The Bugg Report - Retail Licensing Magazine - Edition 1

retail & licensing

www.buggtoysandlicensing.com retail licensing - edition 1

B U G GTOYSA N D LI C EN S I N G.CO M

r e ta i l

EDITION 1

2015

TM

B U G GTOYSA N D LI C EN S I N G.CO M

From the Editor Meeting new people via social events and business functions usually begins with general small talk and the standard first question of, “what do you do?” This question usually leads to interesting conversation I find when I say “I work in licensing”, from here the standard response is usually “what is licensing?”

I go on to explain the industry and how we work with brands and with companies such as Disney, Warner Bros., Mattel, Hasbro and many more. They are most often genuinely interested in this as it is both new, exciting and very different to most industries.

I think that it is easy to fall into the trap of finding fault with things from a business perspective, as what you are exposed to on a day-to-day basis is what then becomes the standard for you over time. If you were to put yourself in the position of an ‘outsider’, I think you can then see clearly that it is indeed a very fun and unique industry that we work in. If we take retail as the topic of interest here, it is clear that the general view in the industry as a whole is that it is challenging at the moment, which on paper seems like a bad thing. The fact is that it shouldn’t be, it needs to be looked at as an opportunity to grow in many ways outside of the traditional channels for selling product.

Pop-up stores and online are just two new channels which can be utilised as innovative new platforms for growing your business on many levels. These new channels are the way of the future and I believe we will start to see these become increasingly popular as time goes by. This brings me back to us; we want to create a platform where the industry has a voice and can offer opinions and thoughts on retail, its challenges and how best to improve the experience and move the industry forward in a positive direction.

In this new ‘retail focused’ edition, you will find a number of articles on retail which include interviews, opinion pieces, popup store examples and much more. The goal for this new edition is to create a platform to help improve and build the industry with open dialogue around retail. I hope that you enjoy this new edition and as always, please let me know your thoughts and opinions by emailing me.

For all relevant contacts please refer below: Media releases: media@buggtoysandlicensing.com Feedback/suggestions: editor@buggtoysandlicensing.com Advertising/bookings: bookings@buggtoysandlicensing.com Bugg Toys & Licensing is published by Bugg Marketing Solutions Managing Director - Tony Bugg - tony@buggsolutions.com.au Editor in Chief - Matthew Bugg - matt@buggsolutions.com.au Bugg Marketing Solutions Phone/fax: +61 3 9769 3963 Email: info@buggsolutions.com.au Address: Unit 5, 24-26 Woods Street, Beaconsfield VIC 3807 Postal: PO BOX 491, Berwick VIC 3806 Bugg Toys & Licensing has been compiled as a guide to Toys and Licensing. The views and opinions provided are based upon the views and opinions of its writers. In no way is Bugg Toys & Licensing a factual guide to Toys and Licensing and does not take responsibility for how the informtion provided is used by its consumers.

02

r e ta i l

EDITION 1

2015

CONTENTS

04 06

08

12

14

16

18 B U G GTOYSA N D LI C EN S I N G.CO M

03

Feature Interview: Angelina Castro Head of Marketing - American Greetings Properties Bugg Toys & Licensing sits down to speak with Angelina Castro, Head of Marketing at American Greetings Properties on all things Care Bears.

Thank you for speaking with us Angelina. You were recently nominated for the 2014 ‘Best App for Children and Toddlers’ award by Best Mobile App Awards. Can you tell us about the app and its success?

Certainly, our Care Bears Love to Learn app is designed for pre-school-aged children and allows them to play along with their favourite Care Bears in a series of fun and educational mini games and puzzles. The games are designed to help children learn to count, identify colours, shapes and letters.

Like the Care Bears, the app is colourful and fun, and emphasises positivity.

Even when a child chooses the wrong answer, the app encourages him or her to try again instead of getting discouraged.

And because the games are quick, they are ideal for pre-school attention spans.

The app is free and to date, it’s been downloaded 480,000 times through the AppStore.

We are proud of the app and are honoured to be nominated as Best Mobile App. And just to mention, we also received the National Parenting Centre’s Seal of Approval for the Care Bears Love to Learn app.

Care Bears has been around for over 30 years now; can you tell us how the brand has evolved over this period of time?

