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Royalties is a monthly magazine highlighting the hottest trends in the licensing industry.

TRANSCRIPT

FEBRUARY2010Volume 5, No. 2

FFEEAATTUURREESS22 Old Category, New Tricks:

Pet Licensing Stays Strong by Paul Narula

28 Licensed Fashion Gains Value from High-Quality Design and Low Pricesby Laurie Leahey

34 The Legend Continuesby Paul Narula

36 Licensed Toys in aStrained Economyby Chris Adams

38 Toy Fair 2010compiled by Laurie Leahey and Paul Narula

46 Film Previewcompiled by Chris Adams

DDEEPPAARRTTMMEENNTTSS6 Observations & Opinions 8 The Ticker12 Real Deal16 Royaltie$ Marketplace: Major League Soccer18 Essence of Style20 Mavericks in the Market: Christina Miller48 You’re Hired!49 Royaltie$ Challenge50 Calendar of Events51 Endcap

ON THIS PAGE (CLOCKWISE FROM THE TOP): Vo-Toys’ Jeep-branded Weekender Coat, WowWee’s Entenmann’s DonutMaker Play Set, Mattel’s Thomas & Friends BirthdaySurprise Game, and Learning Curve’s Dinosaur TrainInterAction Figure

ON THE COVER: Campbell Associates brokered a deal for the ASPCA allowingBergan Pet Products to manufacture a full line of branded pet products.

COVER BY DESIGN EDGE

ROYALTIE$

FEBRUARY 20106

2010 could be considered thebreakout year for social media asa viable public relations and mar-

keting medium. Until recently, PR andadvertising agencies were hesitant tosupport this uncharted territory. It al-most seemed too good to be true, espe-cially when considering the costs are afraction of traditional advertising suchas television. Need evidence to believe?Look no further than the hit toy sensa-tion Zhu Zhu Pets, which can be consid-ered a classic case study for the value ofsocial media marketing. For the firsttime that I can remember, the hottestmust-have toy of the year was not ini-tially supported by television advertis-ing. Instead, the products were promotedheavily to the top mommy bloggers.

Now manufacturers in all categoriesare scrambling to get on board whatmany consider the most effective andcost conscience way to advertise. Pub-lic relations firms realize that give-aways and contests to these bloggersand life streamers are effective ways ofcreating a buzz.

The key is to be able to identify youraudience and target the most traffickednetwork hubs. Here at aNb Media, wehave managed to create such a hub fortoys and play. We have tapped into thesocial media outlets through our web-

site, www.TimetoPlayMag.com; ourpress events, which now include the so-cial media as well as traditional press;our WebTV show on MomTv.com; andour cable show on Resort & ResidenceTV. TimetoPlayMag.com has becomethe “go-to site” for moms to find every-thing “play” on the web. Not only dowe offer insight, information, and re-views of toys, but we also have familymovie reviews, guest bloggers, give-aways, and contests daily.

Moving forward, it is likely that adver-tising agencies and PR firms will have torefine their approach by targeting individ-ual category sites in the future. Consider-ing the amount of attention that can begenerated with a relatively small invest-ment, social media marketing will con-tinue to be a force to be reckoned with.

How does all this relate to licensing?Well, it isn’t often that a successful li-censed property evolves from a toy, butword has it that there is a line of eager li-censees trying to get on board the ZhuZhu train because of the consumerfrenzy for furry fun. I’ve even heard ofa potential movie deal and why not?With a built-in audience like that, it’s anatural course to take. The only linger-ing question is will it have stayingpower? Will it be more than a two-sea-son sensation? Only time will tell.

THE BREAKOUT OF SOCIAL MEDIA

by Andy Krinner

PUBLISHED BY ANB MEDIA • Volume 3, Number 8

PUBLISHER ANDY [email protected]

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER BOB [email protected]

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EDITOR AT LARGE CHRISTOPHER [email protected]

ASSISTANT EDITOR LAURIE [email protected]

ASSISTANT EDITOR PAUL [email protected]

WEB MASTER ERIK [email protected]

WEB CONTENT MANAGER BRENDAN [email protected]

CONTRIBUTOR MATT [email protected]

HONG KONG REPRESENTATIVE TONY LEESMART REGENT PRODUCTIONS LTD., 66–72 STANLEY STREET, ROOM 603,

KAI TAK COMMERCIAL BUILDING, CENTRAL HONG KONGPHONE: 2815 0166 • FAX: 2815 6911 • [email protected]

PUBLIC RELATIONS REPRESENTATIVE JOSSLYNNE WELCHLITZKY PUBLIC RELATIONS, 320 SINATRA DR., HOBOKEN, N.J. 07030

(201) 222–9118 EXT. 13 • [email protected]

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ANB MEDIA, INC.229 WEST 28TH STREET, SUITE 401, NEW YORK, NY 10001PHONE: (646) 763–8710 • FAX: (646) 763–8727

ROYALTIE$ is published 12 times a year by aNb Media, Inc. Copyright 2010aNb Media, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be repro-duced or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic or mechanical,including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval sys-tem, without written permission from the publisher. Printed in the U.S.A. ROY-ALTIE$ is a registered trademark of aNb Media, Inc. Opinions and commentsexpressed in this publication by editors, contributing writers, or solicited orunsolicited documents are not necessarily those of ROYALTIE$ management.

www.aNbMedia.com

ROYALTIE$

FEBRUARY 20108

DISCOVERY AND HASBRO CREATE THE HUBDiscovery Communications-Hasbro Joint Venture president and CEO Margaret Loesch announced that the network will be known as The

Hub and will reach approximately 60 million homes on what is currently known as the Discovery Kids network.

Discovery and Hasbro share a 50/50 partnership in the venture. The Hub will incorporate Hasbro properties, including Transformers and

My Little Pony, and Discovery Kids franchises such as Adventure Camp and Flight 29 Down as part of a diverse and robust lineup of origi-

nal and acquired programming. The Hub’s online home, hubworld.com, will become an entertainment destination in its own right, offering

kids access to video clips, interactive games, and community features that extend the experience of the network’s content.

THE LICENSING COMPANY PARTNERS WITH ICONIX BRAND GROUPThe Licensing Company (TLC) recently announced that it has partnered with Iconix Brand Group, Inc., (Iconix) for the formation of Iconix

Europe. It has been formed to further develop and expand the Iconix portfolio of wholly owned brands throughout Europe.

There are currently 21 brands in the Iconix portfolio, which collectively generate close to $10 billion in annual retail sales.

The business model of Iconix Europe will mirror the Iconix strategy of signing traditional and direct-to-retail (DTR) licensing agreements

for the Iconix portfolio of brands. There are 11 existing licensing agreements in the region.

TLC’s wholly owned offices in London, Paris, and Munich will provide the “back-bone” to Iconix Europe, which will allow the new ven-

ture to benefit from access to local market knowledge when dealing with retailers across Europe.

Iconix Europe marks the third international partnership for the company. Iconix also has partnerships with Silas Chou’s Novel Fashions in

China, and with the Falic group in Latin America. Including the forthcoming office of Iconix Europe, Iconix has locally based personnel in

New York, Hong Kong, Panama City, and London.

MEGA BRANDS INITIATES RECAPITALIZATION TRANSACTIONMEGA Brands, Inc., announced a recapitalization transaction where it noted the following key points:

• Immediate balance sheet improvement through debt reduction moving from approximately $430 million to $131 million.

• Annual interest expenses to be reduced by more than 65 percent from an estimated $43 million in 2009 to approxi-

mately $13 million going forward excluding asset-based credit facility utilization.

• Business as usual for employees, suppliers, and customers, who will not be affected by the recapi-

talization transaction.

• Elimination of all financial covenants.

• Commitment of a $50 million asset-based facility, with an availability block of

$5 million, from Wachovia Capital Finance Corporation (Central) and Wachovia

Capital Finance Corporation (Canada).

• Improved cash flow and liquidity to fund operations and investment in innovation.

• Significant injection of new capital through a CDN$100 million bought deal

financing led by GMP Securities and a $121 million private placement to Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd., certain Trimark mutual funds, the

company’s chairman, Victor Bertrand Sr.; its CEO, Marc Bertrand; and its CIO Vic Bertrand.

The new capital structure resulting from the recapitalization transaction creates financial stability for MEGA Brands and its stakeholders. It

also provides a stronger financial base for the execution of the company’s operating strategy going forward with improved cash flow and liq-

A RECAP OF INDUSTRY HEADLINES

uidity from reduced interest expenses to fund operations and investment in innovation. Closing is expected to occur by the end of March.

The corporation’s suppliers, as well as its obligations to employees, are unaffected by the recapitalization transaction and will continue to

be paid or satisfied in the ordinary course.

THQ,WWE, JAKKS REACH SETTLEMENT AGREEMENTSTHQ, Inc., World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., and Jakks Pacific, Inc., recently announced

that they have reached settlement agreements with respect to the WWE video game and toy

licenses and the THQ/Jakks Pacific LLC joint venture.

Under the three-party settlement, all claims are withdrawn and all litigation ended among the

parties without any party admitting any wrongdoing.

As part of the resolution of these matters, THQ will pay WWE $13.2 million. In addition,

THQ has entered into a new eight-year video game license directly with WWE, which com-

menced January 1, 2010, which is three years longer than the renewal term under the previous

arrangement between WWE and the THQ/Jakks Pacific LLC joint venture.

