusaders or superhumans on the big screen.

Naturally, this makes them a perfect fit for the collectibles category, ranging from low-cost figures or trading cards to apparel and jerseys to high-end sports memorabilia.

“That product category specifically helps to celebrate the players as pop culture heroes, beyond sports heroes,” says Scebelo. “And that’s where we want to elevate them to. We want to be able to build opportunities that go beyond the field and just help them to continue to build their personal brands and personal following.”

And if your heroes are endorsing something, it’s sure to capture your attention. But even more so, it allows these players to become the brand themselves, giving them the opportunity to endorse themselves, give themselves a louder voice, and build a platform to get their name and message out there, such as Cousins and his teammates did with the EA and Discovery Education program.

The NFLPA is working with multiple partners, including Fanatics and Panini, to create an immersive world of products for collectors, but also to peak the interest of kids as they start to develop their own NFL fandom.

“If people have their favorite players, then they can build collections around them,” Scebelo says. “We want to be able to give them options at various price points.”

The sheer volume of NFL athletes lends the league to have a sort of collectability factor to it—with more than 2,000 players, NFLPA’s partners can create the blind bag or collectible figures that you’d expect to find—Tom Brady, Russell Wilson, Aaron Rodgers—but also “rare” finds, or breakout players. With collectibles being a huge trend in the toy category, there is an audience comprised of both serious collectors and kids alike.

At the end of the day, the job of the NFLPA is to play matchmaker between its players and its partners. This allows for deeper and more meaningful and insightful brand partnerships than can come from an inanimate or entertainment property. The players can go out there in the world, engage in these partnerships that are meaningful to them, and spread the brand’s message as well as their own.

“I think that’s just what makes this special,” says Scebelo, “to have those players become more and more aware of the products that are being put out for them and the ability to connect our licensees with those players to work on some unique promotions.”

••••

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INSIDE RETAIL

CASINOS, SLOT MACHINE SUPPLIERS BETTING ON LICENSING TO HELP DRAW YOUNGER AUDIENCE As seen in the September 29, 2016 edition of Inside Licensing CASINOS AND SLOT MACHINE SUPPLIERS ARE increasingly relying on licensing in a bid to lure a younger audience that is frequently more interested in dining and dancing at a casino than placing a bet.

Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, Avatar, Fruit Ninja, and other properties of recent vintage are joining longtime standard-bearers, such as Betty Boop and Wheel of Fortune, in online and physical slot machines and other games as operators seek to staunch declining revenue by appealing to a younger customer.

Slot machine betting fell to $291 billion in 2014 from a peak of $355 billion in 2007, according to the Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers.

“Those 40 years old and up were the core customer, but with new technology and more hip nature of some casinos that want to attract younger customers, the industry has broadened its horizons as far as the types of properties that would work,” says Striker Entertainment’s Russell Binder, whose agency represents The Walking Dead and House of Cards.

The demand for the new titles to attract younger players broke with a rush a few years ago after Aristocrat Technologies added The Walking Dead and Sons of Anarchy to slots, says Andrew Burke of slot machine supplier American Gaming Systems (AGS).

With the success of those titles, minimum guarantees solicited by licensors increased significantly amid fierce competition for new properties, say industry executives.

And while those guarantees have leveled off during the past year, the quest for new brands to distinguish games online and in casinos has not.

“If you look back 10 years ago, the market was [all about] branded lottery tickets and slot machines,” says Scientific Games’ Jeff Michel, whose company unveiled a Seinfeld slot at the gaming expo. “Now there is online wagering and social games and with the growth rate in social, there has been demand for brands to help differentiate the games. That has driven competition for brands in a way that hasn’t been there for a long time in slot machines and it has certainly driven the guarantees up.”

MULTIPLE PLATFORMS The competition for licenses that will appeal to millennials and younger gamblers has resulted in slot machine suppliers seeking to license brands across a variety of platforms. Scientific demonstrated its “SG Universe” at the

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Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas recently, showing titles deployed across a variety of online and physical formats.

Physical slot machines themselves come in an increasing array of technologies, offering options, including large-size screens with high-definition resolution, 3-D capability, and better audio, all in a bid to gain younger players.

“The approach has shifted from where companies were licensing a brand to build a game to where they are licensing a brand to build a portfolio,” says AGS’ Burke, whose company sold slot machines based on Family Feud, Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?, and Ripley’s Believe It or Not. “It used to be a big dollar bet on a single game and either you won or you lost. Now, companies are taking a portfolio and doing lots of things with a title.”

LOTS OF DEALS The drive to develop portfolios has resulted in a broadening of the brands and products being made available for licensing in the gambling space: •

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The entertainment news site TMZ entered the slots business in a partnership with International Game Technologies (IGT) and Warner Bros. with a machine designed to appeal to the coveted millennial customers: It contains a camera that takes a picture when a person is playing and transfers it to the slot’s video screen. TMZ executive producer Harvey Levin provides the voice-over, giving the machine an experiential touch.

AGS launched a blackjack game with a license from Count’s Kustom, the automobile and restoration shop featured on the reality TV series Counting Cars. Players can win an actual custom car, truck, or motorcycle from Count’s Kustom with the spin of a wheel, after making a qualifying side bet and drawing a blackjack.

Aristocrat is showcasing licensed slots featuring country singer Tim McGraw, SyFy Channel’s Sharknado, and 20th Century Fox’s My Cousin Vinny at the gaming expo, building out a line that already includes Britney Spears, The Big Bang Theory, and Game of Thrones.

Online casino gaming developer Microgaming recently added Tarzan to its roster of licensed slots, joining Playboy, Jurassic Park, Terminator 2, and Bridesmaids. The Isle of Man-based software

Fall 2016

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developer was the first to introduce an online casino in 1994 and claims to have 850 licensed and non-licensed casino games.

Everi is bringing Penn & Teller, long a fixture on the casino circuit, to slot machines along with the film Casablanca, as it boosts offerings in the license category.

A&E Networks is seeking to expand in the online and slots category, to grow a base that includes Duck Dynasty, a license Scientific Games inherited in buying Bally. Duck Dynasty also is available through Zynga as a social casino game. A&E is in discussions on bringing History’s Ancient Aliens to slots and is considering testing the waters with the upcoming History shows Six and Knightfall, says A&E’s Jill Tully.

IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES “The development of slot machines has changed, and because they are trying to attract a younger demographic it has become more of a brand immersive experience” replete with high-definition video clips and voice overs by members of a film’s or TV show’s cast, says Tully.

Indeed, branded slot machines and online games often complement each other, one picking up where the other left off. Yet it is more likely that casino players will migrate to a mobile version of the same title than social players pulling the handle on a physical slot machine in the casino, says AGS’s Burke.

“Certainly it is clear that people who gamble have a propensity to spend on social games,” says Burke. “But it is not clear those playing social games have a desire to gamble in a casino. We haven’t found a way to draw a social player to a casino yet.”

Perhaps the draw could be a new generation of slots that Caesars Entertainment Corp. is testing that are similar to mobile games played on smartphones. Independent developer Gamblit Gaming created non-licensed games that challenge players to find words hidden on a board or match flavors of smoothies in a virtual juice bar. The so-called participation games, which pay out based on a player’s skill rather than luck, could be a good match for licensed brands, say industry executives.

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Fall 2016

COMPLEXITIES OF LICENSED GAMING AGREEMENTS THE LICENSING AGREEMENTS GOVERNING gaming can vary depending on whether the brands are licensed for online, physical slot machines, or both. Increasingly, licensees are striking deals that carry properties across several platforms, including online wagering, in-casino, and social casino games, say industry executives.

Typically, casinos pay manufacturers a daily rental fee to put the machines on their gaming floors. In the vast majority of licensing deals, property owners are paid a royalty of that rental fee. Licensors don’t, however, participate in the machine revenue stream, since that would require them to undergo a thorough financial examination and background checks by local gaming commissions—a lengthy and invasive process through which most don’t want to put themselves.

In online gaming agreements, licensors may get a share of net gross receipts in the case of real-money games that are prohibited in the U.S. With social casino games that are commonly available as free downloads, in which players are playing for credits rather than money, licensors receive a share of revenue from in-app purchases of such things as extra turns or upgrades.

The contracts for machines typically run 3 to 5 years, given that they take 18 to 24 months from initial design to finished product. In online gaming, where the development cycle can be a matter of a few months, contracts run 2 to 3 years and require frequent refreshes of the software to maintain a title’s appeal.

“If we have a desire for a brand across multiple channels, we would prefer to do it in a single agreement with the benefit being consistent content across all the channels,” says Scientific Games’ Jeff Michel.

Inside Licensing is published (free for members) by the International Licensing Industry Merchandisers’ Association (LIMA).

For more information, go to licensing.org, or contact Marty Brochstein at LIMA (mbrochstein@ licensing.org).

The Licensing Book • 21

LICENSING 101

WINNING TOY LICENSES FIVE TRIED AND TESTED TACTICS

by STEVE REECE, CEO, Kids Brand Insight LICENSING PLAYS A MAJOR ROLE IN THE TOY market. Whether it’s toy companies licensing entertainment properties, or toy brand owners licensing out other categories for the brands they own, there is no doubt that hot licenses make toy and game companies more attractive to retailers. It’s a proven fact that consumers will buy into products based on strong licenses. This is especially the case in the North American, UK, Southern European, and Australian Toy markets, and less the case in Germany.

