HFPA’s June 2022 webinar, “The Changing Reality of the Licensing Business” with Marty Brochstein, offers valuable insights into post-pandemic trends, challenges and opportunities in the licensing industry. Marty is a highly respected industry consultant and journalist, with more than 25 years of experience at trade organization Licensing International. In this webinar, Marty shares what’s top of mind in the industry along with his experiences attending the first in-person Licensing Expo in three years. Held in Las Vegas in May 2022, the Expo attracted more than 10K attendees and more than 250 exhibitors from all over the globe.
Top trends out of the Vegas Licensing Expo include anime, gaming, women’s sports and players, NFTs and digital licensing, plus a turn towards retro and nostalgia (think properties like Lisa Frank, Paul Frank and My Little Pony).
More trends to watch:
· Trust. Known brands (“evergreens”) are leading the pack: “Everyone has turned very risk averse,” Marty says.
· Sustainability. It’s important to consumers, retailers and license holders. And customers are willing to pay more for it. But Marty cautions, “there is no single definition of the word sustainable.”
· Agility. Crucial to meet constantly changing consumer demand.
· Niches with room to grow. Women, Artists of Color, Pride Month.
· Location-based experiences. Theme parks, hotels, traveling exhibits and restaurants give consumers the opportunity to “live the brand” and give them something other than merchandise to purchase.
- NFTs (digital collectibles). Marty explains, “think of them as digital collectibles” and “baseball cards on steroids.”
- Collabs. Coca Cola x Jack Daniles, for example, under the category of “Why didn’t they think of that sooner?” and have you seen these BMW x Puma kicks below?
· Movie theaters are back but streaming has become more important.
· NIL (Name Image and Likeness). College athletes’ merch and endorsements: “This is not just about their athletic exploits. The Cavender Twins have four million TikTok followers. You are paying for their social media presence,” Marty notes.
· Celebrities and influencers. “Cocomelon” has the largest YouTube channel in the world. Charli D’Amelio is TiKToK’s top star.
· Video games and creators. Check out the Roblox universe.
Listen to the full recording of this webinar. HFPA webinars are free for members. Not a member? Join today.