In addition to its preferred return payment to Jakks for the period ending December 31, 2009,

THQ will pay Jakks Pacific $20 million over the next four years, with payments of $6 million

due June 2010 and June 2011, and payments of $4 million due June 2012 and June 2013, and the

THQ/Jakks Pacific LLC joint venture terminated effective December 31, 2009.

LIMA OPENS HONG KONG OFFICEThe International Licensing Industry Merchandisers’ Association (LIMA) announced the

opening of its Hong Kong office. Seasoned licensing executive Tani Wong has been appointed

managing director. The opening of LIMA Hong Kong brings the total number of LIMA offices to

six. The other offices are located in New York City (which serves as the headquarters), London,

Tokyo, Munich, and Shanghai.

Wong joins LIMA from Warner Bros. where she was sales director, Greater China, Southeast Asia,

and India. Prior to joining Warner Bros. in 2002, Wong worked in marketing and category sales for

Disney Consumer Products.

DRIP DROPS TO LAUNCHTCKL, Inc., launches Drip Drops, a new preschool property based on a series of books fea-

turing characters that teach children about color and nature. The Drip Drops brand includes

books, animated entertainment, toys, and an interactive online environment. The mission of

the drip drops is to color the world and, in doing so, teach children about color and nature with

underlying messages of the importance of caring for one another.

The toy line that will complement the book series will include activity sets, plush, mini fig-

ures, and playsets. The line is expected to launch this fall.

ROYALTIE$

FEBRUARY 201010

ROYALTIE$

FEBRUARY 201012

MARS RETAIL GROUP AND MULTIPLE LICENSEESMars Retail Group announced that four new licensees will

produce a variety of items for the M&M’s characters. AdvancedGraphics will be making wall clings. Current USA will be mak-ing a number of manufactured goods, from paper products to or-ganizers and greeting cards. Pinnacle Designs will produce lapelpins, key chains, magnets, patches, ornaments, bookmarks, ear-rings, and pendants depicting colorful M&M’s characters. Santa’sBest will be manufacturing Christmas merchandise featuring thepopular M&M’s characters.

SCHOLASTIC MEDIA AND AMERICAN FAMILY INSURANCEScholastic Media has announced that American Family Insurance is the first corpo-

rate sponsor to sign on in support of the new Clifford Be Big program. The new multi-year, fully integrated cause marketing program is about fostering “Big” ideas, such assharing, playing fair, being respectful, and more. The program’s mission is to enactchange in local communities and create resources for sharing “Big” ideas. ScholasticMedia will continue to seek additional corporate sponsors for Be Big.

PARAMOUNT LICENSING AND MUSEUM REPLICASMuseum Replicas has obtained the licensing rights for prop collectibles and specialty

products featuring the Paramount Pictures film Braveheart. The first of the products fromMuseum Replicas is the Braveheart Tartan Collectible Sword, a full-sized replica of theweapons used in the film. Future products will include full-scale helmets, props, costumes,and other weapons, inspired by the characters and themes of the film.

COPCORP LICENSING AND IMC LICENSINGCopCorp Licensing has teamed up with IMC Licensing to secure food and beverage

licensing opportunities for CopCorp’s entertainment properties It’s Happy Bunny andRingling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey. The companies will be seeking partners for both brandsin the appropriate food categories. They will be looking for partners in frozen novelties, confec-tions, and beverages for It’s Happy Bunny and cotton candy, confections, peanuts, popcorn, funnelcake, and more for Ringling Bros.

BIG IDEA AND ENESCOEnesco has announced an agreement with Big Idea, the company behind the VeggieTales prop-

erty. Enesco will develop products in multiple categories and channels, utilizing its portfolio of brandssuch as Gund and Gregg Gift, to bring a number of new VeggieTales-branded products to the mar-ket. VeggieTales products from Enesco are expected to be on shelves this fall.

ROYALTIE$

FEBRUARY 201014

BILTMORE AND VITA FOODSTeaming up with Vita Foods, Biltmore is releasing a new line of salad dressings

and marinades, inspired by food made at the Biltmore House and by the chefs at Bilt-more. The line will feature interpretations of traditional favorites, such as Caesar,Italian Herb Vinaigrette, Honey Mustard, Orange Poppy Seed, Soy Ginger Mari-nade, and Apple Rosemary Marinade. Five of the six products in the line are madeof natural ingredients and the line is certified kosher.

FREDERICK WARNE & CO.AND CHORIONFrederick Warne & Co., owner and guardian of the Beatrix Potter property and original

publisher of the first Beatrix Potter little white books, has announced that it will team up withChorion for a new animation project based on classic Beatrix Potter characters. This new proj-ect will develop the Beatrix Potter characters for a new audience and includes characters suchas Peter Rabbit, Jemima Puddle-duck, Benjamin Bunny, and more. Frederick Warne will re-tain all publishing rights to the Beatrix Potter works.

THE TRUMP ORGANIZATION AND HANDS-ON MOBILEThe Trump brand comes to handhelds with the new Trump Tycoon game from Hands-

On Mobile for the iPhone and the iPod touch. Trump Tycoon is a speculation game inwhich players find themselves working for Donald Trump. To keep the job, players needto impress Trump by amassing a fortune before the annual review. Trump will offer tipson buying and selling real estate in three markets—New York, Los Angeles, and LasVegas. Players can interact with characters in the game by tapping the screen in thegame’s full 3-D world.

AL AGNEW AND MHS LICENSINGMHS Licensing has signed on to represent wildlife and outdoor artist Al Agnew for

licensing ventures. Agnew’s work has been featured in magazines such as Sporting Clas-sics, In-Fisherman, Outdoor Life, Field & Stream, Fish and Game, and additional arti-cles and periodicals. He has worked with Bass Pro Shops on catalog cover illustrationsand been featured on television. MHS Licensing will be showcasing Agnew’s work at allupcoming trade shows this year.

DEBRA VALENCIA AND ENCHANTE ACCESSORIESDebra Valencia has debuted the new Kyoto Stationery Collection. The Kyoto Stationery

Collection is for the Sheffield Home brand by Enchante Accessories. The new line featuresAsian-inspired designs on the 10 new stationery items in the line, which is the beginning of alarger series of stationery items from Enchante. Debra Valencia is the featured licensed artistfor Enchante Accessories and the Sheffield Home brand.

ROYALTIE$

FEBRUARY 201016

For the majority of the world, football (or, as Americansknow it, soccer) is the sport of champions. From the UKto South America, events such as the FIFA World Cup

cause more excitement than the World Series and Super Bowlcombined. Yet mostAmericans remained mostly ignorant of thesport. However, that is no longer the case. In recent years,Amer-ican consumers have rapidly become more familiar with thesport the rest of the world has been obsessed with fordecades.There are many reasons for this: the popularity of soc-cer for kids—especially girls living in the U.S; the influx of im-migrants who bring their love of the sport here; and changes intechnology making the world a smaller place as everyone is onthe internet. Even Hollywood has gotten on board with filmssuch as Bend it Like Beckham. But perhaps one of the largestchanges for American soccer was the creation of Major League Soccer (MLS) in 1994.For 15 years, the MLS has been supporting the growth of the sport inAmerica. It has been an up-

hill struggle in many cases, but the MLS has had remarkable success in increasing the country’sfocus on soccer. Since the league’s inception, the American teamhas made five appearances at the FIFA World Cup. The league

has 15 teams from around the country, from cities such asSeattle, LosAngeles, San Jose, Salt Lake City, and Dallas,as well as Canadian teams from Toronto and Vancouver.The league signed an eight-year agreement with ESPNandABC for airtime. Eight soccer-specific stadiums havebeen built by cities hosting their own teams.In the wake of all this success, the MLS has built up a sig-

nificant licensing program to further expose its teams and players totheAmerican consumer. The MLS licensing program capitalizes both

on the star players of each team as well as the logos and mascots of eachteam. The league has established licensing programs in apparel with majorlicensees such as adidas, sports equipment with companies such as Franklin

Sports andAccessory Brands, and novelty items such as bedroom accessories,trading cards, pennants, wall graphics, figurines, and more. With more than 30 licensees already onboard, it’s clear that the MLS isn’t going to stop scoring licensing points for a long time.

MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER

Fast Facts

° According to the MLS, there

are currently more than 65

million soccer fans in the

United States.

° Philadelphia is the newest

team in the MLS, debuting

this year.Vancouver and

Portland will join the league

in 2011.

° The MLS’ official sponsors

include adidas,Aquafina,

Budweiser, Gatorade, Kraft,

Visa, Panasonic, and more.

° The MLS has appeared in a

number of recent and

upcoming films, such as I Love

You Man, Night at the Museum II,

and Knowing, as well as

television shows such as The

Bill Engvall Show.

° The Philip F. Anschutz

Cup, the trophy for the team

that wins the MLS Cup, is

made by Tiffany & Co.

by Paul Narula

The Philip F. Anschutz Cup

Spark, mascot of theChicago Fire

ROYALTIE$

FEBRUARY 2010 17

DAZADI/HARVILThe Harvil division of

Dazadi, Inc., has produced fourfoosball tables using the MLSbrand. The Harvil MLS Striker(shown) features the MLS logo

and multiple team logos.

STAYCHILLED

Stay Chilled has created a full line of“coozies” for MLS. These bot-

tle covers keep drinks cooland are designed to look like

team jerseys.

SEATTLECHOCOLATE

Seattle Chocolate has pro-duced a line of chocolate bars featuring the Seattle

MLS team, the Seattle Sounders. The companyhas signed on to create a line of chocolate bars

featuring 14 other MLS Teams.