Licensing can help reduce any risks that might impede the success of new product launches—as long as we manage our minimum guarantee (MG) commitments prudently. That being said, one of the questions I get most often in my consulting business is, “How do we win the really big licenses?” To answer that, here are five tried and tested tactics to secure hot toy licenses: 1. SHOW PASSION FOR THE BRAND: Some of the more cynical of readers may feel tempted to roll their eyes at this point, as it’s often perceived that all licensors care about is the size of the MG. However, if you bear in mind the investment that has driven the brand that you want to license, both financial investment and emotional in many cases, it becomes likely that when faced with two equal pitches, a licensor is likely to be swayed by someone who truly believes in their brand.

Unless you are a tremendous actor, it’s hard to fake this kind of passion, so if you don’t have it for a particular brand, is there anyone else on your team who does? If so, why not let them lead the pitch?

2. DON’T JUST TALK PRODUCT, TALK GRAND VISION: In the end, you have to develop some products and hope they sell through. It is very straightforward and mundane, and it’s also what most other companies pitching for the rights will be focused on. However, if you can create a vision beyond just cranking out a few more products, and get the licensor enthused about your plans for the brand and the potential of your vision, then you instantly get a leg up in the pecking order.

3. SNIPE BEHIND THE MASTER TOY LICENSEE: There are a number of companies who follow this model religiously and have significant success with it. In essence, if you wait for a master toy licensee to sign up, they will tend to commit a significant MG, a weighty development slate, and of course often agree to a marketing commitment. For smaller companies whose model is not to go down the master licensee

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path, picking off what’s left can be lucrative because the licensor’s MG expectations from the toy category have often been largely met by the master licensee; there is a strong opportunity to piggy back the massive sales drive the master licensee will put behind the brand at retail, and there is a strong opportunity to piggy back the often weighty marketing spend the master licensee puts behind the brand.

4. MULTIPLE STAKEHOLDER PITCHES: Anyone who has ever pitched for a license has experienced the disappointment of convincing the commercial department within a licensor’s company, only to fall foul of either a creative veto, a finance department veto, or some other internal stakeholder. It’s helpful to make sure that any likely objectors are included in the pitch process—because it is so much easier to convince someone face to face than at arms length via the whispers of indirect contact. Of the 200 or so licenses I’ve negotiated, I would say that this tactic has been the most effective. There is always a reason why something might not work, or why someone might not like the concept that accompanies your pitch, but the closer you can get to any objectors, and the easier you can make it for your direct contact to sell the deal internally, the more easily you can address any concerns or stumbling blocks and address them.

5. WHOSE IDEA IS IT REALLY?: When dealing with creative issues on a licensed product or range, always try to tease and lead the most important creative stakeholder to your preferred conclusion in a way to make them articulate why that path is the right path. We all want to be consistent with the positions we’ve previously taken, so your chances of being the preferred partner— and having the preferred concept­­—will go up massively if key stakeholders express a preference in your favor, based on a thought process they believe is theirs. This is not being sneaky, it’s just genuine persuasion.

There are more steps to win top toy licenses, but I have seen these five work very well in practice.

•••• Steve Reece is the CEO of Kids Brand Insight, a consultancy to the global toy industry offering export sales; factory finding in China, India, and beyond; and consumer testing on toys and games.

Fall 2016

PROPERTY PROFILE

Kate & Mim-Mim Twirl into Success

The Licensing Book chats with ANDREA BRENT, senior vice president, licensing and franchise management, FremantleMedia North America.

Where did the idea for Kate & Mim-Mim come from?

The series was created by award-winning husbandand-wife team, Scott and Julie Stewart, who were inspired by their young daughter Kate, who treated her toy bunny as if it was alive. The series, which airs on Disney Junior in the U.S. and has been sold to more than 110 territories, is based on a real girl in the real world who, in each episode, journeys into her imagination with her bunny buddy Mim-Mim. What are the major themes running through the show and why are they important?

Set in the real world, Kate & Mim-Mim fills a gap in the current preschool girls landscape with imaginative play, friendship, and humor as key themes of the show. The idea of Mim-Mim magically coming to life and transforming into Kate’s larger-than-life playmate resonates with preschoolers, as does the idea of “twirling away” to a purely imaginary world.

Every episode features engaging stories with the ensemble cast that are filled with childlike humor and gentle life lessons that kids can take away and apply to their own lives.

Having fun and making kids laugh is what Kate & Mim-Mim is all

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about! The show empowers kids to think positively and have a “can do!” attitude, and helps remind parents of the fun and simplicity of childhood and the importance of imaginative play.

What is the strategy for consumer products rollout?

Starting with the lead core categories in the U.S., we have introduced a range of toy and publishing products, including figures, plush, feature plush, dolls, and more from our master toy licensee, Just Play. In addition, storybooks, level readers, and activity books will be available from Penguin Random House this fall.

Additional categories rolling out include DVDs with PBS/Skiprope and games and puzzles from Cardinal.

Bedding and bath products from Jay Franco, sleepwear from AME/Global Brands Group, and apparel from Bentex Group are in development for next year.

Product has begun rolling out to major retailers across the country and will be available at Target, Kmart, Walmart.com, toysrus.com, and Amazon.com.

JCP Live has signed on to support the rollout with live events and we also have the Kate & Mim-Mim app available via Acronym. In the UK, Just Play launched the toys through Flair, and the first DVD from NBCUniversal will be released this autumn. The product launches on both sides of the Atlantic are being supported by a broad-based PR campaign as well as TV advertising for the toy range.

What are your plans for Kate & Mim-Mim for the year ahead?

We will be launching “Kate in OZ” on Disney Junior this Thanksgiving, and we’re very excited about this special themed ensemble tale based on the much-loved classic­—and we’ve given it a special Mimtastic twist.

We plan to expand the product assortment in 2017, offering new SKUs in toys, publishing, and apparel, while introducing additional categories such as bedding and bath products. At the same time, we are in active discussions with potential new partners in key secondary categories. Internationally, the toys will start rolling out at retail in various other territories.

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Fall 2016

CARDINAL’s Kate & Mim-Mim 24-Piece Puzzle is great for at home or on the go. Kids will have a blast with this Kate & Mim-Mim puzzle that comes in a colorful resealable tin lunch box secured with a metal clasp and travel-ready with a purple plastic handle. The completed puzzle measures 15 by 12.5 inches. The new puzzle is part of an extensive line of puzzles and games featuring Kate & Mim-Mim.

Kids can twirl away to Mimiloo for endless imaginative adventures of their own with Kate & Mim-Mim Magic Twirl Mim-Mim, from JUST PLAY. The super soft and cuddly Mim-Mim says more than 10 fun phrases. Fans can take the funny bunny friend home with them and let the adventures begin. The feature plush is the lead item in the debut toy assortment from master toy licensee Just Play, which also includes the Adventures with Kate Doll, Mimiloo Friends Figure Pack, beanie plush, and surprise bags.

Kate & Mim-Mim A Christmas Wish, from PUBLIC MEDIA DISTRIBUTION, is the latest title based on the hit series. The new DVD features three adventures: “A Christmas Wish,” “Snow Bowling,” and “Chilly the Snowman.” The release also includes the bonus music video, “Winter Wonderland.” Other titles in the DVD collection include Kate & Mim-Mim Flight of the Flowers, Kate & MimMim—Balloon Buddies, and Kate & Mim-Mim—The Mimiloo Zoo.

Fall 2016

Young fans of the show can drift off to sleep in their very own Mimiloo with JAY FRANCO’s Kate & Mim-Mim Toddler Bedding Set. The four-piece bedding set includes a reversible comforter, fitted and flat sheets, and a pillowcase. The new Kate & Mim-Mim collection also includes additional bedding offerings, plus bath, beach, slumber, storage, and travel products.

Kate & the Mitty Kats is part of a series of books depicting the adventures of Kate and her best friend Mim-Mim. The 8-by-8-inch storybook, from PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE, follows Kate, who is in charge of babysitting a box of kittens.

When the kitties escape, it’s up to Kate and Mim-Mim to solve the mystery of their whereabouts by visiting the imaginary world of Mimiloo.

Among the other debut titles are Christmas with Kate and Mim-Mim, an 8-by-8-inch book, and Kate’s Wish, a beginning reader. Additional books will roll out this fall.

The Licensing Book • 25

THE JIM HENSON CO. DIVES INTO NEW PRESCHOOL SERIES The Jim Henson Co.will launch programs for three new kids’ properties under the guidance of Federico San Martin, vice president of global consumer products. The company will seek international partners across key categories for each brand.

Selected for the World Premiere TV Screening at MIPJunior this year, Splash and Bubbles is a new animated series that will debut this November on PBS Kids in the U.S. and on other platforms worldwide.

Consisting of 80, 11-minute episodes, Splash and Bubbles encourages kids ages 4 to 7 to explore the undersea world. Splash, a yellowback fusilier fish, and Bubbles, a Mandarin dragonet, explore the ocean, meet diverse marine animals, and discover undersea habitats with their friends Dunk, a puffer fish, and Ripple, a sea dragon.

Splash and Bubbles is produced using the Henson Digital Puppetry Studio, which allows puppeteers to perform digitally animated characters in Splash and Bubbles real time. Herschend Enterprises is the series co-production partner and will support the series with broad-reaching location-based entertainment, including live-shows and experiential attractions at theme parks, aquariums, and other venues.