Actually, in many ways, the brand has remained constant. There have certainly been redesigns and updates and the Care Bears are much brighter and look more contemporary than when they were initially launched in 1983. But as a brand, we’ve never wavered from the themes and characteristics of what Care Bears stand for. They are still a group of friendly, loving, compassionate friends that want to spread messages of love, kindness and caring to everyone they meet. And I think that’s what has sustained our fan base for so many years, in so many parts of the world. It doesn’t really matter where in the world you live - love and kindness, caring and sharing are always going to be themes people can rally behind.

From a standpoint of remaining relevant in the digital age, we have what we refer to as an “Omni-Platform” strategy for the Care Bears which includes Entertainment, Toys, Consumer Products, Promotions, Digital, Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and more), and Online focuses. And with over 100 global licensees, and the new “Care Bears and Cousins” show premiering on Netflix in November, the brand is meeting

digital consumers on all screens, everywhere they are.

Care Bears appeals to a number of age groups; what is the target market and age group for the brand?

While we have fans that range from 1 to 101, our target age range for most of our products like our plush and apps is preschool 3-6.

The original placement for the brand was greeting cards; how has the brand moved into new areas and product on the back of licensing since the original greeting cards?

We’ve really tried to stay true to the brand and what the Care Bears stand for, and early on we spoke to our core fan base - children, so a lot of the items we license are for school-age kids. Categories range from DVDs (and digital content downloads and streaming), apps, toys & games, sporting goods (like bikes), publishing, back-to-school, apparel, and more.

As the brand has evolved and our fan base has expanded into other age groups, (as our original fans are now adults), we have started to branch out into junior’s clothing, bedding, home decor, health & beauty and more.

From a brand development angle, can you tell us about how you are currently marketing and promoting the Care Bears brand globally?

We have a lot of really exciting initiatives and product launches this year. Domestically in the U.S, the new Care Bears Sing-a-Longs plush (on shelf September 2015) were named one of the Top 5 Toys at the 2015 New York International Toy Fair. We will also release additional characters and seasonal plush that will be rolling into the core plush line, as well as a refresh of our articulated figures not to mention our international toy roll-out in over 40 countries this year.

04

r e ta i l

EDITION 1

2015

We have some other exciting new product launches this year that will include Bikes

by Dynacraft, girls costumes by Disguise, socks by Socks and Accessory Brands Global and shoes by Leif J. Ostberg, Inc. In apparel, a collaboration between Care Bears and the juniors accessories label, Iron Fist will bring style to tweens, teens and young adults, and we’ll expand our successful Fetch for Pets program with new dog toys and apparel through Petsmart.

Internationally, famed Spanish fashion designer and trend spotter, Krizia Robustella, created a new Care Bears fashion collection for us that will be available at specialty stores in September.

Ichiban Clothing has created a trendy teen/adult apparel line that is currently available at ASOS which is the UK’s largest independent online fashion and beauty retailer.

In Japan, we’ve seen extraordinary retail success in our co-branded partnership with Sanrio’s Kiki & Lala brand, with 23 partners and growing.

From a standpoint of branding, marketing and promotions, Care Bears engages

fans with many touch-points. Consumers can find Care Bears on shelf, on traditional television, digitally via Netflix, Amazon and HULU, in the AppStore , a very active social media and online presence, and more. This year, we will also mark the first ever Care Bears Share Your Care Day on September 9th on the National Day Calendar which will be announced each year after on dozens of radio stations nationwide. We hope that the day generates a national movement that inspires people to spread caring, sharing, love, friendship, acceptance, fun, happiness, compassion, and philanthropic generosity not just that day, but every day of the year!

You are working with Funtastic out of Australia as the Master Toy Partner for Care Bears. How did this deal come about and what kinds of products will be featured?

The choice to partner with Funtastic as our Australian Master Toy Partner for Care Bears was an easy one for us. They began as a partner of ours some 25 years ago and we made a conscious decision to work with Funtastic again because of their history with the brand, their product development skills and marketing strengths. The new plush range will debut in fall 2015 with beautiful product and strong marketing support. Local fans of the iconic Care Bears brand will be truly excited.

How is the global licensing landscape setup for Care Bears, in terms of partners and licensed product categories?