EA SPORTSAlong with various professional

soccer organizations worldwide, the MLSand its players were licensed to appear in theFIFA Soccer 10 video game from EA Sports.

SPORTY K9Sporty K9 will be producing a new line of pet accessories for theMLS. The line will include leashes, collars, and pet apparel.

ZUNEMLS fans can now purchase the Zune,

an electronic media player from Microsoft, bearingthe emblems and name

of their favorite MLSteam. The device canalso be purchased

with just the MLSlogo.

Mickey Mouse Gets SportyDisney and adidas

combined adidas Kids per-formance products withclassic Disney charactersfor a line of infant andchildren’s footwear, ap-parel, and accessories. Theline will be available inadidas Sport PerformanceStores and sports retailersglobally. The line featurestraditional adidas apparelsilhouettes with pocket de-tails and rubber MickeyMouse badges on T-shirts

and pants, while hoodies are complemented by iconic MickeyMouse-shaped zippers. Boys’ shirts feature Mickey, while Min-nie Mouse is the key character on girls’ apparel.Accessories in-clude matching bags, caps, and cotton socks. Footwearhighlights include the Disney StreetRun trainer in diva roseand metallic silver for girls and teal and white for boys. Thecolorful shoe sole leaves a Disney-themed adidas footprint.

ROYALTIE$

FEBRUARY 201018

New Ben 10 Designs for NBACartoon Network Enterprises and the National Basketball As-

sociation (NBA) announced a renewal and expansion of the co-branding partnership between the NBA and Ben 10 Alien Force.The deal extension, which covers the 2009–10NBAseason, builds

on the launch of a co-branded youthapparel line from Outer-

stuff. New designs in-tegrating Ben 10Alien Force charac-ters with NBAleague and teamlogos and mascots

will be created for the ap-parel line, which includeslong- and short-sleeved T-shirts, sweatshirts, and hood-ies. The new product will debutat the NBAAll-Star 2010 gamein Dallas this month.

Sleepwear for the StrangeGator Group, global licensing

agent for Emily the Strange, bro-kered a new licensing agreementbetween Emily the Strange cre-ators Cosmic Debris Etc., Inc.,and sleepwear manufacturerMjC International Group LLC.The partnership includes acomplete range of Emily theStrange sleepwear, loungewear,and underwear shipping to selectretailers this year. The Emily theStrange sleepwear items will in-corporate the edgy, smart attitude forwhich the brand is known.

Big Tent Debuts Domo TsBig Tent Entertainment,

which announced earlier thisyear that it was consolidat-ing its T-shirt licensingbusiness with Fifth Sun forpop culture sensation Domo, willbe rolling out its first T-shirt de-signs in Q1. The T-shirts, for jun-iors, girls, young men, and boys,will be available in North Amer-ica and Canada.

DoraTradeAd_Royalties.indd 1 1/21/10 6:43 PM

CHRISTINA MILLER,TURNER MEDIA GROUP

Christina Miller started her careerwith Gullane Entertainment as itwas working to launch a then-

unknown brand called Thomas the TankEngine. While Thomas the Tank Enginehas grown into a major brand in children’slicensing, Christina Miller hascome a long way in her careeras well, currently holding thedual position of seniorvice-president of TurnerSports strategy/market-ing/programming andCartoon Network Enterprises.

Miller’s time with Gullanesaw her rise to the position of vice-presidentof licensing for the Americas prior to thecompany’s purchase by HIT Entertainmentin 2002. “When I started, Gullane was asmall company and Thomas was the lion’sshare of what it had,” says Miller. “I grew toknow and love Thomas and care for him.”When Gullane was acquired by HIT, Millerstayed on to continue working on theThomas brand. She rose to the position ofsenior vice-president of licensing and brandstrategy before leaving in 2006 when privateequity firm Apax Partners acquired HIT.

Miller notes that there were a number ofreasons for her decision to leave HIT and theThomas brand she had worked on for eightyears to join Cartoon Network as vice-presi-dent of U.S. consumer products, but much ofher decision was based on the opportunities

available to build new brands. “Irealized that I enjoyed buildingbrands and Cartoon Networkrepresented an opportunity tobuild the division from theground up,” says Miller. Since

taking a positionwith Cartoon Network, Millerhas helped build the company’s

consumer products busi-ness into a major force inthe licensing industry. She

oversaw the launch of the Ben 10consumer products brand, which

now spans almost every youth category.Her direction made Cartoon Network thelicensing agent for Bakugan.

Throughout her experience atbuilding brands, Miller hasfound that the most importantpart of getting a fledgling brandoff the ground is understanding“what you aspire to be in theconsumer’s mind.” Accordingto Miller, there are three thingsevery brand manager needs toknow: “You have to know whatyou want to be when you growup, why you want to matter,and how you’re going to getthere,” she says. Once these steps are accom-plished, a brand is on its way to success.

But for Miller, the make-or-break factorin her licensing ventures has been the peo-

ple she has worked with. “If you want tosucceed, you need a full team of the bestand the brightest that are all pushing in thesame direction,” she says. Miller attributesmany of her successes to the people shehas worked with, both internally and exter-nally, at every stage of her career.

This year is shaping up to be a goodyear for Miller. Not only are there new

programs coming up for Ben 10,Bakugan, and other CartoonNetwork brands, but her newposition with Turner Sports andCartoon Network Enterpriseshas given her additional respon-sibilities, including managingTurner Sports’ relationshipswith its league partners andmarketing and programmingstrategies. Miller is determinedto keep pushing the envelopeand take all of her projects to anew level. “We do not live in a

safe zone,” she says. “We’re always push-ing, finding out how to stay relevant. It’smore exciting and you get to a strongerdestination because of it.”

Christina MillerAtlanta, Georgia

(404) 885–4101

BrandsRepresented:Bakugan, Ben 10,PGA, and otherCartoonNetwork andTurner Sportsproperties.

ROYALTIE$

FEBRUARY 201020

by Paul Narula

Ben 10 and Bakugan are justtwo examples of successfulproperties crafted by Miller

and her team.

Christina Miller, seniorvice-president of Turner Sports

Strategy/Marketing/Programmingand Cartoon Network Enterprises

the Mars Brand family

strength stability community

The Mars Retail Group looks forward to another exciting year of successful partnerships.For 99 years, the quality of our products and the strength of our brands has only been surpassed by the joy we bring to the families we serve.

®/TM trademarks ©Mars, Incorporated 2010

They’re hairy, sloppy, eat a lot, poop inunfortunate places, and require anenormous amount of effort, invest-

ment, and care. But year after year, consumersspend billions of dollars around the world tocare for them and bring them into their homes.We are talking, of course, about pets.

Whether a dog, a cat, or any other domesti-cated animal, pets have been a part of theAmerican lifestyle for centuries. Today, the petindustry is one of the biggest there is. Naturally,the success of the category has attracted a num-ber of licensors. Ranging from non-profitorganizations to entertainment brands, licensesabound in the world of pet products and are amajor part of the Global Pet Expo, the largestpet-oriented trade show in the U.S. Despite theeconomic turbulence in the country, licensing inthe pet category has continued to prosper.

WWhhoo’’ss BBuuyyiinngg??Many licensing categories have taken a hit

or two in the wake of the recession, but the petcategory has proven surprisingly resilient.Consumers have proven remarkably willing tocontinue spending money on their pets. Mostlicensees attribute this to the fact that many petsare considered members of the family ratherthan just animals attached to the household. Petowners are not going to stop buying productsfor their pets any more than parents would stopbuying products for their children. “Just likewith children, nobody wants to do anything butthe best possible thing for their pets,” saysPhoebe Campbell, principal and founder ofCampbell Associates, which represents the non-profit organization the ASPCA for licensing. In

fact, a few licensing programs, including theASPCA’s own program, rolled out during therecession and have continued to do well.

Most licensees agree that the majority oftheir consumers are women from the ages of20–50. Women in this category are more likelyto treat their pets as family members. In addi-tion, women do the bulk of shopping for thefamily and are the ones most exposed to petbrands such as Pedigree and Purina, and thusare more likely to trust the brands when shop-ping outside the category. For other brands,such as Pet Head (a brand made by Skaffles,based on the Bedhead/TIGI line of cosmetics),the reasoning is simpler—women are the oneswho have used the core product and are morelikely to want cosmetics for their pets. “Evenwith the market crash, we haven’t seen anyslowdown at all since our initial launch,” saysSteven Shweky, partner at Skaffles.

WWhhaatt’’ss SSeelllliinngg??Some of the most successful licenses in

recent times have been those that pet ownersassociate with authenticity and authority. 4KidsEntertainment represents the American KennelClub (AKC) and the Cat Fanciers’ Association(CFA), both organizations with a long-standingreputation for authority and for knowing thebest way to care for pets. As a result, many ofthe licensing programs for these brands arelinked with taking care of a pet’s health, such asthe new Petlabs line of multivitamins for adultdogs. “Consumers will still pay a premium forcertain things,” says Alyssa Tucker, senior vice-president of sales at 4Kids Entertainment.“They know that the organization wouldn’t put

its name on an inferior product.”The ASPCA has a similar type of authority

in the pet category. The organization’s missionis well thought of by consumers, especially petowners. Buying an ASPCA product is a way ofdonating when the economy makes everypenny spent an investment. Much of theASPCA line has also rolled out at Walmart andthe organization has avoided investing in big-ticket items to create a line of affordable petcare items. “Buying an ASPCA item is like adouble punch,” says Campbell Associates’Campbell. “You know you’re taking the bestcare of your pet and that you’re helping care forthe needs of other animals out there.”