Splash and Bubbles is executive produced by Lisa Henson and Halle Stanford of The Jim Henson Co., Julie Phillips and Merrill Puckett-Miller of Herschend Enterprises, and John Tartaglia, Michael Shawn Lewis, and Jill Shinderman. Tom Keniston is producer and David Skelly is supervising director. The series is funded in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Jim Henson’s Word Party, a vocabulary-building show, follows four baby animals as they sing, dance, and play. The series, which debuted this summer on Netflix in the U.S. and in territories worldwide, invites viewers to help teach the baby animals new words, learn new words themselves, and celebrate these achievements with a Word Party. Each episode presents four learning words, two to three words that are familiar, and a few advanced words. The words are first used in the narrative and then reinforced on the Word Wall. Word Party is produced using the Henson Digital Puppetry Studio.

Dot. is a new original series based on the picture book by Randi Zuckerberg and produced by Industrial Brothers in association with The Jim Henson Co. and the Canadian Broadcasting Co. The series follows the tech-savvy Dot, who embarks on adventures to satisfy her imagination, curiosity, and latest passion. Dot. will premiere on Sprout this fall.

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Fall 2016

DISCOVERY CONSUMER PRODUCTS HEADS TO THE FIELD WITH EUROSPORT MERCHANDISE Next year, Discovery Consumer Products will bring Eurosport into stores across Europe and the Middle East with a licensing program focusing on sports and lifestyle. The program will kick off with a wide range of cycling products appropriate for children and adults.

Discovery Consumer Products is building a strategic marketing program, beginning with the Tour de France next summer. Products will debut in the UK, Germany, Italy, and France, followed by the Netherlands, Nordics, Spain, Poland, Romania, Russia, and the Middle East.

The Eurosport brand will be brought into lifestyle, fashion, and entry-level sports equipment for kids, and Eurosport Owned Events Merchandise for tournaments, such as the FIA World Touring Car Championship. The merchandising program will include product lines that engage with sports fans.

The Eurosport line is one of the new programs that Discovery Consumer Products will roll out this year. The division will also grow its merchandising programs across all of its brands, including Animal Planet, Discovery Adventures, and Discovery Kids. Discovery Consumer Products is open to inquiries from potential retail and licensing partners for the Eurosport line, as well as other brands in its portfolio.

Since Discovery Communications acquired full ownership of the premiere sports brand, it has enhanced production and strategic investments with a focus on premium and exclusive sports rights.

It won the TV and multi-platform rights for the Olympic Games for the next decade. Discovery and Eurosport have acquired more than 7,500 hours of coverage per year across more than 50 properties signed, including UEFA Champions League, Europa League, Major League Soccer, Spanish cycling, FIFA Women’s World Cup across Europe, and Moto GP in Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands.

Eurosport is also the home to all four grand slam tennis tournaments in 25 countries, with growing multi-market Wimbledon rights, and the exclusive multi-platform home to Friday night Bundesliga matches in Germany.

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ZAG BUILDS ON SUCCESS OF MIRACULOUS ANIMATED SERIES Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir is a CGI-animated series that reaches fans in more than 80 countries. It is No. 1 on many broadcasters with success on the Disney Channel in EMEA, LATAM, and Korea; TF1 in France; Gloob in Brazil; EBS in Korea; Nickelodeon in the U.S.; Super in Italy; as well as many other key TV markets including Spain, France, Germany, Russia, UK, Brazil, Korea, and most of Latin America.

The series was in the top five girls’ shows for the first quarter of this year on Nickelodeon in the U.S., with an average of 1.14 million viewers each premiere on Saturday mornings. It is also a top performer on all Nickelodeon digital platforms with more than 11 million views and plays this summer.

The Miraculous Ladybug YouTube Channel launched last month and averaged 14,000 subscribers in the first day. The channel features 3-D and 2-D webisodes and exclusive content.

Bandai’s fashion dolls, figures, and plush are sold throughout the U.S., Spain, France, and Brazil. DVDs and comic books are also available. Currently, 25 licensees in the U.S. and 110 licensees worldwide will roll out products this holiday season and continue throughout next year.

Fall 2016

ENTERTAINMENT ONE SHOWCASES TRIO OF PRESCHOOL SERIES Entertainment One (eOne) will showcase its trio of preschool series at Brand Licensing Europe (BLE), led by Peppa Pig, PJ Masks, and Ben & Holly’s Little Kingdom.

Peppa Pig is a leading preschool property in numerous markets, including North America, the UK, Spain, Italy, Greece, and Russia.

Additionally, the brand continues to grow in countries such as France and China, where the property’s consumer products program has recently launched at retail. The brand now generates more than $1 billion in worldwide retail sales annually with more than 800 licensees supplying products globally, and more than 13 million app downloads, 11 million books, and 10 million DVDs sold worldwide. Brand exposure is ensured through its lineup of partners; a live stage show touring throughout this year in North America, the UK, France, the Netherlands, Greece, and Russia; a partnership with Italian cruise ship company Costa Cruises; theme park attractions in the UK and Italy; and a new collection of 52 episodes currently in production. eOne’s new CGI-animated superhero TV series PJ Masks has been popular since its launch on Disney Junior in the U.S. last year, and worldwide as the series rolled out globally on the Disney Junior network this year. It is now a hit TV show in the UK, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Portugal, Canada, and Australia. A second series has been greenlit for production, as well as a full licensing program that launches in the U.S. this year with consumer products set to rollout across Europe next year.

From the creators of Peppa Pig, the Emmy- and BAFTA-winning animated series Ben & Holly’s Little Kingdom continues to launch in new markets worldwide.

Fall 2016

The Licensing Book • 29

BEYBLADE BURST SPINS INTO NEW MARKETS Beyblade launched in Canada last month, along with a new animated series, which aired on Teletoon and will air on Disney XD Canada this fall. The TV deal for the animated series in the U.S. will be announced later this year.

The initial toy line will consist of customizable Beyblade Burst tops with interchangeable parts, plus a Beyblade Burst Beystadium and Beyblade Burst Epic Rivals Battle Set. The line will be available in the U.S. this winter with Europe, Latin America, and other markets to follow. The Beyblade Burst app is available in the App Store and Google Play for iOS and Android devices. Players can scan their Beyblade Burst tops into the app, where they can interchange components with other tops in their virtual collection, as well as play in the tournament mode.

Sunrights Inc. manages the distribution of broadcast, non-toy merchandising, and promotional rights for Beyblade Burst outside of Asia and is in talks for Beyblade Burst’s licensing program.

DHX BRANDS SHOWS OFF TELETUBBIES, TWIRLYWOOS, AND IN THE NIGHT GARDEN

TURNER ASIA PACIFIC GREENLIGHTS TUZKI FILM Turner Asia Pacific and Shanghai Tencent Pictures Culture Media Co. will develop a film that stars Tuzki, the rabbit emoticon. In a memorandum of understanding (MOU), production of the film, which will feature CGI and live-action content, will begin next year with an anticipated release in China in 2018. This will be the first fulllength movie project for Tuzki.

Tencent Pictures will lead the film’s production and distribution. Turner will support the film with consumer products, live experiences, and family entertainment centers.

This year, a Tuzki-branded restaurant opened in Shanghai and Tuzki was also present at the Beijing Comic Con over the summer. A sports-themed exhibition, The World of Tuzki: Summer Sports Gala, recently opened at the Galaxy Macau.

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DHX Brands’ top properties include Teletubbies, which celebrates its 20th anniversary next year; In the Night Garden; and Twirlywoos. The first season of the new Teletubbies series is currently airing worldwide on platforms including Nick Jr. in the U.S., Family Jr. in Canada, and ABC Kids in Australia. The second series, consisting of 60 episodes, is currently in production.

The global licensing program for Teletubbies includes more than 75 partners. Licensees in core categories include Character Options and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, as well as book publishers Egmont and Simon & Schuster.

Recent UK licensees include car travel accessories from Alligator; cots, baskets, bouncers, and toddler beds from Euroactive; celebration cakes from Finsbury Foods; arts and crafts, and outdoor games from Sambro International; baby kitchen accessories from Solutions EU; lighting from Spearmark; wet wipes, tissues, and kitchen roll from Ultimate Products Global Sourcing; Crayola Kids from Vivid; wall stickers from Walltastic; and footwear from William Lamb.

DHX will produce an additional 25 episodes of the preschool series Twirlywoos for UK broadcaster CBeebies this fall. DHX Media handles global distribution, merchandising, brand management, and marketing. DHX signed licensees for Twirlywoos with master toy partner Golden Bear. Twirlywoos performed its first live event at The Big Festival this summer.

In the Night Garden is a preschool series represented by DHX Brands and produced by Ragdoll Productions. This summer, the In the Night Garden Live show entered its seventh consecutive year.

An In the Night Garden baby product range will be available next year. The property will also celebrate its 10th anniversary next year with a multi-touch-point campaign under the tagline, “10 Years of Magical Journeys.”

Teletubbies

Fall 2016

HASBRO HIGHLIGHTS MY LITTLE PONY, TRANSFORMERS, AND HANAZUKI Hasbro will highlight key franchises at Brand Licensing Europe 2016, including My Little Pony, Transformers, and its newest franchise Hanazuki.

The full-length animated film My Little Pony: The Movie will premiere next year featuring two new characters voiced by Kristin Chenoweth and Emily Blunt. Hasbro and Lionsgate signed Sia as pony pop star Songbird Serenade. Sia will contribute two new original songs to the film’s soundtrack.

Meghan McCarthy, the writer and producer for the My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic animated series, will pen the screenplay.

