It's not carrying quite the same level of earning potential of Disney's last breakout film, Frozen, but Marvel's Black Panther is one of the few properties set to carry the 2018 merchandising narrative. A box office wunderkind, the film is expected to break the $1 billion mark at the global box office any day now. And, unsurprisingly, consumer demand for the property is strong … [Read more...] about Black Panther Gearing Up to Take $250 Million in 2018
Disney
M&A & Experiential
American households are loading up on credit card debt, according to data from the Federal Reserve and a related study by WalletHub. By the end of 2017, credit card debt in the U.S. reached $1.01 trillion, beating out the previous record of $984 billion at the end of 2008 and the start of 2009, the tipping point of the Great Recession. Just this past holiday season, WalletHub … [Read more...] about M&A & Experiential
Company Spotlight: On Scaling Niche to Mass
Since filing for an IPO last year, Funko has released some of its financial data and offered a few key insights on the fast-growing, ever-volatile market for pop culture collectible merchandise. Here are some of the top takeaways and most interesting tidbits gleaned from a licensee generating around $800 million in licensed retail sales a year. While the company seems to … [Read more...] about Company Spotlight: On Scaling Niche to Mass
Who’s News—1/29/2018
Are you hiring—or being promoted, changing jobs, retiring, launching a new company, or otherwise changing your employment? Email Jen at jen@plainlanguagemedia.com and we'll announce the news in our next issue of Who's News. Mark Kingston is promoted to SVP Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products. Mark will be based in London, reporting to CMO Pam Kaufman. In … [Read more...] about Who’s News—1/29/2018
Experiential Licensing: Targeting Travelers
Globally, the fastest-growing consumer segments are spenders hailing from Asia and, more generally, Millennials. These two cohorts are more likely then ever to spend money on an experience, rather than on some consumer good. According to Expedia’s 2018 Air Travel Outlook Report, for example, 74% of 18–65 year-olds would rather spend their money on experiences than possessions, … [Read more...] about Experiential Licensing: Targeting Travelers
Who’s News — 1/8/2018
Are you hiring—or being promoted, changing jobs, retiring, launching a new company, or otherwise changing your employment? Email Jen at jen@plainlanguagemedia.com and we'll announce the news in our next issue of Who's News. Wicked Cool Toys hires Herb Mitschele as EVP Global Sales & Operations Warner Bros. appoints Walter Hamada as President of its DC-based film … [Read more...] about Who’s News — 1/8/2018
46 Properties Make the $100+ Million Ent/Char List in 2016
Karina Masolova, karina@plainlanguagemedia.com A grand total of 46 properties made the $100 million entertainment/character list for 2016 retail sales, with five new faces joining the pack. See the complete list here. All in all, the top properties generated $43 billion in retail sales of licensed merchandise worldwide. Globally, that marks a $2 billion increase compared to … [Read more...] about 46 Properties Make the $100+ Million Ent/Char List in 2016
$100 Million Superhero Brands Grow 15% in 2016
Karina Masolova, karina@plainlanguagemedia.com While the average $100 million entertainment/character brand grew 8% in U.S./Canada retail sales of licensed merchandise in 2016, superhero brands grew by nearly 15% from the previous year. See the complete list here. The top four superhero brands by retail sales in the U.S./Canada made up almost 11% of the $100 million list's … [Read more...] about $100 Million Superhero Brands Grow 15% in 2016
Roundup: Robotics, Video Games, and the IoT
By: Karina Masolova, karina@plainlanguagemedia.com Lucasfilm gathered Facebook, Fitbit, Industrial Light & Magic, Instagram, Twitter, and Google together to inspire the next generation of inventors at the first-ever Droidathon, an invention competition running from Nov. 15–Jan. 10. Using the littleBits Droid Inventor Kit as a starting point, teams of kid engineers, … [Read more...] about Roundup: Robotics, Video Games, and the IoT
In & Around 34th Street
By: Karina Masolova, karina@plainlanguagemedia.com I try to trek down to 34th St. Herald Square, in central New York City, every once in a while. As we enter the holiday shopping season, there were some interesting licensed retail activities in and around town. The newest addition to Herald Square is the Build a Bear Workshop. The central attraction is the retailer's three … [Read more...] about In & Around 34th Street