Brands like the ASPCA, AKC, and CFAbenefit from the extra visibility that brandinggives them. All of these organizations are non-profits, which means that the extra revenuegenerated by licensing is nothing to sneeze at.But more importantly, licensing gives these

OLD CATEGORY, NEW TRICKS: PET LICENSING STAYS STRONG

ROYALTIE$

FEBRUARY 201022

by Paul Narula

The ASPCA signed Bergan Pet Products fora full line of branded products.

organizations a way to get their messageout without having to dip into funds forthe organization’s primary purpose.Beyond the strong showing of non-

profit brands in this sector, a number ofbrands that have their roots in pet necessi-ties have been making headway in themarketplace. Most recently, pet foodbrands Purina and Pedigree have venturedinto the licensing arena. “Mars is thelargest producer of pet food in the worldand we saw an untapped opportunity,”says John Capizzi, general manager of licens-ing, Mars Retail Group. TheMars Retail Grouphas entered into an agreement with OlivineMarketing International as the major licenseefor all of its pet brands, which includesPedigree, Whiskas, and more. Meanwhile,Purina, a part of the Nestlé Purina PetCaregroup of brands, has signed on with Bow-WowPet, oneCare, and Ethical Products. Both ofthese companies have already established atrust with consumers with their core products,so expanding to new categories seems natural.“Not only does the pet category add anothertouch point within the household, but the con-sumer interacts with the product in a family set-ting, deepening the emotional connection to thebrand,” says Deanna Caceres Cahn, vice-presi-dent of brand management at The BeanstalkGroup, which manages the Purina brand.

PPaarrtt ooff aa LLiiffeessttyylleeHowever, that’s not to say that other types of

brands are completely out of the loop. NASCARand Jeep both continue to have strong pet pro-grams, thanks to their established positions as

lifestyle brands. A brand that applies to a petowner’s lifestyle will apply to their pet as well.“Every major category has NASCAR fans,” saysTom Sullivan, manager of business relations atNASCAR. “We have a huge margin of overlapwith pet ownership.” While these lifestylebrands lack the authority of pet-oriented brandsin the category, they have a different connectionwith the consumer. NASCAR capitalizes on theoverlap by focusing its line on some of its mostfamous drivers and personalities. Jeep (man-aged by The Joester Loria Group) has capital-ized on its reputation for toughness and depend-ability to give consumers licensed products thatare focused on the same qualities.Other brands, like Paws, Inc.’s Garfield,

have found new avenues for the brand andcharacters. While Garfield already has a stronglicensing program across multiple fronts, thisyear the brand has been expanded to work withcompanies such as Smart Practice, which willmarket Garfield-branded reminder cards to vet-erinarians. “We are always looking for newrelationships,” says Cliff Hackney, director ofsales at Paws, Inc.

TThhee BBiigg SShhoowwThis year’s Global Pet Expo, which

will take place next month on March 25–27 in Orlando, Fla., promises to be amajor event. While trade show atten-dance has been down across many indus-tries, the Global Pet Expo has remainedresilient. “We’ve actually outperformed anumber of other industries,” says AndrewDarmohraj, vice-president and deputymanaging director at the American PetProducts Association (APPA). “We were

only down by three percent in square feet from2008 to 2009 and we’re seeing very strongnumbers coming up for 2010.” Based on the state of the category and the

way the show has been shaping up, Darmohrajis looking forward both to this year’s show andthe further development of the category. “Petsare members of the family,” he says. “I haven’tstopped spending money on my dog and I’mnot planning on treating him any differently.”Darmohraj also mentioned that the industry isbeginning to see more consolidations, withlarger companies once again seeking to buysmaller companies to increase their marketshare. A number of licensors echoed that plan,as well as their own wishes to stay focused ona smaller number of licensees while fosteringmore complete programs.With the continued growth of the category

and new licensors and licensees entering thecategory every year, the pet category hasproven that consumers will continue to spendmoney even during tumultuous economictimes. The category is ready for its next trick—which most assuredly will not be “play dead.”

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2009 Global Pet Expo

PET PRODUCTS

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by Paul Narula

AMERICAN KENNEL CLUBTeaming up with pet-care product manufacturer Petlabs, the American Kennel Club (AKC) has

signed a deal to produce a wide variety of vitamins and supplements for adult dogs. The product linewill include both multi-vitamins for older dogs as well as specific treatments and nutritional supple-ments for problems that older dogs (especially registered breeds) can develop, such as hip and jointproblems, arthritis, and more.

MARS RETAIL GROUPThe Mars Retail Group has signed Olivine

International as the licensee for all of the Mars pet brands,including Pedigree, Whiskas, and Caesar. Olivine will beproducing a wide variety of products that, as of press time,are still in the final stages of development. The productswill be unveiled at the Global Pet Expo in March.

JEEPVo-Toys has signed on

to develop a large line ofJeep-branded products.The Weekender Coat(shown here) is a newnylon coat that keeps wateroff a dog’s back in the out-doors. Vo-Toys will also beproducing vinyl toys, dog-gie backpacks, doggie car-riers, pet harnesses, seat covers, and more.

BED HEAD/TIGISkaffles will continue to expand its line of

canine cosmetics for the Bed Head/TIGI petbrand Pet Head. The new Color Me Bad line oftemporary hair color comes in four colors and issafe and non-toxic for all dogs.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a dog person, a cat person, or a frog person—pets need their owners to provide for

them and give them what they need to survive and be happy. Every year, pet owners continue to spend more

money on their pets, even during times of economic difficulty. Licensing has been a part of the pet product

industry for some time now and as the category continues to grow, so do the licensing opportunities. Here are

a few examples of some of the latest licensing deals that attendees may see at the upcoming Global Pet Expo.

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PURINAPurina has entered the licensing world with a

number of new licensed products for 2010. BowWow Pets will be producing a full line of petbeds for pets of all sizes. The beds will bedesigned to be stylish and in line with modernfashions and trends. Additional licenseesinclude oneCare for waste man-agement products andgrooming tools, as well asEthical Products for plushand molded toys.

ASPCAThrough Campbell Licensing,

the ASPCA’s licensing agent, thenon-profit organization has signeda deal with Ginsey to produce a

line of products to help “pet parents” take care of andgroom their pets. Products include a kneeling mat (below)for bath times, as well as wash mitts (above).

NASCARHunter is the primary licensee for the NASCAR

brand in the pet products category. NASCAR haslicensed Hunter to produce a wide variety of prod-ucts for the brand, featuring iconic brand imagery ofcars and drivers, as well as the NASCAR logo. Hunterproduces pet apparel, pet care, feeding, and addition-al pet accessories and necessities.

PAWS, INC.Paws, Inc., has signed a number of

new deals for the Garfield brand, featur-ing the characters from the Garfieldcomic strip by Jim Davis. Garfieldand Odie will be a part of the mar-keting campaign for Fizzion, acleaning product from Kegel.Fizzion, based on Kegel’s product ofthe same name used in other cleaningtasks, is designed to neutralizeodors and germs left when a pethas an accident, as well as remov-ing the stain left behind.

In the world of fashion, it’s always aboutthe next big trend. But sometimes, thenext big trend isn’t new at all. “This year

has been an odd one. Everybody’s very care-ful,” says Vered Nisim, vice-president ofmarketing for JH Design Group. “They’drather go with what they know from previousyears as opposed to something new. It’s beendifficult to latch onto what’s new becausepeople have really feared the new.”

That’s not to say that fashion has becomestale and boring—just another logo on a T-shirt. It simply means that, in terms of fash-ion licensing, everyone is finding new waysof refreshing what already works. “You haveto be a little more creative to make your dealsand find the stronger companies to representyour brands to make sure that you’re standingstrong,” says Judi Seidman, president ofInGroup Licensing. “The business haschanged in the past two to three yearsbecause of the economy. Everybody reorgan-ized moving forward.”

Thanks to the economy,one of the trends mostpeople are still talkingabout is fashion com-bined with value. “It’sgot to be designed right andpriced right,” says Ed Casey,vice-president of StoneAmerica Licensing. “Peopleare migrating toward brandsthat exist in the mid-tier andthey are looking for value fortheir fashion dollar. If it does-n’t have fashion, it won’t sell

no matter what the price is.”But price alone does not determine value.

Consumers might find a licensed apparel prod-uct valuable if it strikes an emotional chordwhile appealing to their sense of fashion.Because of this, it’s important for brands towork with licensees that not only understandfashion, but that also understand the brand andcan seamlessly work it into apparel. “We chal-lenge the licensees to really look for the uniquedesign cues that can be taken from the corebrand to make the licensed product authentic,”

says Lisa Reiner, senior vice-president,brand management, The BeanstalkGroup. “That can come in theform of a color, shape, or hard-ware detail.” For brands such asVespa and Ford, licensees often

interpret these “hard” items intorivets on jeans or a unique zipperpull. Consumers can tell whenlicensed apparel isn’t true to thebrand. If the licensed appareleliminates the emotional connec-

tion a consumer has with the core brand, theconsumer will likely pass over that brandedproduct for another brand.