This year, Autobots and Decepticons return in a new season of the animated shows Transformers Robots in Disguise and Transformers Rescue Bots, which are both geared toward preschoolers. The new digital series Transformers: Combiner Wars released globally in partnership with Machinima.

Transformers: The Last Knight will premiere next summer, the first in three consecutive years of Transformers films. For 2018, Paramount Studios and Hasbro have partnered for Bumblebee, and Transformers VII will premiere the following year.

Hanazuki is a Hasbro franchise brand-in-the-making and will include an entertainment series, a digital app, and a consumer products and toy offering. Kids can join the adventures of Hanazuki and her friends through a series of mini-animated adventures, produced by Hasbro Studios and Titmous. The series will feature more than 300 minutes of short-form storytelling released weekly on YouTube beginning in January.

SMILEYWORLD PREPS FOR 20TH ANNIVERSARY Next year, SmileyWord will celebrate its 20th anniversary with PR and social media campaigns, retail launches, trade show promotions, and limited-edition point of sale (POS) activations.

SmileyWorld will offer licensees an exclusive anniversary marketing materials kit to ensure POS at trade shows and retail activations around the world. This package features a full selection of products that include freestanding shelving units, counter top displays, shelf talkers, posters, and branding wobblers.

Smiley currently has 17 licensees globally for its branded food products, which include confectionery food, chilled food, beverages, snacks, biscuits and tartelettes, and the frozen food and treats category.

Smiley London partnered with Bestseller to launch an apparel range into Selected stores across China. The line features sweatshirts, graphic T-shirts, patterned polos, and embossed dresses.

Selected supported the launch with an exclusive photo shoot.

Smiley launched three campaigns this year that include DIY Smiley apps, a photo sticker app, wallpapers, and arts and crafts.

SONY PICTURES CONSUMER PRODUCTS OFFERS NEW AND CLASSIC FILMS Sony Pictures Consumer Products (SPCP) will feature a lineup of film licenses featuring new properties and franchises, all of which include partnerships with licensees and retailers worldwide.

SPCP’s release of Emojimovie: Express Yourself leads the presentation slate this year along with Smurfs: The Lost Village, a live-action adaptation of Peter Rabbit, The Star, and the Hotel Transylvania franchise, which includes the third installment of the film and a new TV series. Among the featured live-action properties are Jumanji and Dark Tower, based on Stephen King’s book franchise.

SPCP’s classic brand portfolio includes Ghostbusters Classics, Karate Kid, the Men In Black franchise, the Underworld franchise, and Easy Rider.

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Fall 2016

9 STORY MEDIA GROUP ADDS UP WITH PEG + CAT

JEWEL BRANDING SETS SIGHTS ON KENDRA DANDY Kendra Dandy of Bouffants and Broken Hearts makes her debut at this year’s BLE. Bouffants and Broken Hearts has gained the attention of leading companies, including Anthropologie, Keds, Nike, and Bobbi Brown. In North America, the brand is licensed in a variety of categories, including apparel, accessories, home décor, and stationery. New partnerships in Europe and Asia include a collection of crafting supplies from Trimcraft, a makeup line from Skinfood, apparel and swimwear collections from Lazzari, ceramic tabletop from Hankook, and more.

The Fred Rogers Co. and 9 Story Media Group appointed Imports Dragon as the global master toy partner for preschool brand Peg + Cat. An assortment of high-quality Peg + Cat plush, arts and crafts, games, and wooden puzzles will roll out next year.

In addition to the new toy offerings, Peg + Cat books from Candlewick Press will be available across multiple formats, as well as a lineup of Peg + Cat DVDs from PBS Distribution in the U.S., eOne in Canada, ABC Commercial in Australia, and Sony Music in Germany.

Peg + Cat follows Peg and her loyal sidekick Cat as they embark on musical adventures and learn math concepts along the way. 9 Story has secured distribution in 180 countries. HiHat Media leads licensing initiatives in the U.S. for the brand.

Peg + Cat Puzzle

AMERICAN GREETINGS ENTERTAINMENT CELEBRATES 35 YEARS OF CARE BEARS American Greetings Entertainment’s Care Bears celebrates its 35th anniversary next year, and will offer lifestyle products with several partners, including Land of Nod with a direct-to-retail program with artist-designed bedding and plush, and a plush and apparel and accessory program for infant girls to tweens in collaboration with Boy Meets Girl, Wildfox, Freshly Picked, and Ironfist for Dolls Kill. Additional collaborations are in place with Sprinkles, Dylan’s Candy Bar, and California Donuts, with an exclusive Care Bears doughnut available at Koreatown in Los Angeles. Care Bears is also featured on the Netflix original series Care Bears & Cousins.

Additionally, master toy partner Just Play will support the consumer products program for Madballs with a co-production of new Madballs animated shorts.

Blind bags and collectible 3-inch Madballs from Just Play will launch next year, and will expand with more toys throughout the year at retailers worldwide.

Fall 2016

The Licensing Book • 33

SAKAR LAUNCHES NERF-BRANDED DRONES Sakar launched the Nerf Streaming Video Drone, which features aerial acrobatics and is available at Target stores in the U.S. The Nerf Streaming Video Drone Cam Copter is a full-size drone with Wi-Fi capability, a built-in HD video camera, a transmitter, a full-size controller, and an app-based camera view with hover, flip, and inversion capabilities, plus 32 built-in LED lights for night-flying. The drone includes six minutes of flight time per charge and a 200-meter transmission range. It fully charges in less than two hours. It will also feature on-board Wi-Fi for real-time downloading of the footage captured by the on-board camera/camcorder to the device of the user’s choice.

BEANSTALK DRIVES BRAND PRESENCE This year, Beanstalk launched new product ranges and added two new services: Icon Representation and Studio B. New agreements have also been signed for Diageo. Guinness and Sean Loughnane extended their partnership to launch a new beef sausage with the Guinness flavor. The brand’s first Australian deal was signed with apparel manufacturer Bravado. Baileys will launch a panettone with Melegatti for this holiday season in select European markets, predominantly Italy.

In the hard goods sector, Dewalt worked with Global Mobile Communications to release a heavy-duty smartphone. Additionally, Stanley partnered with Mobile Tout Terrain to release a shockproof and waterproof professional mobile phone for tradesmen. Stanley also partnered with Matrix for a range of professional gasoline-powered garden tools.

Filippo Berio and Beams International partnered for a giftware set. Additionally, Unilever will launch Chupa Chups Calippo Shots through out-of-home channels.

Paris Hilton had new product launches this year with more to follow, including a new line of footwear from EDF in Mexico this summer and a Young Essence fashion line. Genesis is set to launch a new Paris Hilton clothing collection next year, and the Paris Hilton shopping channel will launch this month with licensee K Plus.

Earlier in the year, Rare appointed Tinderbox as the global licensing agent for its new game Sea of Thieves, which is available on Xbox One and Windows 10, and for titles from the history of the gaming studio. Rare also celebrated more than 30 years of gaming heritage with the launch of Rare Replay last summer. Battletoads, Banjo-Kazooie, Conker, Perfect Dark, and Viva Piñata were among the 30 games produced by the company to celebrate the anniversary. Tinderbox will support the titles with a global licensing program across multiple categories including apparel, accessories, toys, collectibles, publishing, gift, and novelty.

Tinderbox continues to pursue licensing opportunities across categories for the additional titles it represents within the Microsoft Studios Xbox portfolio: Halo, Forza, Killer Instinct, State of Decay, Ori and the Blind Forest, and ReCore.

Beanstalk developed two additional divisions to its list of services this year. The new Icon Representation service focuses on the representation of personality rights of legendary icons for use in advertising, promotions, licensed products, and long-term brand associations. The service has added clients to its roster including Mahatma Gandhi, Isaac Hayes, and Humphrey Bogart. Beanstalk also launched Studio B, an integrated design service that offers clients creative and strategic thinking in the marketplace for areas such as branding and identity, product concepts, packaging design, style guides and brand books, and marketing collateral and merchandising.

34 • The Licensing Book

Fall 2016

INKGROUP EXTENDS ITS LINEUP OF CHARACTERS Masha and the Bear airs in both pay and free-to-air channels with broadcasters including France TV, Rai YoYo in Italy, Turner Cartoonito in the UK and Latin America, Turner Boing in Spain, ABC in Australia, Canal Panda in Spain and Portugal, Minimax in Central Europe, Russia 1 in Russia and CIS, SIC in Portugal and Portuguese-speaking Africa, and SpaceToon in the Middle East, North Africa, and Malaysia. The third series was recently released, and the theatrical release in Italy is set to be replicated across key European markets.

Mojicons is a new show that reveals the world of the Mojicons, the emoticons that populate emails and text messages. The show is produced by Russian creators Alexander Romanetz and Viacheslav Marchenko.

Zafari follows a group of friends who inhabit a land where all the animals have been born with an amalgamation of skins, patterns, and characteristics. Broadcasters have come in on the project on a pre-buy level and include France TV, Lagardere TIJI, SRC Radio Canada, and SpaceToon. NBCUniversal has picked up the global distribution rights and the first series will soon follow.

Brio has a presence in more than 30 countries with a strong brand awareness in the four Nordic markets, the UK, the U.S., Germany, and France.

Additionally, the Fixies characters will introduce creatures that maintain everyday machines and devices.