It would seem apparent that there are a number of categories that are perfectly

suited to Care Bears, such as Toys, Books, Clothing and Plush?

We have a comprehensive Care Bears licensing program in the US which encompasses all the major categories such as toys, publishing, apparel and HBA. We tailor the licensing program to the global market but generally anchor it with many of the same core categories.

Are you currently in a position to grow the partner portfolio for the brand both locally in Australia and globally?

We feel there is a lot of growth in the Australian market and with Funtastic’s product launch we’re in a great position to add secondary categories to complement the plush.

From an animation point of view; will there be any live events and/or new series announced for the brand in the near future?

As mentioned, we are currently in production on our new series “Care Bears and Cousins” that will be airing on Netflix starting in November. In the past, we’ve done large scale live event shows and would love to see that happen again.

We appreciate your time Angelina and look forward to seeing all the latest Care Bears developments in the coming months.

For more information visit www.agkidzone.com/care-bears/

B U G GTOYSA N D LI C EN S I N G.CO M

05

Feature interview: Troy Taylor AT Lego Group Director of Marketing - Australia & new zealand Bugg Toys & Licensing recently caught up with Troy Taylor from Lego Group to discuss Troy’s time at LEGO and the current retail and LEGO’s marketing activities here in Australia and New Zealand.

Thanks for taking the time to chat with Bugg Toys & Licensing Troy. For those who are not across your role at LEGO, can you tell us a bit about your time at the company and your current position as Director of Marketing?

I have been with The LEGO Group for 13 years now. I started off working as a Field Sales Representative in Melbourne, then progressed into Key Account & National Account Management roles. From there I was fortunate enough to get an opportunity to move to the United States as Director of Customer Development.

After several years in this role I was asked to come back to Australia to establish the Director of Sales role, where I was charged with setting the future go to market strategy and direction of the Australian Sales department. I ran Sales for just over 2 years before making the move across to head up our Marketing department for both Australia and New Zealand. My main focus in Marketing is ensuring we maintain our brand health in both countries whist continuing to recruit and retain new users into the LEGO System of play.

LEGO has been in a period of growth for an extended period of time now, is there any one thing that you attribute the success of the business to?

There are a number of reasons The LEGO Group has been so successful over the past 10 years. In my opinion the main reasons are down to our focus of continuous product innovation, through extensive research in knowing what excites children. We have been true to our core product offering and worked hard to innovate from our core. Developing compelling story lines and content to help bring our products to life has also driven our success. We have solid go to market strategy principles which helps us ensure we are growing our brand in a sustainable and responsible way.

06

r e ta i l

EDITION 1

2015

Researching the LEGO core business prior to this interview, it became clear that the goal has been to create ‘systems of play’ rather than ‘individual products’.

How does the company go about maintaining such a strong focus on the core business?

What sets LEGO toys apart from other toys in the market is that our foundations are built around a system. LEGO bricks are all part of the LEGO System of play which essentially means that they can easily be combined in an infinite number of ways. The LEGO system all works and fits together, growing with the child. From the larger LEGO DUPLO bricks perfect for younger preschoolers, to LEGO bricks for children through to LEGO Technic for older more experienced builders. All formats of bricks fit and work together.

The LEGO System of play exists to build growing imaginations and what we focus on is developing and marketing themes and content that resonate with children and adults.”

I recently read the book ‘Brick by Brick’, where there is a lot made about the ‘think inside the box’ approach which has been used by LEGO for a very long time now. Is this something that is adopted in the everyday activities in the business; which would ultimately ensure you don’t move too far from what has made LEGO so successful?

I think the company learned some valuable lessons from the dark days of the late nineties and early two thousands where

we tried to be everything to everyone and simply expanded the brand too broadly into areas we were not subject matter experts in. This meant we shifted the focus away from what made LEGO so popular and successful in the first place, which was making high quality play experiences for children. When we shifted our focus and attention as a company back to the basics of developing fun and relevant play experience for children through the LEGO System we found that children resonated with what we were producing and our business turned around. That was a valuable lesson for us to ensure that everything we do is focused around developing and inspiring the builders of tomorrow, a mission which is ingrained throughout the company.

Obviously there are many ranges of product in the LEGO business. How has LEGO used licensing to compliment the core business?