Merging fashion with value gets a littleeasier when the brand itself is a fashionbrand. The trend of high-end fashion design-ers partnering with mid-tier and mass-marketretailers has expanded over the past year.Miley Cyrus and Max Azria partnered withWalmart, Jimmy Choo partnered with H&M,and Stella McCartney did babyGap andGapKids lines for Gap. “Collaborations are away for us to introduce our customers todesigners they might not have access to,”says Kimberly Terry, senior manager ofengagement marketing and public relationsfor Gap. Up until the end of January, con-sumers without the monetary means to pur-chase a Rodarte dress could pop over toTarget for something more affordable fromthe fashion label but with the same fashionsensibilities as its high-end counterpart.Joshua Thomas, Target spokesperson, saysthat the goal of Target’s GO Internationalprogram “is to create an assortment thatoffers cutting-edge, inspired choices at costslower than traditional designer prices.” That

LICENSED FASHION GAINS VALUE

FROM HIGH-QUALITY DESIGN AND LOW PRICES

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FEBRUARY 201028

by Laurie Leahey

For The Henry Ford, a national historic landmark in Deerborn, Mich., licensee Bell Ranger interpretedphotographs from The Henry Ford’s archives into T-shirts, giving the shirts an authentic feel.

MODA International is The Henry Ford’s licensing agent.

JEM Sportswear and Awakeproduce Twilight-inspired apparel.

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FEBRUARY 201030

philosophy applies to any type of apparel—shoes, jackets, dresses, T-shirts.

Yes, T-shirts. While a legitimate catego-ry for many successful brands and proper-ties, the fashion licensing industry knowsthat slapping a logo onto a simple T-shirtand calling it a day no longer works—atleast not to attract anyone outside of thecore consumer base. The wholepoint of licensing is to expand thebrand and reach additional con-sumers who might not have giventhe brand much thought in its coreform. One consumer might like alicensed T-shirt because he is a fanof the core brand, while anotherconsumer might like the T-shirtbecause of the cool design. Somany licensees produce T-shirtsthese days that it’s important to cre-ate something that stands out andaesthetically appeals to consumers.

Mighty Fine, known for its fash-ion-forward T-shirts, takes inspira-tion from what consumers are wear-ing on the street, then applies thosetrends to its licenses. “We treat everythinglike it’s artwork,” says Sara Scargall, market-ing director, Mighty Fine. “We take all of ourlicenses and combine them with what’s goingon and what’s trending and put them in fash-ion bodies and the right treatment and createone-of-a-kind [apparel].”

Even unique packaging can make a T-shirtstand out among others. JH Design Group’sNisim says that its Coca-Cola T-shirts comepackaged in Coca-Cola bottles or cans and its

M&M’s T-shirts are packaged in M&M’scandy bags. “There are different ways to cre-ate buzz about a T-shirt and not have it beyour average, simple T-shirt,” she says.

Another way is to diversify a licensedapparel collection, offering more than just T-shirts and, therefore, more options than thecompetition. “Licensing strategies that target

apparel collections require licensees thatdevelop and sell collections and the avoid-ance of augmenting such programs with T-shirt licensees,” says Debra Joester, presidentof The Joester Loria Group.

At MAGIC Marketplace, February 16–18in Las Vegas, the fashion licensing industrywill be able to see the newest licensed appar-el collections and get up to date on new fash-ion trends. Bringing everyone from the fash-ion industry under one roof, this comprehen-

sive show is also a time for licensors to signnew licensees or partner with new manufac-turers. “It sets the stage to debut and promotethe new collections into the fashion indus-try,” says The Beanstalk Group’s Reiner.“You’re getting direct retail feedback fromaround the world and it represents part of thelargest retail buying power in the U.S.”

This year, MAGIC will be held ontwo campuses: The Las VegasConvention Center for women’s wearand Mandalay Bay Convention Centerfor men’s wear.Alongside the women’scampus will be FN Platform, a newcomprehensive footwear event formen’s, women’s, and kids’ shoes, andPOOLTRADESHOW, a destination foremerging art and design-driven brands.These changes were put into place inorder to create a more streamlined andconvenient show experience.

Even as MAGIC and fashiontrends may change, one aspect offashion licensing will not—innova-tion. Finding new ways to make high-quality, fashionable apparel at the

right price helps brands stand out in a satu-rated marketplace. “It’s incumbent on all ofthe licensees and brand owners to come upwith innovative ways of presenting productto the consumer that won’t easily be replicat-ed,” says Sharon Summer, senior vice-presi-dent, MODA International. “If you have aproduct that really is new and can attract aconsumer’s attention, you really can breakthrough the clutter because there are a lot ofbrands out there and not a lot of shelf space.”

Ford-licensed T-shirts from licensee C-Life are sold at Old Navy stores. TheBeanstalk Group is the licensing agent for Ford.

MIGHTYFINE

Mighty Fine will produceT-shirts featuring the artworkof the late artist Keith Haring.

MAGIC

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by Laurie Leahey

Fashion licensing encompasses more than just a logo-slapped T-shirt. Consumers want thelatest fashion trends from their favorite brands or designers at prices they can afford. Beloware examples of the latest licensed apparel and accessories.

FARMBOY/GIRL

Farm Boy & FarmGirl Brands is seekinglicensing partners forshoes and boots.

JEM SPORTSWEAR/AWAKE

JEM Sportswear and its high-end women’s divi-sion Awake produced a line of T-shirts, sweatshirts,and fashion tops based on the film Avatar. JEM cre-ated the tops for young men and older boys, whileAwake designed the clothing for juniors.

THE BEANSTALKGROUP

The BeanstalkGroup partneredwith Philip SimonFootwear Groupfor bags and shoesthat feature theU.S. Army brand.

THE JOESTER LORIA GROUPThe Joester Loria Group

continues to expandits Pepsi, MountainDew, and Amp apparelprograms. Shown is anAmp T-shirt from Trau& Loevner.

JH DESIGNGROUP

JH Design Group recentlybegan producing jacketsand T-shirts for Mattel’sHot Wheels brand.

INGROUPLICENSING

For the Kersh fashion brand,InGroup Licensing signed NaderNoghrehkar of Luxelite LLC toproduce a variety of bags andleather goods.

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COPCORPJerry Leigh will produce a

new It’s Happy Bunny T-shirt featuring the It’s HappyBunny Candy theme. It’sHappy Bunny is representedby CopCorp.

DISNEY CONSUMERPRODUCTS

To support its upcoming film Alice In Wonderland, DisneyConsumer Products partnered with jewelry designer TomBinns for two jewelry collections influenced by key charac-ters, including Alice, the Mad Hatter, the Red Queen, theWhite queen, and the White Rabbit. The Tom Binns for WaltDisney Signature line will offer a limited-edition collection ofsix jewelry pieces. Tom Binns for Disney Couture is a collec-tion of 35 pieces featuring Binns’ design in collaboration with Lucas Design International.

MODA INTERNATIONALWorking with licensee Bell Ranger, MODA’s The Henry Ford

brand is being licensed for T-shirts, tunics, tote bags, and pajamas.Bell Ranger uses photographs from The Henry Ford archives onthe licensed product.

STONE AMERICAGennco recently signed on to produce fashion

accessories, including watches and timepieces, forStone America’s Paris Blues denim brand.

OnMay 21, 1980, millions of moviegoers poured into the-aters to see the continuation of a saga that began in1977—a saga set long ago, in a galaxy far, far away. The

Empire Strikes Back was the second film in George Lucas’ StarWars saga, which has remained a force in the licensing communitysince the release of the original Star Wars movie. This year, TheEmpire Strikes Back will have its 30th anniversary and Lucasfilmwill be celebrating this anniversary in style, as it did three yearsago for the 30th anniversary of Star Wars.The anniversary celebrations for The Empire Strikes Back will

last throughout this year. “We learned with the Star Wars 30thanniversary three years ago that it’s a real rallying point for fans,”says Howard Roffman, president of Lucas Licensing. “It’s not some-thing that you want to just pick a day and do something thatday.” Lucasfilm will host multiple The Empire Strikes Backevents all year, including what Roffman describes as “the cli-max” in August, Star Wars Celebration Five, which willgather more than 30,000 fans in Orlando, Fla., for a weekendof exhibitions and celebrities. In addition, the company willbe highlighting The Empire Strikes Back during its Star WarsWeekends program with Disneyland in May and June.Lucas Licensing has new licensing deals in place to cele-

brate this major milestone in Star Wars history. Hasbro andLEGO, both major licensees for the Star Wars brand, will bereleasing new products for The Empire Strikes Back. Thecompany has also signed a major deal with adidas for StarWars-themed sneakers and footwear. “Star Wars is clearly oneof the biggest collections we have for this year,” says Ben Pruess, adi-das vice-president of product marketing.Star Wars has remained a strong licensing property for three-plus

decades not simply because of the second trilogy (episodes I–III), butbecause Lucasfilm has continued to build on the brand with additionalcontent, such as video games and the animated The Clone Wars televi-sion series, which has been one of the brand’s major drivers since its firstseason in 2008 on Cartoon Network. Many of today’s Star Wars fanswere probably not even born when the initial films were in the theaters.This gives licensees the opportunity to appeal to older fans of the brand,as well as to a newer and younger audience. “What we really want to dois target the adult fan, who grew up with The Empire Strikes Back, as

well as kids of today,” says Derryl Depriest, vice-president of marketing for Star Wars at Hasbro. “So our line really cov-ers a little bit of everything to hit both of those emotional touch points.”Even though Lucasfilm has geared up for a major celebration this

year, the company is still keeping its eye toward the future. Work hasalready begun on the fourth season of the CGI-animated The CloneWars series. The company is planning another animated series and alive-action television series for the brand as well. While this year’sanniversary will be a major event for all fans, Lucasfilm realizes thatthe younger generation of fans will still be looking for somethingnew. “A kid today wasn’t around for the first three movies,” saysRoffman. “We have to keep pushing the envelope, and now we havethe resources to do it. The future is looking bright for Star Wars.”