HAPPY TOON WORLD GROWS PORTFOLIO Happy Toon World appointed V.I.P. Entertainment & Merchandising AG, Hamburg, to exclusively represent all characters for licensing and merchandising opportunities in German-speaking markets. With a variety of characters, various poses per character, logo treatments, badges, and a major selection of background options in the comprehensive style guide, Happy Toon World licensing offers many options.

36 • The Licensing Book

Dinotrux

PLANETA JUNIOR ADDS ANIMATED PROPERTIES Planeta Junior attends BLE with four properties that include Mutant Busters; Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir; Dinotrux, and Noddy, Toyland Detective.

Mutant Busters is an animated series based on the original toys of the same name. The series premiered in Spain this year and recently debuted in France as the first step of its international launch, with the second season currently in production. The last three minutes of each episode are vlog style and can be broadcast independently on TV and digital platforms as a webisode.

DreamWorks Animation’s Noddy, Toyland Detective is a series for kids ages 2 to 6 that follows Noddy on adventures throughout Toyland. The brand has named Spin Master as master toy licensee.

Miraculous, Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir is a 3-D CGI-animated, comedy-action TV series that airs in more than 120 markets.

The series, produced by Zag and Method Animation, currently airs on Nickelodeon in the U.S., Disney Channel Europe/LATAM/ Korea, TF1 in France, EBS in Korea, Gloob in Brazil, ABC in Australia, and more. The first season will expand its broadcast exposure in Italy and the UK on SUPER and POP, which will premiere next year and has been greenlit for a second and third season.

Bandai continues as the global master toy partner for Miraculous and Planeta Junior is the licensing agent of the brand in Spain, Portugal, Greece, Turkey, and Central and Eastern Europe.

DreamWorks Animation’s original series Dinotrux follows the stories of half-dinosaur and half-construction vehicles.

Fall 2016

NBCUNIVERSAL BRAND DEVELOPMENT SETS ITS SIGHTS ON SEQUELS

TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX CONSUMER PRODUCTS UNVEILS NEW DEALS FOR ICE AGE Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products (FCP) announced new licensing deals and partnerships for the animated film franchise Ice Age. Ice Age: Collision Course debuted this summer with 15 FCP promotional partners for EMEA, including pan European campaigns from Pepsico for its Cheetos snack brand and Chipita’s Chipicao children’s brand. Lidl joined Pepsico and Chipita with custom TV spots, as well as 15 retail loyalty programs in 14 countries, secured by The Continuity Co. In preparation for the film’s release, FCP launched a promotion with Chipita that began this September and will continue until next year across 18 markets in the Central and Eastern Europe region. The partnerships feature Ice Age: Collision Course-themed packaging across the Chipicao-baked croissants, biscuits, and cakes range, each with one collectible Tazo premium inside.

This fall, Esselunga chose the Ice Age brand to be part of its annual Community Program for Schools.

The campaign will grant shoppers in more than 150 supermarkets with an Ice Age: Collison Course promotional product.

Les Carroz will feature the opening of an Ice Age zone with an Ice Age-themed area with ski activities.

Skiers will be able to purchase a range of Ice Age merchandise including plush, toys, and more.

Additionally, next year, FCP will launch the Ice Age Babies program for retail. Fox Digital Entertainment recently launched two new digital games: Ice Age World and Ice Age Arctic Blast.

Fall 2016

NBCUniversal Brand Development will showcase properties from the company’s film and TV creative partners, including Universal Pictures, Illumination Entertainment, DreamWorks Animation, and NBCUniversal cable and television.

Next summer, Illumination Entertainment and Universal Pictures release Despicable Me 3, the follow-up to Despicable Me and Despicable Me 2, as well as Minions. NBCUniversal will also create programs for Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment’s The Secret Life of Pets 2, the sequel to The Secret Life of Pets.

For upcoming live-action films, NBCUniversal will highlight Fast 8, the eighth chapter in Universal Pictures’ Fast & Furious franchise, which will debut next year. NBCUniversal will debut a new toy line with global master toy licensee Mattel, as well as a cross-category merchandising program for the film.

Next year, a new version of The Mummy will hit theaters. Additionally, in 2018, the division will team up with its new global master toy licensee Mattel to roll out a wide variety of toys and consumer products inspired by Jurassic World 2. Mattel will design, produce, and bring to market a wide variety of toys and consumer products inspired by the franchise.

Following the recent corporate acquisition of DreamWorks Animation, NBCUniversal Brand Development is now responsible for managing the DreamWorks Animation portfolio of properties for consumer and digital products globally. At BLE, DreamWorks Animation will showcase a portfolio of new and classic properties for film, TV, and digital platforms, with the upcoming feature film Trolls headlining the roster.

For DreamWorks Television, Noddy celebrates its success as a new original series, Noddy, Toyland Detective. Voltron also returns to the small screen with the series Voltron: Legendary Defender. DreamWorks’ How to Train Your Dragon adds a TV series, Dragons: Race to the Edge. In the digital space, AwesomenessTV offers audiences short- and long-form content, led by a roster of more than 90,000 content creators.

The Licensing Book • 37

KOKO ROSE MEDIA CALLS FOR ADVENTURE WITH FLORA OF THE FOREST The new preschool property Flora of the Forest introduces natural science and exploration to kids. Flora is a 7-year-old scientist and adventurer who lives in a treehouse in the forest.

The Flora of the Forest series is in development with Koko Rose Media, Karen Fowler, and King Rollo. Licensing rights are managed by Think Tank Emporium in the U.S. and Canada, Empire Multimedia in Asia, and Burda Brand Licensing in Germany.

RAINBOW TAKES ON FAIRIES AND FASHION Rainbow previews three new properties for this year: Regal Academy, Maggie & Bianca Fashion Friends, and World of Winx.

Regal Academy is an animated series that follows the adventures of Rose Cinderella, who discovers that Cinderella is her grandmother. Rose is enrolled in Regal Academy, a school run by her grandmother and a host of other fairytale characters.

Rainbow presents its first full live-action production with Maggie & Bianca Fashion Friends. The show follows Maggie, an American girl, and Bianca, an Italian girl.

Licensing deals have been signed for both new shows. Simba has signed a master toy deal for Maggie & Bianca Fashion Friends, and Giochi Preziosi signed a pan-European master toy deal for Regal Academy to produce fashion dolls and accessories, play sets, and role-play toys.

World of Winx is a new property based on Winx Club, where the Winx fairies travel to Earth and uncover the Talent Thief, a villain who captures gifted children.

Maggie & Bianca Fashion Friends

38 • The Licensing Book

SANTORO LICENSING GROWS GORJUSS BRAND Santoro Licensing will showcase new products from its portfolio of brands, including Gorjuss. This year the stand design also celebrates the opening of the first Santoro shop in Bath.

New Gorjuss toy products include games, collectible figurines, crafts, and sequin art sets, as well as Gorjuss Fofuchas, which are novelty craft foam characters that are popular in the Spanish market.

This year, Santoro launched Gorjuss play dolls, co-developed with licensee Paola Reina. The dolls are available now in Harrods and Selfridges. New extensions for the Gorjuss doll range are currently in development, and more will be revealed at BLE. Santoro will also showcase the Gorjuss collectibles series from Panini, among other product launches, including new paper craft and quilting fabric ranges, luggage and travel bags, and a new range of umbrellas and apparel lines.

The Kori Kumi portfolio will expand into new markets and product categories next year, including back-to- school, luggage, arts and crafts, fabrics, and puzzles, as well as two direct-to-retail agreements for apparel.

Fall 2016

MONDO TV TARGETS PRESCHOOL, TWEENS, AND TEENS

HELP FOR HEROES HEADS TO THE GREAT OUTDOORS Help for Heroes continues to grow its licensing partners to include brands such as Jack Wills, Hildon Water, Kerry Foods, Kinnerton, Princes, Lovells Rugby, Stanley Black and Decker, and John Lewis.

The appointment of global licensing agency JELC as Help for Heroes’ licensing agent for the gardening sector adds a focus on the horticultural and land management activities that form part of the charity’s recovery programs for those suffering from physical and mental injuries. JELC seeks licensees and retailers for categories including plants, trees and seeds, gardening tools and equipment, outdoor living, garden furniture, play equipment, and publishing.

JELC will also target the baking sector.

Help for Heroes continues to look for partnerhips in other categories, such as sport, construction/DIY, gifts, and children’s products.

Mondo TV features in-house and co-produced properties with licensing opportunities for markets ranging from preschool and young children to tweens and teens. Mondo TV will also promote third-party properties, particularly Yo Soy Franky, a Nickelodeon Latin America live-action production. Mondo TV also manages the licensing rights for Yo Soy Franky in Italy where Boing previewed the first season. A second season will air later this year.

Mondo TV confirmed a broadcast and licensing program for YooHoo & Friends 3D, a new series based on the line of plush toys made by Aurora World. The 3D animated series targets kids ages 4 to 7 and will air next year.

Key product licenses have been finalized for food and personal care. Aurora will directly manage plush.

Another co–production with Aurora is the animated TV series CubyZoo, which follows cube-shaped animal toys set to air next year. The show debuted this year on EBS in South Korea. Initial licensing opportunities for this property include a master toy category along with play sets, collectibles, and other toy categories.

Sissi the Young Empress follows an empress who resists etiquette and the duties of the court to follow her heart. The new 26-episode series will arrive next year along with a licensing campaign. Grandi Giochi, master toy licensee for EMEA, already produced and distributed a large number of items in its Sissi toy line with plans for more product launches for this holiday season. Publishing lines include coloring books, sticker books, an official magazine, and a Sissi storybook. Puzzles and board games, Easter eggs, Epiphany socks, personal care products, and the app Dress Up Your Sissi are already available at retail.