I think licensing is a great way of getting people into the LEGO system of play through their association or love of a particular license. From a product standpoint leveraging strong properties from Disney & Warner Brothers has allowed us to reach new consumers that may never have experienced LEGO before. When licensing is done in the right way it can certainly help complement our core business and allow people to go deeper into the LEGO brand. Another example of licensing we use is through our third party partners which produce things such as LEGO branded stationary, apparel and storage solutions which allows people to have a place to store all those tiny elements, a challenge most people face when buying LEGO. I think it is fair to say that many businesses are in uncharted territory at retail here in Australia. LEGO is a great example of a company that uses the space at retail to their best advantage.

How do you go about maintaining your consistent retail presence across a wide range of retailers here in the Australian market place at retail?

We work hard with our retail partners to ensure we have a compelling experience at the shelf. Helping shoppers and consumers in their path to purchase whilst providing a fun and engaging experience for children at the shelf is the key to maintaining our presence at retail. The strong metric performance of our products from a stock turn and GMROI perspective ensure it is the right decision for our retail partners to invest in us also.

From a marketing perspective, what are the main focus platforms for LEGO and your approach to this in our local market here in Australia?

We are focused on growing our active share base of users and continuing to recruit new people into the LEGO system of play. We will be doing this through a blend of new home grown IP driven product campaigns and LEGO master brand campaigns. This will involve traditional & digital marketing campaigns whilst also doing more tactile bricks in hands activities across both markets.

There is talk of The LEGO Movie Sequel to release in 2018. How has the recent move into feature movies helped to drive the LEGO business from both a marketing and product angle?

Building a strong slate of animated tentpoles that extends well into 2018 means there is plenty to look forward to with three much-anticipated LEGO® features.

The next LEGO film to open will be the as-yet-untitled LEGO Batman feature, which is coming to theatres in February, 2017. Seven months later comes “The Ninjago Movie” in September, 2017. The LEGO Movie Sequel, which is the followup to the smash hit “The LEGO Movie,” is opening in May, 2018. The move into feature movies has given us a fantastic opportunity to appeal to a broad range of audiences around the world. It’s truly amazing to see how the big screen lends another dimension to the rich LEGO world, and offers new ways for fans to be engaged and entertained by these characters. It is also a great recruitment tool for getting first time builders into the LEGO System.

Obviously online is huge right now, with many signs of continuing to expand. Can you tell us how the online LEGO store supports your bricks and mortar retail activities?

seeing it and touching it in person, that is why having an engaging offering at retail is vital. If children have a positive bricks in hands experience at the shelf by either playing with one of our products, or seeing it in a model box or large scale model they are more than likely to purchase. I see online complementing the bricks and mortar retail business if done in the right way. There is certainly room for both to coexist.

Thanks again for your time Troy, we really appreciate it. Hopefully we can talk again soon!

My pleasure Matt.

For more information about LEGO in Australia and New Zealand please contact Troy on +61 2 9428 9660, email troy.taylor@lego.com or visit www.LEGO.com.

LEGO.com allows children to discover and interact with our brand in a digital forum. It is a great source of information for children to help build their wish list which more often than not, leads to a visit to a bricks and mortar retailer to purchase the product or engage in the brand further at the shelf. LEGO being a physical toy is better experienced by

B U G GTOYSA N D LI C EN S I N G.CO M

07

The Video Games Retailer Dilemma: How to Stay Relevant In a Digitized Space Dan Amos is Head of New Media at Tinderbox, the dedicated digital division of leading global brand extension agency, Beanstalk.

A couple of weeks ago, specialist video games retailer, GameStop, announced its not so optimistic 2014 fourth-quarter financial results, revealing a 5.6% revenue decrease compared to the same period in 20131. With a business model primarily relying on bricks and mortar, the company is now facing difficulties similar to those of many a retailer before them: declining traffic due to the aggressive expansion and ever-growing popularity of e-commerce successes such as Amazon.

The online marketplace giant has gone from mainly being associated with books to stocking tens of millions of products across a wide array of categories, video games included, reaching a total of 270 million active user accounts by the end of 20142.

From a consumer’s point of view, the growing popularity of online retailers is completely understandable: they offer a quick, convenient, and sometimes also cheaper, route to just-released products, often under the same (nonexistent) roof.