THE LEGEND CONTINUES

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FEBRUARY 201034

by Paul Narula

Moviegoerssaw Yoda forthe first timein 1980.

The Clone Wars animated television seriesis the brand’s major driver for new fans.

© GLM

® 2009

surtex.com Co-located with the International Contemporary Furniture Fair® and the National Stationery Show®.

58887_GLM_SX_OrignlsAd_Royalties.indd 1 11/30/09 3:20 PM

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FEBRUARY 201036

The fourth quarter of 2009 turned outbetter than many expected at retail.During a few-year stretch where there

was little cause for optimism, any good newsnow seems like great news. However, this goodnews is tinged by just how low people’s expec-tations were for the fourth quarter of 2009.

As the greater toy industry, and much ofthe licensing industry, converges on NewYork City’s Jacob Javits Center for Toy Fair2010, everyone is trying to make heads ortails of the marketplace. Attendees will cer-tainly be looking at the bright spots of fourthquarter 2009 to see what worked and whatdidn’t. One area that did see some room forpositivity was licensed toys.

“According to November reports fromNPD, licensed infant and preschool toy saleshave grown slightly while sales of non-licensed toys in the same category havedeclined seven percent,” notes Gina Sirard,vice-president, marketing at Fisher-Price.“This speaks significantly to the power oflicensed brands.”

Even though the licensed toy arena doesoffer a bright spot, many of the issues thathave been influencing the toy industry con-tinue. A major issue affecting manufacturersand retailers alike are low inventory levels.Some manufacturers had difficulty shippingan adequate amount of product in the fourthquarter, leaving some retailers in the lurch.

What remains to be seen is how inventorylevels will play out in 2010. Will inventory

levels remain as low as they were in 2009 orwill retailers with low inventory look to bol-ster their toy stock?

“Until we see continued growth and eco-nomic indicators that show we will sustain thisgrowth beyond the fourth quarter of 2009, itwill be difficult for retailers to buy heavilybeyond their basic needs,” says Joy Tashjian,president of Joy Tashjian Marketing Group.“That does hurt new licenses.”

The risk-averse nature of manufacturersthroughout 2009 has clearly had an effect onthe amount of licensed children’s productsthat hit retail shelves.

“A very soft year in children’s licensing inapparel and related categories, cuts in toydepartments at key retail accounts, and ongo-ing concerns over the economy lead to a veryconservative posture amongst manufacturers,”says Debra Joester, president of The JoesterLoria Group. “More than ever, manufacturersare seeking retail commitments prior to makingsignificant licensing commitments.”

And, it isn’t just the manufacturers thathave taken a risk-averse posture in regard tochildren’s properties.

“It has always been an ‘A’ brand world,but last year retailers and licensees werelooking for the ‘A’ properties of the ‘A’ prop-erties,” says Larry Seidman, CEO ofDimensional Branding Group. “It not onlyhas to be a great brand, but the best brand.”

This hasn’t always been the case. Therewas a time when the bar of entry was lower

and fledgling properties were allowed time toincubate on store shelves.

“Ten years ago, if I told you that a showwaslaunching on a network in September, I wouldalready have a number of categories sold,” saysTashjian. “Now, it takes a history of ratings andsuccess, and a multi-tiered media program tosupport the property. Simply saying you have ashow on television is not enough.”

So where are the opportunities for newproperties? Licensors are looking for new chan-nels of distribution to get their properties outthere to earn the proven track record necessaryfor greater retail distribution. One area that isemerging as a great opportunity for propertiesnew and old alike is the iPhone app market.

While it is safe to say that most youngchildren don’t have iPhones, that’s not thepoint. Much the same way that a parentwould use a small game or toy to occupytheir child, today’s parents are handing overtheir iPhones, which contain child-focusedapps and videos, to their child.

Regardless of the amount of properties thatwill get their shot on toy and children’s enter-tainment “shelves” in the future, there willalways be a place for licensing. “The emotion-al connection kids feel toward their favoritecharacters enhances the products’ play valuewhile providing a comfort level for parents’budgets,” says Fisher-Price’s Sirard. “Parentsfeel more confident that their children will playand connect with licensed toys, making them apurchase well worth the investment.”

TOY FAIR 2010Licensed Toys in a Strained Economy by Chris Adams

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FEBRUARY 201038

TOY FAIR 2010Welcome to Toy Fair 2010. The following pages represent just a small sampling of what willbe on display at this year’s show in New York City’s Jacob Javits Convention Center.

COMPILED BY LAURIE LEAHEY & PAUL NARULA

UNCLE MILTONUncle Milton Industries adds new fun and educational toys to its Star Wars Science

line. Highlights from the line include the Star Wars Science: Remote ControlledLightsaber Room Light. Kids can construct their own Jedi lightsaber and mount theircreation on the wall as a room light. Eight color effects let kids personalize theirlightsaber, and a wireless remote control turns the light on and off. During construction,kids learn about electronics that make a lightsaber work. It is for ages 6 and up.

SCHOLASTIC MEDIAFor Scholastic Media’s Wordgirl, Briarpatch will launch new board games, puz-

zles, and card games and Scholastic will continue to publish books. In the WordGirlWorrrd Up! game, players must be the first to find and match lowercase letter tilesto the uppercase letters on the word cards. Place the letter tiles on stacking discs tobuild the word tower higher and higher.

FISHER-PRICEFisher-Price’s Dora’s All Seasons Dollhouse is full of surprises with magic

windows that show all four seasons. Seasons and times of day show throughthe windows and the content in the house changes accordingly. Girls canpress the speech button to hear phrases in English and Spanish that corre-spond to the different seasons and times of day, and they can press the scrollbutton to change scenes on the magic windows. The dollhouse includes Dora,a couch, and four AA batteries. It is for ages 3 and up.

MATTELWith the Thomas & Friends Birthday Surprise Game, preschoolers help Thomas and

his engine friends deliver birthday treats to the party. Players select their favoriteengine piece to race around the Island of Sodor, matching the most party favors. Thefirst player to go all the way around the track and deliver the treats wins. The gameis for ages 3 and up.

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FOX LICENSINGTwentieth Century Fox Licensing &

Merchandising (Fox Licensing) will add to its toy linefor Avatar with a second wave of action figures fromMattel; limited-edition mini busts from GentleGiant; statues, maquettes, life-size busts, and diora-mas from Sideshow Collectibles; a line of costumesfrom Rubie’s Costume Co.; and jewelry and propweaponry from The Noble Collection. For Aliensand the upcoming Predators (July 9, 2010), NECAwill premiere a full range of action figures and bob-ble heads, and Sideshow Collectibles will debut aline of high-end collectibles. For The A-Team (June11, 2010), Jazwares will showcase a line of actionfigures, vehicles, and electronics.

DISNEY CONSUMERPRODUCTSNew for Disney’s Handy Manny is the Handy

Manny Construction Playset from Fisher-Price. Itcomes with more than 40 pieces and realbuilding/demolishing action.Recreate action from the Toy Story movies with

the Ultimate Buzz Lightyear from Thinkway Toys.Buzz comes to life as a robotic pal who really walksand talks thanks to a wireless infrared remote.

HAYWIRE GROUPThe Haywire Group will add

new games and puzzles to its prod-uct line based on the GuinnessWorld Records books. The newboard game will contain trivia ques-tions, learning activities, and physi-cal challenges that require players tomake and break their own “house”records. Haywire will also release atravel game and a 300-piece puz-zle with a magic-reveal feature.

CEACOCelebrity Superstars, a 550-piece

puzzle series, consists of three sepa-rate puzzles. There is one for MichaelJackson, one for Elvis Presley, andone for The Beatles (shown). The art-work for these puzzles is by DavidO’Keefe, best known for his sardoniccaricatures and humorous illustra-tions, which have appeared on thecovers of Sports Illustrated, SportsIllustrated for Kids, Mad Magazine, andThe Village Voice, and within the pages of TIME.

LEGOLEGO’s Toy Story sets include

Construct a Buzz. Buzz comes com-plete with a closing visor and flickmissile laser cannon. The set alsoincludes one green alien figure. The205-piece set is for ages 7 and up.

Handy MannyConstruction Playset

TOYQUESTToyQuest entered into a licensing agreement with Mattel to produce a Barbie back-

yard play program to include inflatable pools and pool toys, sand boxes and acces-sories, bubbles, sprinklers, chalk, garden tools, and outdoor furniture. ToyQuest willunveil the program this spring. ToyQuest also entered into a licensing arrangement forDreamWorks Animation’s November 5, 2010, release Megamind. ToyQuest will serveas the worldwide master toy licensee for the film, producing action figures, vehicles,plush, roleplay products, and playsets. The line is expected to be available this fall.

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TOY FAIR 2010

BASIC FUNBasic Fun, a division of The Good Stuff Company, will

expand its Fisher-Price Classics line. The four new offeringsinclude the TV Radio (shown), Change-A-Record Music Box(record player), Milk Wagon, and Change-A-TunePiano. These full-sizedreplicas include the workingfeatures of the orig-inals and are styledto maintain the vin-tage charm.