Mondo TV will co-produce a live-action teen drama through its subsidiary company Mondo TV Iberoamerica. The series Heidi, Bienvenida a Casa is currently in production and set to air next year. The series is a flagship property by Mondo TV, with licensing opportunities for next year in many areas, including apparel and accessories, publishing and gifts, and more. Mondo TV manages the licensing rights for the brand worldwide, with the exception of Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Chile.

Adventures in Duckport is for kids ages 4 to 8 and is scheduled to air next year with a licensing and merchandising strategy currently in place. It will be led by publishing and toys.

Other preschool properties include Eddie Is a Yeti, an animated, short-form, non-dialogue series in which a girl befriends an unusual animal; Bug Rangers, which will be available in 2018; and Nori RollerCoaster Boy, which follows a rollercoaster living in Nori Park rollercoaster city who has to defend his home. Another new series, Invention Story, will arrive in 2018, with the production of some episodes starting this year.

Jack Wills Help for Heroes line

40 • The Licensing Book

Fall 2016

GLOBAL LICENSING CAMPAIGN IN THE WORKS FOR THE BRITISH MUSEUM

stationery line from Moomin

CAROLINE MICKLER LTD. BRINGS BIG NAMES IN TV, MUSIC, AND PUBLISHING The Beatles’ licensing program is managed by Caroline Mickler Ltd. and Apple Corps. It includes a wide range of products, such as tailored shirts, jackets, bags, calendars, watches, and more. The documentary feature film, The Beatles: Eight Days a Week—The Touring Years, follows The Beatles’ early years. It will feature a new album, The Beatles: Live at the Hollywood Bowl, which captures the band’s three sold-out concerts at Los Angeles’ Hollywood Bowl in 1964 and 1965.

Yellow Submarine is also the focus of a range of licensed products, including collectible miniature vinyl figures from Titan, and customized Rolex watches from The Bamford Watch Co. Stationery, a coloring book, apparel, homeware, and fashion accessories are part of the Moomin licensing campaign. Nightwear and women’s T-shirts are included in the lineup, and an additional campaign will focus on the preschool market.

Episodes of Horrid Henry air on weekends on CITV and on ITV1. Horrid Henry offers licensing opportunities in multiple categories, especially in toys and games.

With next year’s arrival of the Fifty Shades of Grey sequel, Fifty Shades Darker, the brand will continue to expand with Coco de Mer to launch the Fifty Shades Darker lingerie collection this year.

Home furnishing will be the lead licensing category for pop-up books writer Jamie Maizels. Additionally, the licensing campaign for chef Ollie Dabbous will initially focus on kitchenware and related products.

Jamie Raven, a contestant from last year’s season of Britain’s Got Talent, will have a licensing campaign that includes magic products, publishing, and apparel.

Fall 2016

The British Museum and Portfolio partnered to produce a range of British Museum greeting cards illustrated with designs drawn from the Museum’s collection of art and artifacts. The greeting cards will feature works from across the world. The initial range, made up of 24 designs, greeting card from Portfolio will launch next year. Additionally, TSBA Group was appointed to build a global licensing campaign on behalf of the British Museum.

ZODIAK KIDS MONKEYS AROUND WITH NEW PRESCHOOL SERIES Zodiak Kids signed on for the consumer products rights to new CBeebies preschool series Tee & Mo, which follows a monkey named Tee and his first-time mom Mo. CBeebies commissioned the 2D animated series from Plug-in Media and Radical Sheep Productions. Canadian broadcasters TVOKids and Knowledge Kids are also on board for the series. The property has games, shorts, and music videos available online.

The Licensing Book • 41

BULLDOG LICENSING BUILDS ON COLLECTIBLES BRANDS Bulldog Licensing builds its portfolio with many different brands.

The licensing program for Shopkins from Moose Toys features more than 40 partners across categories including toys, stationery, apparel, publishing, games, party goods, posters, and homewares.

Grossery Gang, also from Moose Toys, adds a new range of collectible characters made for kids ages 5 and up. Season one is now available, supported by a website, an upcoming app, and regular YouTube content.

The Twozies collectible line from Moose Toys features babies and pets and targets kids ages 7 to 10.

Shopkins A line of Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir toys from Bandai, including action dolls, role play, and plush, is set to launch exclusively at Toys “R” Us stores this year, followed by a full market rollout next year.

Current licensees for Garfield include bags and stationery from Sambro; kids’ nightwear, socks, and underwear from Misirli; a publishing partnership with Ravette; and an accessory line from J Fox. Garfield apparel will also be available with partnerships including Blues, Poetic Gem, and BCI. Additionally, the marketing support for Yo-Kai Watch includes trailers and online competitions, as well as licensees that are on board across apparel, bedding, toy, video games, greetings, stationery, and more.

Shaun the Sheep

AARDMAN ROLLS OUT NEW TV LICENSEES Key territory release dates for Early Man, which will be in theaters in 2018, have been announced and Aardman partnered with Studiocanal to develop a licensing, publishing, and promotional program for the film.

The global rollout of Shaun the Sheep series five on major broadcasters in more than 170 territories will take place this year, along with original and reissued content for videoon-demand platforms.

A new series of short-form episodes will premiere for Morph and Spy Kids later this year, with promotional activity featuring Timmy and Wallace & Gromit next year.

BEANO STUDIOS LAUNCHES WEBSITE Beano Studios will showcase the new Beano brand, the new CGI-animated TV series Dennis & Gnasher Unleashed, and the company’s new design and category direction.

Beano.com, the newly launched network created for kids ages 7 to 10, will feature a range of consumer products showcasing the new Beano designs, which rolled out on digital shelves in September.

42 • The Licensing Book

Fall 2016

THE VOICE REACHING BOTH CONSUMER & TRADE SWEET SUITE July 13-14, 2016 • NYC

HOLIDAY OF PLAY

CONTACT: Jonathan Samet or Laurie Schacht Tel: 212-575-4510 toybook.com toyinsider.com suitesweetevent.com

Fall 2016

OUTSIDE THE BOX

ENSURING SUCCESS FOR A NEW LICENSED PROPERTY

by TED MININNI, president and creative director, Design Force

U.S. Soccer Federation Blister Pack

44 • The Licensing Book

IT’S ALWAYS EXCITING AND CHALLENGING TO work with any new consumer product brand or entertainment property, but for the owners of these brands, the learning curve can be steep. The first focus has to be on creating a unique brand and building equity from scratch, and that takes vision, determination, and a strategic plan.

When the brand becomes even moderately successful, licensing can be desirable, since it has unlimited potential to maximize its power financially.

But the decision to license is not a simple one, and the process of preparing a property for licensing is not simple either. We have seen too many viable brands fail when they ventured into licensing, either due to relationships with the wrong manufacturers, pursuit of the wrong consumer product categories, not having a consumer product style guide in place, or a combination of all of these things. Adding to these complexities, many property owners are jumping ahead to license brands that have yet to mature, which presents yet another challenge.

Getting the licensing equation wrong will not only prove disappointing from a revenue generating perspective, it can actually do harm to the brand or property.

Before embarking on licensing ventures, brand owners should work with consultants who specialize in licensing program design so that they can develop a unique visual and verbal language to fully leverage the property’s values and assets.

It’s even more desirable to seek out design experts who have a narrow focus and specialize in specific industries rather than being generalists, since they will have a higher level of insight and expertise.

With the creation of visual and verbal design assets, consumer product and packaging program style U.S. Soccer Federation guides can be developed to 3D Box Window assist and support licensees and to ensure consistency

in the manner in which the brand is presented to the world for the licensor. This is a crucial step in the licensing process and it should not be omitted. If it is, licensees will be left to their own devices and ideas and the brand’s most important assets—the ones that matter most to its fans—will not be properly leveraged. Without consistent branding; without presenting the attributes that bring the brand to life, the most successful property can appear dull and lifeless, leading to a licensing failure.

When this process is complete, the brand owner should be sure to align itself with the right kinds of manufacturers—those who will develop consumer products that make sense for the brand, and will be avidly sought after by the property’s fans. It is best to go about this process in a selective manner rather than trying to sell licensing agreements to as many manufacturers as possible.

SUBSTANCE OR STYLE? Rather than adopting stylistic trends in the development of licensing program design for a less mature property, a brand-centric approach is necessary to build equity.

And that’s our focus as design consultants. We simply can’t create the necessary impact for a brand or property otherwise.

By studying the most important visual and verbal assets associated with the brand from the fans’ perspective, we can leverage them in a consistent and targeted manner. This engenders immediate recognition and engagement between the licensed property and its fans in the development of consumer products and their packaging. It is crucial to understand that a brand being prepared for licensing must leverage its own unique attributes to speak in an emotive manner to the fan culture that surrounds it. If current packaging is missing the mark for any maturing licensed property, it should be refreshed to deliver the brand in a more decisive manner, and to better appeal to its fans.

When a style guide is developed, it should be flexible enough to support brand extensions in additional consumer product categories as new licensing agreements are made. The goal isn’t to squelch the creativity of licensees, but rather to support them as full partners. This ensures success for everyone: consumers, retailers, licensees, and licensors. As the brand grows

Fall 2016

and establishes greater equity, we can then build upon the original licensing program design to reflect stylistic trends and evolving cultural cues to ensure its continued relevance for a fast-changing fan base.