In addition, the never-ending rise of mobile internet browsing indicates that we are not only shopping with the help of our lap tops - we go on spending sprees using our smart phones too! And the video games industry, despite being digital by default, is by no means immune to technological developments, forcing it to explore alternative launch and delivery methods that better correspond with changes in consumer behaviour.

To some extent, it is fair to say that it all started with the launch of the Apple’s app store back in 2008, which brought with it a flurry of super fun, easy access, inexpensive mobile games. Despite their often indisputable inferiority in terms of quality and content, these small screen phenomena spurred consumers’ interest in downloadable delivery systems, soon forcing established video games giants to explore alternative distribution methods as well. Today, the majority of big

08

r e ta i l

EDITION 1

2015

console vendors offer options for digital game delivery and a significant number of games are launching as “free-to-play,” granting players access to a significant portion of their content completely free of charge. As someone who has spent much of his career in licensing, I can’t help but wonder what impact this will have on the launch for physical, game related, products going forward.

Traditionally, licensed video games merchandise would be sold through speciality retailers like GameStop, always displayed in close proximity to the titles on which they were based. The physical placement of product in-store, as well as signage and promotional material, made it straightforward and easy to bring customers’ attention back to the game. Nowadays, when the majority of titles are downloadable online, savvy retailers will have to find alternative ways to encourage bricks and mortar visits.

For example, GameStop is currently exploring several innovative initiatives, one of which involves using virtual reality to bring video game characters, from titles such as Disney Infinity, LEGO, and Watch Dogs, to life in-store. The company is also considering the introduction of 4K TV displays, showcasing game trailers and other original content, as well as social media applications for a truly immersive and customisable shopping experience.

It is important to note that retailers are not the only ones affected by the changing nature of video games distribution channels. Manufacturers of licensed goods will have to present bricks and mortar buyers with new and innovative incentives to stock their merchandise, as gaming enthusiasts might no longer be purchasing their favourite title in-store.

For example, some companies choose to incorporate redeemable content codes on product, unlocking exclusive features or additional content in-game. Overall, a successful licensed range should always

aim at bringing audiences back to the core - in this case, enticing those who buy products to also purchase and play the game.

Will the digitalization of delivery channels make specialist video games stores obsolete? Despite technological developments and changing consumer behaviours, I find it difficult to imagine such a scenario. Will the growth of downloadable content and free-to-play game launches force innovative, out-of-the-box, thinking amongst retailers and manufacturers? That is an absolute yes. True video games enthusiasts establish strong emotional connections with their favourite franchises and characters, and this in turn translates to a yearning for exclusive content and limited collectors’ items. As long as retailers and product developers continue to provide fun and original incentives for bricks and mortar visits, I see no reason why the digital and physical retail worlds can’t coexist.

For more information visit tboxagency.com

1. Source: 24/7 Wall Street 2. Source: Statista.com 3. Source: Fortune

B U G GTOYSA N D LI C EN S I N G.CO M

09

10

r e ta i l

EDITION 1

2015

B U G GTOYSA N D LI C EN S I N G.CO M

11

Introducing The Space Agency...

The Space Agency is a fully integrated activation agency devoted to transforming spaces into places. A short but action-packed history has seen this Australian company go from pop up pioneer to place-maker, creating new destinations that connect with communities.

About The Space Agency The Space Agency is a new breed of brand and business consultancy, one that specialises in the temporary activation of vacant or under-utilised spaces, from main streets to shopping centres, open areas to entire precincts.

But what exactly is a temporary activation? And why is making effective use of space important long-term as well as in the short-term?

The Space Agency defines ‘activation’ as the process of bringing blank canvases to life and engaging effectively with an audience. It could be a retail shop or laneway lacking traffic, a yet-to-be-leased space within an apartment development or a need for local community engagement in a master-planned estate during many stages of development. Each of these challenges represents a need for a physical transformation in the shortterm, the success of which will impact longer-term business strategies.

It is not always under-utilised space that warrants an entirely new approach; sometimes a lack of space is challenge for businesses and brands that want to go outside current boundaries or test a new retail concept without the pressure of signing a long-standing lease.