HASBROHasbro’s Talkin’ Sid the

Science Kid plush charactercomes ready to play and learn

with Sid’s iconic micro-phone. Squeeze thebelly of this 12-inchplush to hear seven dif-

ferent phrases from the series.Sid requires two AA batteries, whichare included. It is for ages 3 and up.Hasbro will also release an assort-

ment of Sid the Science Kid six-inch mini plush characters.

CHORIONOne of Chorion’s key properties is Olivia, based on the best-selling book series by Ian Falconer and

published by Simon & Schuster. The TV show airs on more than 120 broadcasters around the world. Lastyear Simon & Schuster launched TV tie-in books in the U.S. with eight titles. More titles are in the works for

2010. Spin Master is the global master toy partner for Olivia and is developing a wide range of girls’toys for the fall. Other toy partners on board in the U.S. include MEGA Brands and Schylling. Forapparel and accessories, H.I.S./Bentex, Now & Zen, Accessory Innovations, and Planet Sox are onboard. Chorion is currently accepting proposals for seasonal, sports, and outdoor categories.

Barbie Jumping Fun Dancer

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FEBRUARY 2010 41

PLAYMATESPlaymates’ iCarly product includes two items in its Sound Gadgets Assortment—The Random

Dance Pod and Freddie’s Sound FX. The Random Dance Pod features three ways to randomdance, just like on the show. In Random Mode, the music starts and stops at random. The lastone to stop dancing is out. In Rhythm Dance Mode, the faster kids dance, the faster the musicplays. In Stop ’n Go Mode, the music starts when kids dance and stops when kids stop.

Freddie’s Sound FX lets kids use Freddie’s controller under their jackets or on their belts totrick friends. There are more than 16 sound effects.

DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONSDiscovery Communications is showcasing new product lines inspired by Animal

Planet. Animal Planet Cahootie is a new line of educationally oriented, animal-themedproducts based on the iconic fortune teller folded paper game that features questions, for-tunes, and challenges related to kids and their love of animals. Made of pre-folded, rip-resistant laminated paper with colorful photographs from Animal Planet, Cahooties fit oneof four animal themes: Dogs Rule!, Cats Rule!, Sea Creatures, and Endangered Creatures.

LEARNING CURVELearning Curve will create an all-new line of original products based on The JimHenson Company’s animated series Dinosaur Train. The new line will feature a fullcomplement of preschool products that bring to life the world of theseries. Highlights from the new Dinosaur Train line include Dinosaur Train InterAction

Figures. These fully articulated action figures play 40 real dinosaur sounds, facts, and character phras-es. With multiple activation touch points, each InterAction Figure has a special dinosaur feature, such asstomping or chomping. The InterAction Figures have built-in technology that allows them to recognize and

interact with children or other InterAction Figures in the Dinosaur Train line. They are for ages 3 and up.

LUDORUMLudorum’s first preschool property, the train-centric Chuggington series,

premiered last month on Playhouse Disney. Chuggington follows the adven-tures of three best friends who explore, work, and play in a safe and excitingworld. Chuggington targets kids ages 3–6. Ludorum, based in London, recent-ly started a U.S. operation led by Maureen Taxter, senior vice-president con-sumer products, to oversee development of a Chuggington consumer productsprogram. The master toy partner is RC2/Learning Curve. VTech is the globallicensee for electronic learning products.

Dinosaur TrainInterAction Figure

Freddie’sSound FX

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FEBRUARY 201042

CBS CONSUMER

PRODUCTSCBS Consumer Products, a division of CBS

Entertainment, will be introducing new toys and gamesbased on some of the network’s most popular televi-sion series, such as NCIS, Survivor, The Big BangTheory, The Amazing Race, and more. The companywill also be introducing a new line of products, includ-

ing games, based on the upcoming CBS film Beastly,starring Vanessa Hudgens and Neil Patrick Harris in ahyper-modern retelling of the classic Beauty and theBeast story as a teen romance, based on the novel byAlex Flinn. CBS Consumer Products will also beannouncing a new expanded roster of TV-licensedvideo games based on series such as NCIS and more.

NICKELODEONNickelodeon & Viacom Consumer

Products (NVCP) will be introducinga number of new products based onits popular entertainment brands for2010. Nickelodeon will be celebrat-ing the 10th anniversary of its pre-school brand Dora the Explorer witha full lineup of new toys and games,including the new bilingual Dora’s AllSeasons Dollhouse and the We Did ItDora Doll from Fisher-Price.

LITTLE KIDSLittle Kids has been awarded the license for Jelly

Belly Bubble toys. The company is introducing newproducts based on the brand.The Squeeze n’ Blow Pop-Up Bubbles features JellyBelly scented bubble solu-tion and a magical pop-upwand. Jelly Belly On-The-Go Bubbles is a small bot-tle with an attached wandfor quick bubble fun.

SAKARThe SpongeBob SquarePants

Underwater Camera, from Sakar,can be used out of water orunderwater. It takes up to 152photos and includes a case.

TOY FAIR 2010

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JAKKS PACIFICJakks Pacific is expanding its

Disney Fairies collection with newdolls and roleplay products for2010. The Magical Fairy TalentsPlayset features five talent areasinspired by the five main Disney Fairiescharacters. Each 4.5-inch Disney Fairiesdoll activates light, motion, and soundby proximity. Jakks will also release anumber of new products for the brandin the 4.5-inch scale. The Magic GlowFairies have wings that light up in threedifferent patterns when the button at the waist isactivated. The company has also created the DisneyFairies nine-inch Talent Light Fairy, which comes witha Fairy Scepter that controls light and sound.

Jakks will expand its new line of Taylor Swift dollswith the Taylor Swift Performance Collection. Each dollin the assortment sings a 30 second highlight of one ofthe singer’s songs while wearing an outfit designed toreplicate what Swift wears in the song’s music video.The Taylor Swift Fashion Collection Doll Assortmentfeatures the singer’s most recognizable outfits fromaward shows, television appearances, and concerts.

As the official toy licensee of TNA Wrestling,Jakks is introducing new Deluxe TNA figures. Theseven-inch figures are fully articulated. In additionto new figures, Jakks has created the new Six SidedRing, a replica of the TNA ring.

For collectors and fans of the Ultimate FightingChampionship (UFC), Jakks created the DeluxeFigures Two-Packs, celebrating famous MMA fights.Each figure has 29 unique points of articulation.Jakks has also developed two-inch Micro MMA fig-ures, available in two-packs and compatible withthe 15-inch Octagon Micro Playset.

WOWWEEWowWee has created a new

line of products that childrencan use to recreate their favoritefoods using the microwave. TheEZ 2 Make line will feature pop-ular restaurant and food licens-es. Kids can use the Entenmann’s Donut Maker Play Set to maketheir own donuts using the included ingredients and instructions.The donuts are made in the microwave in roughly one minute andthe set includes enough to make 12 donuts. The IHOP BreakfastMaker Play Set allows kids to use the microwave to make a fullbreakfast. Kids can use the included ingredients to make up toeight pancakes and four waffles in the microwave.

Taylor SwiftFashion Doll

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PRESSMAN TOYThe Pressman Toy Corporation has teamed up with The Jim Henson Company to pro-

duce a series of games based on Dinosaur Train, the new children’s series on PBS Kids.Pressman Toy has also teamed up with CBS Consumer Products. The companies havereached a licensing agreement that will allow Pressman Toy to create board games based onthe primetime military police drama NCIS.

Pressman is reinventing a number of its classic games for 2010, including Rummikub.Disney Rummikub for Kids is a new version of Pressman’s classic Rummikub game that fea-tures licensed Disney characters. New licensed board games will include the Diary of aWimpy Kid: The Cheese Touch Game. Looney Tunes Who Is it? and Looney Tunes Pop N’Race Game both use the classic Looney Tunes characters. For teens, Pressman has createdThe Vampire Diaries game, based on the television show on The CW, where players try tokeep from becoming a vampire for as long as possible.

JAZWARESJazwares has been tapped by Twentieth Century

Fox Licensing & Merchandising to develop anextensive toy line for the upcoming film, The A-Team. The launch of the Jazwares product line willinclude action figures, vehicles, electronics, andmore. The products will launch to coincide with themovie’s release in June.

Jazwares has also been awarded the consumerelectronics license for the Skelanimals brand. Newproducts will include the Kit The Cat Alarm Clock,which features a pink LED digital display and anAM/FM radio.

TECHNO SOURCETechno Source will be producing a line of licensed games for

Nickelodeon. Each LCD game features popular Nickelodeon characters.In Dora’s Backpack Adventure, children will help Dora recoverBackpack’s explorer tools after a whirlwind. In SpongeBob’s Krabby PattyParty, kids will help SpongeBob make Krabby Patties for a party at theKrusty Krab by catching the needed ingredients. Other licensed gamesinclude iCarly Random Dancing and Go, Diego, Go! Skate to the Rescue!

MEGA BRANDSMEGA Brands’ new line of Ni-

Hao, Kai-lan sets includeTolee’s Treehouse. This build-able playset allows preschoolersto reenact scenes from the TVshow or create their own.The set includes Kai-lan andTolee figurines, a twirling ele-vator, and a Lulu and Hohoblock. It is for ages 3 and up.

TOY FAIR 2010

Tolee’s Treehouse

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THE JOESTER LORIA GROUPThe Joester Loria Group has signed Berg Toys as a new licens-

ee for the Jeep brand. Berg will produce two new go-karts fea-turing the Jeep brand. The Jeep Junior Pedal Go-Kart is a light-weight and compact go-kart that uses patented technology tomake it possible to go forward and backward, freewheel, andeasily brake with just a set of pedals. The Jeep Wrangler PedalGo-Kart features a roll bar for extra safety. It also features a frontswing axel, as well as a handbrake and a fullsize spare tire with cover on the rear.