The U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF) offers a great example of this. While soccer is the most popular sport around the world, it continues to mature in the U.S. at the professional level. When we collaborated with the USSF to develop its new licensed product packaging program, our goal was to present a unified visual brand look across a wide range of consumer product offerings within many areas of mass and specialty retail stores. We decided to keep the overall design simple, leveraging the power of the refreshed U.S. Soccer crest and its patriotic red, white, and blue color palette. We based the package design architecture, colors, and standardized units of measure on the new crest’s design.

The standardization guidelines feature all of the visual assets that we developed specifically for the packaging program, and explains how they should be used by all U.S. Soccer licensees. Templates for the blister card, closed box, window box, and hang tag packaging formats, along with detailed instructions, make it easy for licensees to package their consumer products, while presenting a consistent look at retail for the licensor. Being passionate sports fans ourselves, we know what triggers enthusiasm among fans of a variety of sports. Rather than trying to encompass too much into the packaging program, the editing process and our understanding of soccer allow us to hone in on what generates enthusiasm among fans of the U.S. national soccer teams competing around the world.

REPOSITIONING AND REALIGNING We’ve worked with licensed brands that have changed their positioning, which presents a distinct challenge.

Whether brands opt to reposition to remain relevant to their consumer base, or they decide to appeal to an adjacent market, these changes require refreshed licensed product packaging programs. This was the case for Authentic Brands Group’s Tapout brand. When it was decided to move the property away from its Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) and Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fan base to appeal to the hard-body fitness enthusiast, the entire look and feel of the property’s packaging had to be re-envisioned.

We needed to establish a packaging program that would be flexible enough to accommodate consumer products in numerous categories, as we normally do.

In the case of Tapout, our focus was on four distinct consumer product categories: apparel, supplements, performance beverages, and fitness equipment. We wanted to ensure that no matter where Tapout products

Fall 2016

are merchandised within the retail environment, its fans would immediately be able to identify and relate to them on an emotional level.

By leveraging black as the brand color and a blue horizontal stripe as the package design architecture, and by adding the right kind of visual asset: a subtle tonal image of the perfect hard body, glistening with perspiration, we knew that we had a unique brand-centric look and feel. Only in the case of the fitness equipment is the background package color white, in order to differentiate it from other brands in the category.

The new Tapout brand identity features octagonal typography that’s bold and simple, yet distinctive, so we’ve added design elements that visually support it. It’s obvious when viewing the new packaging program that it represents the Tapout brand; there’s no confusing it for anything else in the marketplace. The brand is now aimed at consumers with fitness-oriented lifestyles.

LICENSED CONSUMER PRODUCT PACKAGING SHOULD PACK A PUNCH Because of its direct interface with consumers, we understand that package design is an important tool in helping to build recognition, trust, and equity, even for brands that enjoy considerable heritage, but especially for those that are still on a trajectory of growth.

For licensed brands, it is absolutely crucial to help them stand out among a plethora of properties that are represented in the marketplace. If that isn’t currently happening, it’s important to refresh packaging to realign it with the property in a more effective manner for licensors, their licensees, and retailer partners.

Equity building is the product of compelling consumer experiences. That’s why brands are so focused on creating and augmenting them. Package design represents the most tangible of brand expressions with which consumers have direct experience. Of course strong package design prompts the sale, but it goes much further than that. Experiences that are rich and emotive help to cement the relationship between fans and a licensed property, meaning the licensed product packaging program design must become a top priority for licensors who are trying to leverage the full power of their properties.

•••• Ted Mininni is president and creative director at Design Force Inc., a package and licensing program design consultancy to the consumer product and entertainment industries. The goal of Design Force is to establish strong emotional connections with consumers and create powerful visual brand experiences that engage, excite, entertain, inspire, and influence consumers’ decision to buy. Mininni can be reached at (856) 810-2277. Visit www.designforceinc.com for more information.

Tapout Supplement Bottle

Tapout Beverage Bottle

Tapout Hang Tag

The Licensing Book • 45

TALKING SEO

FAD, SHMAD.

New Domain Extensions Are Here to Stay

by BILL GLENN, vice president of marketing, Rightside TO SAY THAT INTEREST IN AND USE OF NEW domain extensions has exploded recently is an under.ca statement, with approximately 12 million already in exis.today .insider tence. Instead of being limited to domain names such as .nitrocircus .com, .org, and .edu, businesses can select from literally .net .center millions of other options, with extensions such as .news, .live, .rocks, .attorney, .reviews, and .video. .shoes .live .biz .gallery Companies such as Apple, Google, Dow Jones, and Major League Baseball have embraced the use of new .social .info domain extensions, believing that more descriptive and .free .com targeted URL extensions offer diverse benefits such as bet.app ter calls to action (CTAs) and enhanced brand recall, sup.garden porting both online and offline marketing initiatives. One .street of the newest domains is .family, which was announced last month and has already been embraced by companies worldwide, including Amazon, BMW, Deutsche Telekom, Google, Johnson & Johnson, Tyson Foods, and Viacom. .guru .int

.bakery

.euro

.center

.food .arpa

.mile

.house .simply .art

.kids .bite

.now

.wire

.portal

.cyber

.focus

.info

.dome

.guide

.edu

.network .com .uk

.venture

.music .sport

.eco .heaven

.shopping

.share

.world

.alley

.blog

46 • The Licensing Book

I already have a .com address, why would I need anything else?

So much effort goes into selecting a domain name, and it’s great if you already have a .com. But what happens when you grow your business, start running ad campaigns, have more competition, and need to stand out on mobile devices and the web? Imagine that you’ve spent thousands of dollars on an ad campaign with a bit.ly link or QR code as your call to action (CTA).

When was the last time you drove down the highway and remembered a URL on a billboard? This is why companies such as Nitro Circus now use the URL nitrocircus.live to take browsers straight to their tour dates page. New domain extensions enable you to promote your campaign with a playful domain name that illustrates your brand and creates better brand recall and a stronger CTA that should translate into an increased conversion or response rate.

A company’s online presence is often spread across several different platforms. While the nuts and bolts of their business may still live on their primary website, content such as blogs, video, photos, and other social media are almost always hosted somewhere else. That usually means the loss of control over the brand, with the company name getting stuck after the slash, such as www.youtube.com/user/. Complementary domains give businesses the ability to maintain more control over their brands and create a better experience for their customers. “Complementary domains” simply means differentiating the URL through the Top-Level Domain (TLD), while keeping the domain name itself static. The Los

Angeles Times’ web properties are a good example of this strategy, splitting various pages into LATimes.video, LATimes.social, and LATimes.news.

What is the business value for a brand to invest in new domains?

One determinant is whether the domain extension is a branded domain, which is a relatively new option focused on a company or brand name. For example, Apple has the ability to create iPhone.Apple, instead of iPhone.com. In this case, Apple becomes the domain extension instead of .com, and iPhone becomes the second level domain. This is much more expensive because of the exclusivity aspect, but, for large companies or big brands, the opportunity to use the premium brand name as the domain has beneficial implications for both web bots and human searchers alike.

The International Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) summarizes the benefits in this way: • Companies can create shorter, easy-to-remember internet addresses.

• They can intensify brand awareness among consumers, who will be able to access information regarding the company’s products and services more easily.

• Companies can control and diversify their web presence by creating second-level domains for disparate products and services.

• There is increased security against trademark abuses.

• New opportunities for website marketing campaigns and strategies become possible.

What is the Search Engine Marketing (SEM) value of new domains?

New domain extensions are a boon to SEO efforts.

A controlled, PPC marketing study testing the use of different domain names to promote diamond jewelry found that new domain names have a dramatic impact on search engine results. The test compared www.3CaratDiamonds.com to www.3Carat.Diamonds using the same Google Adwords ads and landing pages loaded with search-friendly keywords. The test found that the domain using the .com extension cost twice as much on a CPM basis and was a third less effective in producing conversions than the new domain extension.

Like any relatively new technology, data regarding the impact of new domain extensions is still accumulating. Early adopters are reporting favorably on their experience. New domain extensions are steadily growing and will soon become a part of our online ecosystem. ••••

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MARKETING MEMO

TARGETING THE

MILLENNIAL MOM

by CHRISTINA JORDAN, senior director of marketing, LIMA DEPENDING ON WHOSE DEFINITION OF “millennial” you follow, I can squeak by as being a member of Gen Y. The dark circles under my eyes and the fact that I may or not be wearing a shirt with a spit up stain on it can attest to me being a new mother.

When you put the two together, you have an entire genre of shopper: the Millennial Mom. For the longest time, the question on everyone’s mind was how to target millennials. Now, we see a shift to the older representatives of Gen Y and the purchasing power of this new momma.

She is probably in or near her 30s, college educated, more prone to an urban environment, and a conscious consumer. Her formative years involved digital technology.

She shops in the “all natural” section of the market and has, at some point, been a yogi, a vegan, or both. She and her significant other are likely to have purchased a home in the last couple of years. They are still in the process of dumping the old rag tag apartment pieces and furnishing their house “like adults.” She believes in recycling, rarely buys on impulse, and probably had to delete a few Facebook photos when she started job hunting.

Her kid(s) are still quite young. She thinks about the implications of all the disposable diapers she purchases, even if she can’t bring herself to go cloth. If she doesn’t make baby food for the kiddos herself, she’s definitely buying organic—and she wants transparent labels before she puts anything in the cart.