Space, as the name suggests, is at the heart of everything The Space Agency does - it is where the expertise, experience and imagination of a diverse team of creatives, strategists, analysts and project managers combine to create solutions and transform physical spaces into vibrant destinations. The agency has recently added a commercial leasing arm, matching tenants with spaces, even crafting custom concepts and working for property owners to generate commercial returns through short-term activations while continuing to negotiate long-term leases.

12

r e ta i l

EDITION 1

2015

With the expertise to deliver both largescale, multi-stakeholder projects as well as small, one-off activations, The Space Agency’s client roster extends from property names such as The GPT Group, Federation Centres, Far East Consortium, Hamton and Lend Lease, to recognised food and fashion brands, having completed projects for Aperol, Aquila, Skywatch, Trios and a number of restaurant and bar operators.

Local councils and destination commissions have also recognised the benefits of reinvigorating streets, suburbs and in one case, evoking an iconic tourist attraction in another state.”

In recent years, The Space Agency has worked closely with the City of Sydney, City of Melbourne, City of Yarra, City of Greater Dandenong, City of Port Phillip and the South Australian Tourism Commission on exciting projects.

CEO and Founder, Bec McHenry, and Directors Gregg Amies and Hugo Lamb, are united by their shared passion for developing business strategies that pave new paths, in entirely new directions. The agency has enjoyed remarkable growth in its two-year history with the team expanding to twelve. The Melbourne-based agency services clients nationally and as a result of international interest, has aspirations for global expansion within the next 12 months.

From a run-down Richmond commercial icon, to a bustling marketplace and meeting point for the local community, The Space Agency’s recent project for the

Swan Street Chamber of Commerce: A Truly Innovative Retail Concept

Publican Group was a chance to create and build an entirely new retail concept.

The national hospitality management company engaged The Space Agency team to activate a recent site acquisition on Swan Street, Richmond while they gained the necessary permits for re-development - a process expected to take a minimum of nine months.

With the local Richmond community in mind and strong knowledge of Swan Street’s changing landscape, The Space Agency designed a collaborative, commercially-focused retail precinct featuring over 15 small businesses and vendors that came together to create a compelling customer offer and engaging visitor experience: the Swan Street Chamber of Commerce.

The Space Agency oversaw every aspect of the project - from creative concept and branding, to interior design and build, incorporating creative elements such as a mini cinema, art spaces and installations, securing an eclectic mix of

retailers and supporting the retail businesses throughout the term of the project. The vendors ranged from gourmet food prducers and artisans, to food trucks, to art and culture exhibits.

A landmark project for all parties, the Swan Street Chamber of Commerce delivered on many fronts. A hospitality group was able to make effective use of a significant site prior to its next iteration, while The Space Agency’s retail strategy allowed for businesses that were otherwise too small to occupy a prestigious location such as Swan Street to gain a foothold and experiment in a new market.

And of course, the Richmond community enjoyed (and continues to - with a new season of vendors recently arriving for Winter) an exciting new experience.

The Space Agency works with a range of businesses to bring new concepts to life and sees exciting opportunity in the licensed merchandise sector. We work with businesses and brands direct, as well as in collaboration with other agencies.

For more information, please email hello@thespaceagency.com or visit www.thespaceagency.com.

The project connected with an audience far greater than Melburnians, attracting media coverage that took the story national and in some instances, global - a sure sign that The Space Agency creates destinations that are unique and compelling.

B U G GTOYSA N D LI C EN S I N G.CO M

13

Create Infinite Space with Spacecube Founded in 2012 by Wayne Stevens and Jeremy Fisher, Spacecube has been designed and engineered in Australian and it is The Ultimate Architecture to Create Infinite Space.

In an industry that is always looking for new opportunities and ways to execute sales platforms at retail, the new pop-up store platform is at the forefront. Melbourne based company, Spacecube, has been working in this space for several years and has successfully executed a number of these new pop-up stores for a range of first class clients. Always looking for new clients to work with, lets take a moment to introduce you to the world of Spacecube.

The Ultimate Architecture To Create Infinite Space Designed and engineered in Australia, Spacecube provides the ultimate building blocks to create and reshape space in a breath taking range of architecture.

Either stand alone, joined together or stacked over multiple levels. Spacecube delivers interactive, standout architecture for events, brand activations, displays and liveable spaces. Spacecube’s ingenious construction ensures easy and quick installation, and along with its unique “flat-pack”design it can be transported in multiple numbers between locations, and allows for minimal storage space.