Do any of these products happen to bear licensed characters? And what else is she buying for her little ones? In my experience, and those of my mom friends, I am here to provide some answers. And they may confuse you. (Note: This perspective does not touch on the digital world, gaming apps, etc., as the age range I am focusing on is just starting solids.)

A millennial mom is a complex mix of brand loyalty with a carefully curated modern taste. (Think: Scandikid, Design Life Kids, fawn & forest, even the kid section at the MoMA store.) With the internet at her fingertips, she can cultivate any look she wants for herself and her little one(s)—and she can purchase products from around the world to help her achieve it.

BEFORE BABY Millennial momma’s tastes began to take shape during her pregnancy, when she found herself needing

48 • The Licensing Book

new clothes. There would be no massive floral tent-like numbers in her closet. She continued to wear some of her favorite brands—from Topshop to Paige denim— which are now catering to expanding bellies. She was going to kick off this parenthood thing as an “it” mom, whatever the price tag.

DÉCOR A new mom doesn’t have to settle for the character-branded nursery themes of yesteryear if she doesn’t want to. She can go to Etsy and build any theme she wants, complete with handmade mobiles, customized wall art, and anything else her heart desires. If there is a licensed character to be found in her baby’s nursery, it probably has a minimalist/kitschy cool twist—a Miffy lamp, a framed and numbered Mickey Mouse sketch, a hand-knit (or what looks to be) Hello Kitty blanket.

CLOTHES Personal style will always be all over the map, for every generation. However, with millennial moms, there is a definite trend away from licensed baby clothing toward a luxe, modern look. This is particularly influenced by an Instagram era in which kiddos are made famous by the online chronicling of their style-forward wardrobes. They are living their young lives like fashion bloggers before they can go potty. continued on page 50

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OF COUNSEL

SUBLICENSING CONSIDERATIONS Licensing 101, Part 81

by JAMES KIPLING, of counsel, Dinsmore & Shohl LLP This is the 81st article in a series devoted to the creation and documentation of the licensing relationship and to elements of a typical license agreement.

THE CONCEPT OF “SUBLICENSING” A LICENSEE’S rights under a licensing agreement can be similar to subcontracting the plumbing or electrical work in a building construction contract. The general contractor doesn’t need to employ his or her own plumbers or electricians to perform such work when he or she has the ability to engage the services of companies or individuals who specialize in these areas. Similarly, the licensee can avoid the financial and administrative burdens of employing in-house product and packaging designers, engineering staff, and building its own manufacturing facility if it is permitted to delegate those various functions to third parties.

Obviously, this begs to question to what extent such sublicensing is permitted by the licensor, and what “controls” need to be retained. These questions take on added emphasis in a licensing context when compared to a building construction scenario, because the licensor is concerned with continued viability of its intellectual property and not simply with “getting the job done.”

Typically, sophisticated licensors narrowly delineate the functions that may be delegated, or “sublicensed” by the licensee, and carefully define the situations and mechanisms by which this can be accomplished.

DELEGATION OF MANUFACTURE The most common form of such delegation involves the use of third-party manufacturers to execute product designs supplied by the licensee. In order to maintain consumer goodwill as well as viability of its intellectual property, the licensor has a paramount need to ensure that the selected manufacturer produces only aesthetically and functionally satisfactory products. Therefore, it is not unusual for licensors to insist upon approval of the manufacturer as well as the terms of the licensee’s procurement contract and the products themselves. By contrast, the licensee will want to minimize interference with—and delays in—its production, leading to a natural tension at this point of the relationship. This tension would seem to militate toward a situation in which the licensor imposes obligations that must be met by the licensee without the creation of a direct relationship between the licensor and the manufacturer.

A natural result of this approach is acceptance by the licensee of responsibility for any violations by the manufacturer. This can put the licensee in the unenviable

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position of having to police the manufacturer’s activities in order to protect “Licensees that use its own rights under the license agreement, even though the licensee cannot third-party factories directly “control” the manufacturer must be ready to by virtue of its being an independent entity. deal with documents For example, the licensor may insist provided by licensors that the licensee provide on-site inspection at the manufacturer’s factories that are intended to and review all shipments to assure that bind the licensee and quality requirements are maintained and that no shipment is made to an its manufacturer unauthorized country or distribution individually or jointly channel. Licensees may be willing to accept such burdens in order to avoid to certain obligations” continuous interference by the licensor during the manufacturing process.

Alternatively, a licensee that wishes to reduce its own responsibility and risk may accede to involvement of the licensor with the manufacturer and enter a three-way manufacturing agreement with the licensor as a direct participant. Nevertheless, the licensor may require financial responsibility of the licensee for the licensor’s own on-site personnel.

THE SUBLICENSEE CONSENT AGREEMENT Licensees that use third-party factories must be ready to deal with documents provided by licensors that are intended to bind the licensee and its manufacturer individually or jointly to certain obligations, such as the following: • • •

• •

Preliminary approval of the manufacturer by the licensor Approval of the terms and conditions under which the manufacturer is engaged by the licensee Acknowledgment by the licensee of its own responsibility to the licensor for the “full and complete performance” of the licensee’s obligations under the license agreement, notwithstanding the involvement of the independent manufacturer Agreement by the manufacturer to certain obligations to the licensor Commitment by both the licensee and the manufacturer to adhere to all applicable laws and regulations concerning the treatment of the manufacturer’s work force continued on page 50

The Licensing Book • 49

continued from page 48 So, no, you’re not seeing many Bugs Bunny T-shirts out there—unless they’re vintage ringer tees that look like they came off the shelf at Urban Outfitters. When @whatblakewore or @scoutfashion come out with fashion lines, or @sincerelyjules has a baby, though, we’ll be the first online to scoop up the style we see on their Instagram feeds.

All bets are off, however, when it comes to cute footie pajamas. Then you can bust out anything from Chip and Dale to C-3PO and we won’t care, as long as it looks adorable and cozy.

TOYS & ENTERTAINMENT Millennial mommas love toys that are educational in nature and preferably wooden. Characters are fine, but not necessary—and the idea of a character may not simply be Tigger or Pokémon. They may be more like Sketch.inc’s Kokeshi dolls. From Coco Chanel and Karl Lagerfeld to Freddie Mercury and Iris Apfel, these wooden dolls are a huge hit with millennial moms (and are sold out almost everywhere).

Conversely, there’s a definite sense of wanting her kids to have the same toys and games she did. This is not a trend that started with Gen Y, of course, but it certainly continues with toys such as Legos, Playmobil, Etch-aSketch, Care Bears, Furby, and Trolls. It’s heart-warming to see babies engage with the toys we once had—and, I’ll admit, kind of fun to play with them again ourselves.

My daughter is a bit young for movies, but my husband and I are nonetheless rounding up Blu-Ray versions of what we consider to be the classics: Fantasia, An American Tail, James and the Giant Peach, Aladdin, Rugrats, et al. We sometimes keep Nick Jr. and Disney Junior on in her playroom, should she ever lose interest continued from page 49 •

Agreement by the manufacturer not to engage in further delegation of the manufacturing process to subcontractors without the licensor’s approval

For the common good, the parties should strive toward some efficient yet financially reasonable middle ground on these issues.

The circumspect licensor will recognize that licensees typically “farm-out” many functions, including the essential function of product manufacturing. In order to protect itself and its property, whether it’s an entertainment property, a corporate brand, or another form of licensed right, the licensor will be well-advised to think through these relationships and properly document responsibilities among the three participants.

50 • The Licensing Book

in the remote, my cell phone, or the iPad. The sounds of Peppa Pig will catch her attention, as will the sirens of Paw Patrol.

If she shows a propensity for any of these characters, I wouldn’t hesitate to buy her the corresponding consumer products, especially if they’re wooden.

FOOD I had every intention of making baby food for my daughter once she started on solids—but, after a long day of work, the allure of opening a jar versus hand-smashing an avocado simply won out. Like a lot of millennial moms, each and every baby food item I purchase is organic. I read labels. I check ingredients. And, yes, I do notice licensed characters. Does that make me want to buy the products more? To a degree, it does. Sesame Workshop putting a classic character such as Elmo on Earth’s Best pouches makes me feel like the brand is vouching for the food. It’s been properly vetted because, after all, Sesame Workshop wouldn’t risk their trusted brand, right?

From baby aviators to hand-sewn nursery bunting, the millennial mom is starting her baby off on a trend-forward little foot—and, whether or not she realizes it, licensing is playing a role in her child’s life. It may not always be the traditional character-branded items often associated with licensed products, but there’s a reason why it feels so familiar—and why the licensing world needs to capture what the millennial mom is cultivating for the next generation.

•••• Christina Jordan is LIMA’s senior director of marketing and currently in search of the holy grail of coloring books that can alleviate new mother stress. If anyone knows where to find this, please contact her at cjordan@licensing.org.

At the same time, the licensee must anticipate a certain level of red tape if it wishes to avail itself of independent manufacturing resources. A balance should be sought under which efficient production and distribution can be achieved while not putting at risk the licensor’s intellectual property or the public’s satisfaction with it.

The involvement of additional independent third parties in other aspects of the execution of licensing relationships will be the subject of subsequent articles in this series.

•••• James Kipling has represented licensors and licensees for more than 20 years, negotiating entertainment, sports, artwork, brand, invention, and technology agreements. He is of counsel with Dinsmore & Shohl LLP in Cincinnati, and can be reached at jim.kipling@ dinsmore.com. Copyright: ©2016 James M. Kipling, All rights reserved.

Fall 2016