Who’s Behind Spacecube?

How Does It Work?

Spacecube are a company with experience and expertise in the development and creation of unique event spaces around the world. Spacecube identified a need for a highly resolved, highly finished structure, which allowed for practical application in a range of venues, locations and building projects. It needed to deliver simple, easy, and quick construction on site, readily transportable in numbers and was of a modular construction. As a result, in collaboration with our architects, engineers and interior designers Spacecube was created.

Designed to meet the dimensions of the ubiquitous container for transportability, and with its unique “pack-down’ design, Spacecube delivers both a practical solution and a stunningly resolved building block for a range of applications. Its clever modular design and “flat-pack” construction allows for endless space configurations and quick and easy installation. With stacking to three levels, stairway access, roof terrace and a range of architectural cladding options.

What Is Spacecube?

Spacecube has been designed to provide event companies, marketing and sales teams, architects and retailers with a clever space in which to create the ultimate brand experience or livable space.

Its clever design allows for endless creativity and provides a pack down and set up solution that can be simply dropped into a range of locations either as a temporary Pop Up space or more permanent building solution.

Spacecube is built around carefully thought through design principles that deliver a strong and secure structure that is simple to install in four easy steps.

Step 1 Flat-packed Spacecube is delivered to site on the back of a flat bed truck Step 2 The roof section is lifted to allow the uprights and sides to be unpacked Step 3 The uprights are secured in place and the roof fitted Step 4 The side and end panels are set in place along with the doors ----The Spacecube is now ready for its on site internal fit out and branding, if required.

14

r e ta i l

EDITION 1

2015

What You Need To Know The standard Spacecube comes complete with transparent acrylic, glass or solid walls. Integrated lighting, flooring and lockable doors. Engineered to Australian and ISO standards, the Spacecube has a remarkable 5kpa load capacity, a wind rating of 140kph and a high 2.7m floor to ceiling height. Spacecube has full engineering certification for easy site and building application for venues and local authorities.

Spacecube delivers standout solutions to create inspired architecture.

Its clever modular design and “flat-pack�construction allows for endless space configurations and quick and easy installation.

For more information on Spacecube, please contact Jeremy Fisher at the Spacecube Australia Head Office on +61 3 9428 5032, email Jeremy at jeremy@spacecube.com or visit www.spacecube.com.

B U G GTOYSA N D LI C EN S I N G.CO M

15

Feature Interview: David Elliott Manager - Consumer Business - AFL David Elliott talks about the current retail landscape and how the Consumer Products department is placing the footy fan as its focus for the 2015 home and away season.

The footy fan can find AFL licensed merchandise in key mass retailers throughout Australia, what’s the strategy behind selecting these retail partners?

The AFL Consumer Products department strategically works together with our key mass retail partners to ensure that the right product is in the right place, at the right time. It’s all about ensuring we have a strong representation of our brand throughout the Australian retail landscape; whether that be online or in a traditional bricks and mortar store, and our product reaches a range of consumer demographics in all states of Australia, not just the traditional ‘footy states’ of WA, SA and VIC. The 18 clubs continue to capture the largest market share of retail sales with the majority selling via their club shops, online or at match days. Online sales are seeing double digit growth over the past few years, which has seen a need for the clubs to strive for best practice online strategies in order to maximise sales opportunities and navigate away from potential pitfalls that come with ecommerce sites.

This season will see our fourth year of partnering with Target, and fans will be exposed to the brand in over 100 Target stores nationwide. Over the past 9 months we have worked with our major licensees to refine the product range for this season’s launch period, with an eye to extend that to a full year program.

16

r e ta i l

EDITION 1

2015

Our partnership with Best and Less has continued to deliver solid year on year growth over the 10 year relationship with the AFL. This growth has been achieved via strategic product representation, well executed in store and strong customer engagement.

We also continue to work closely with our AFL Stores group, the 11 store network, plus one e-commerce site. These stores provide the fans with a huge range, and are the perfect destination for the gift finding shopper, even out of the footy season.

The AFL launched ShopAFL.com.au last year. What was the rationale behind launching a league online shop, and how

does this sit in the current landscape of Club online shops?

The AFL saw a gap existed in the current online retail landscape for an all 18 Club ecommerce site that represented the entire league, dedicated solely to official AFL merchandise - where the proceeds go back to the clubs. The footy fan now has one online destination that is fully responsive so can be viewed and transacted by the customer on any device.

ShopAFL also features a whole host of non-Club merchandise, such as subscriptions to the Footy Record magazine, the 2015 Season Guide, the 2015 Fixture Guide, Footy Trading Cards, the Australian International Rules Guernsey, and the list goes on.

How is the Consumer products team working towards the AFL’s key focus of enhanced match day experience for fans?

This season has seen a significant shift in the rights holdings for selling merchandise at Etihad Stadium. The AFL Consumer Products department, together through a partnership with Infinite Retail, pitched for these rights on behalf of the Clubs.

Basically what this means, is Clubs for the first time ever are able to sell their own merchandise across multiple concession outlets within the grounds that improve the match day experience for their fans.

This is a considerable positive step for Clubs in raising the level of fan engagement during match days at Etihad Stadium, via the most tangible of all Club assets - the official merchandise!

What exciting AFL products can footy fans look forward to for this season?

The AFL’s in-house dedicated Licensing team are continuously working alongside our Licensees to develop new and innovative products for the footy fan. For example in an industry first Playcorp, our Supporter Apparel Licensee, has partnered with the Australian Wool Industry (AWI) to develop the “Fibre of Football” range of products, using 100% Australian Merino Wool for producing the traditional Woollen Football Jumper, and some top quality accessories including scarves, beanies and gloves. The full woollen range is available exclusively at Club shops and at ShopAFL.

The AFL Consumer Products department strives to be across world trends in the sports licensing space. Our challenge is to provide a very broad product range that meets the demands of a vastly diverse customer base. We partner with leading licensees across a number of different categories in order to meet these demands and in turn develop strategic partnerships with leading retailers always with the fan at the centre of our decisions.

For more information contact Jessica Hatz, AFL Licensing Manager at jessica.hatz@afl.com.au or (03) 9643 1791.

The AFL is also branching out into some new Categories including Health and Beauty with a whole range planned for roll out in 2016 commencing with a range of Club branded toothbrushes in late 2015. We have also partnered with Dorel to launch the first official Club branded car booster seat, under leading brand Mothers Choice, supported by our retail partner, Target.

B U G GTOYSA N D LI C EN S I N G.CO M

17

LIMA Australia Update: The Value of LIMA The knowledge base that LIMA can bring to our industry is a valuable resource in terms of properly educating and training our people in all aspects of the licensing business.

As LIMA enters its 30th year, we continue to grow and develop our services for the benefit of our membership base, both on a local and global scale.

LIMA is the conduit that connects people and organisations to the licensing business. The growth in our local chapter has been testimony to the commitment that LIMA is making to the business around the globe. With offices now in the U.S., UK, Hong Kong, Germany, Italy, Australia and most other international markets, we truly have a global network.

It is now widely acknowledged that in excess of 50% of the global licensing revenues originate outside of the USA. For this reason it is important that the international offices and chapters of LIMA are well resourced, and are able to provide services and guidance to assist our members on the ground.

18

r e ta i l

EDITION 1

2015

LIMA Australia recently offered a LIMA Lounge, for the first time, at the 2015 Australian Toy, Hobby and Licensing Fair in Melbourne. This initiative allowed our membership to network and host meetings during the fair and provided a professional and warm environment for them to conduct business. During the show LIMA Australia hosted in excess of 450 people, connected to our core LIMA Australia membership base.

The Key Issues for LIMA Australia Include: • Providing a source for education • Providing recognition of achievement • Hosting industry events • Addressing the state of retail • Providing guidance to the industry

If you are not already a member of our local LIMA Australian chapter, we would welcome you joining our membership base.

For more information on LIMA Australia, please contact Tony Bugg via email at tbugg@licensing.org.

Further Your Industry Education LIMA Australia Chapter

www.licensing.org/australia/ B U G GTOYSA N D LI C EN S I N G.CO M

43

44

r e ta i l

EDITION 1

2015

B U G GTOYSA N D LI C EN S I N G.CO M

45

46

r e ta i l

EDITION 1

2015