WILD PLANETWild Planet is building on its relation-

ship with Crayola with a line of games forthe Crayola brand in fall 2010. The newgames focus on recreating images andmatching and mixing colors, without theuse of of traditional art supplies. Guess MyPicture provides artists with differentshapes to use to build a picture, while play-ers guess what the picture could be.Doodle Match has players matching colorsand objects. Color Mix-A-Roo teachesplayers about blending colors with apalette that permits mixing without a mess.

ESPNESPN’s Bowlercade is a realistic bowling alley sized

for the home. It features automatic scoring, ballreturn, and pin reset, as well as electronic soundeffects. Bowlercade includes two bowling balls and isfor ages 3 and up.

K’NEXThe new Sesame Street prod-

ucts from K’nex will let childrenbuild their favorite charactersand settings from the televi-sion show and property. Kidscan build their favoriteSesame Street character playinga sport with the new Kick ItElmo!, Swim Time Ernie, andCookie Monster’s Basketballbuilding sets. They can also builddifferent buildings from theSesame Street neighorhood with thenew Neighborhood Collection buildingsets, such as the Firehouse, School House, and more.

SPIN MASTERKids can increase their Bakugan’s G-

Power strength with the new Bakugan BattleGear. The Bakumeter is the ultimate brawler’stool that lets kids instantly calculate or boosttheir G-Power points. Customize an arena toincrease difficulty or do trick shots with the hard-base Battle Arena. It comes with attachableramps. All Bakugan products are for ages 5 and up.

Bakugan Battle Gear

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FILM PREVIEW

TOY FAIR 2010compiled by Chris Adams

Posted on the following two pages is a sample of high-profile films expected to be released on thebig screen in the next few years. These films either have full licensing programs in the works or atleast licensing potential. The majority of the films are family-friendly offerings or at least haveaspects to them that could be translated into toy products.

Title Expected Release Studio

Alice inWonderland March 5,2010 BuenaVista

How toTrainYour Dragon March 26,2010 Paramount Pictures

A Nightmare on Elm Street April 30,2010 Warner Bros.

Iron Man 2 May 7,2010 Paramount Pictures

Shrek Forever After May 21,2010 DreamWorks Animation

Prince of Persia:

The Sands ofTime May 28,2010 BuenaVista

The A-Team June 11,2010 20th Century Fox

The Karate Kid June 11,2010 Columbia Pictures

Toy Story 3 June 18,2010 BuenaVista

The Last Airbender July 2,2010 Paramount Pictures

Cats & Dogs:

Revenge of Kitty Galore July 30,2010 Warner Bros.

Megamind November 5,2010 Paramount Pictures

Rapunzel November 12,2010 BuenaVista

Harry Potter

and the Deathly Hallows:Part I November 19,2010 Warner Bros.

The Chronicles of Narnia:

TheVoyage of the DawnTreader December 10,2010 20th Century Fox

Yogi Bear December 17,2010 Warner Bros.

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Title Expected Release Studio

The Green Hornet December 22,2010 Sony Pictures

Hong Kong Phooey January 14,2011 Warner Bros.

Pirates of the Caribbean:

On StrangerTides May 20,2011 BuenaVista

The Hangover 2 May 26,2011 Warner Bros.

Kung Fu Panda 2:

The Kaboom of Doom June 3,2011 Paramount Pictures

Green Lantern June 17,2011 Warner Bros.

Cars 2 June 24,2011 Warner Bros.

Transformers 3 July 2011 Paramount Pictures

Harry Potter

and the Deathly Hallows:Part II July 15,2011 Warner Bros.

The First Avenger:

Captain America July 22,2011 Paramount Pictures

The Smurfs July 29,2011 Sony Pictures

Marvin the Martian October 7,2011 Warner Bros.

Puss in Boots November 4,2011 Paramount Pictures

Arthur Christmas November 11,2011 Sony Pictures

Happy Feet 2 November 18,2011 Warner Bros.

The Hobbit: Part I December 23,2011 Warner Bros.

The Avengers May 4,2012 Paramount Pictures

Madagascar 3 May 25,2012 Paramount Pictures

Untitled StarTrek Sequel June 29,2012 Paramount Pictures

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4KIDS ENTERTAINMENTNAMES NEW LICENSING AGENTS

4Kids Entertainment, Inc., made key sub-agent appointments forseveral properties in its global portfolio across the Asian region.CLICK! LicensingAsiawill now represent theAmericanKennel Clubin China, Taiwan, Singapore,Malaysia, and the Philippines, as well asJim Henson Designs in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia,and the Philippines. Empire InternationalMerchandising Corporationwill represent TheArtlist Collection’s The Dog/The Cat/The Pig pho-tographic properties in the Philippines. Impact Licensing&Marketingwill represent Jim Henson Designs in Taiwan.

BANDAI AMERICA, INC.LARRY FALCON,SENIOR VICE-PRESIDENT, TOY SALES

Bandai America named Larry Fal-con as senior vice-president, toy sales.Falconwill promote BandaiAmerica’sbrand portfolio of toys and cultivatemajor relationships with all mass re-tailers. With more than 20 years of in-dustry experience, Falcon returns tothis position, which he also held from2002–2007, to manage the company’ssales force nationally as well as inCanada. Most recently, Falcon servedas executive vice-president, sales for MGAEntertainment.

THE JIM HENSON COMPANYHALLE STANFORD, EXECUTIVE VICE-PRESIDENT,CHILDREN’S ENTERTAINMENT

The Jim Henson Company pro-moted Halle Stanford to executivevice-president of children’s enter-tainment. Stanford joined The JimHenson Company in 1995 and wasmost recently senior vice-presidentof children’s entertainment. Sheleads the company’s developmentand production of all preschool andchildren’s programming for televi-sion, direct-to-video, and internetproductions in animation and live-action formats. Stanford has worked on several of the company’sproperties as an executive producer including the PBS series Di-nosaur Train and Sid the Science Kid, and the upcoming Wilson &Ditch: Digging America webisodes, also for PBS. In addition sheis an executive producer on Pajanimals, currently airing on Sprout.Stanford is currently leading development on the animated seriesThe Skrumps, based on the collectible vinyl toys, and The Dooz-ers, an animated preschool series based on the popular charactersfrom Fraggle Rock.

HIDDEN CITY GAMES, INC.DOMINICK MAGLIARO, VICE-PRESIDENT OF SALES,NORTH AMERICA

Hidden City Games ap-pointed Dominick Magliaro asvice-president of sales forNorthAmerica. Magliaro’s initial pri-orities will be to increase salesin existing accounts, identifyadditional distribution channels,develop new prospects, andgrow sales. Other tasks includedesigning and recommending

sales programs and evaluating and implementing appropriate newsales techniques to increase sales volume.

Magliaro brings more than 15 years of experience in distri-bution, sales, and licensing. He previously served as the vice-president of hobby sales for Upper Deck and vice-president ofsales at GameWear.

Across3. People’s Play winner, Electronics9. Innovative wall climber by Spin Master13. Educational winner from LeapFrog14. Nintendo’s follow-up to Wii Sports

Down1. Boys loved this brand of Super Jump Raceway from Mattel2. Spin Master’s 7-in-1 Dragonoid was the fave4. Jakks-branded Night Vision Goggles 2.05. Preschool winner from Fisher-Price featuring Handy Manny6. After 50 years, this Mattel fashion doll is still inspiring girls7. Cepia’s surprise must-have toy8. Hottest game of the year by Mattel10. Nerf’s semi-automatic weapon of fun11. This brand of Candy Jewelry Factory was a big hit for Jakks Pacific12. Construction toy of the year that combines building and action

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Guess Who?This licensing executive spent her time learning about the industry with brands such as HannahMontana while working at Play Along. Now she’s stepped up to the plate with her own company

and a client roster that includes cosmetics brands, green companies, and theme parks. Who is she?

2009 People’s Play AwardsAs voted by visitors to www.timetoplaymag.com

Answers onPage 50

AAPPRRIILL17–19 Hawaii Market Merchandise Expo douglastradeshows.com Blaisdell Exhibition Center Honolulu

MMAAYY16–18 SURTEX surtex.com Jacob Javits Convention Center New York City16–19 National Stationery Show nationalstationeryshow.com Jacob Javits Convention Center New York City25–27 Sweets & Snacks Expo allcandyexpo.com McCormick Place Chicago

JJUUNNEE8–10 Licensing International Expo licensingexpo.com Mandalay Bay Convention Center Las Vegas13–16 ASTRA Marketplace astratoy.org Rhode Island Convention Center Providence, RI15–17 E3 e3expo.com Los Angeles Convention Center Los Angeles22–27 Origins Game Fair originsgames.com Greater Columbus Convention Center Columbus, OH27–29 Summer Fancy Food Show specialtyfood.com Jacob Javits Convention Center New York City

JJUULLYY22–25 Comic-Con International comic-con.org San Diego Convention Center San Diego

AAUUGGUUSSTT16–18 Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo chicagocomicandentertainmentexpo.com McCormick Place Chicago

SSEEPPTTEEMMBBEERR28–30 HBA Global Expo hbaexpo.com Jacob Javits Convention Center New York City29–30 Brand Licensing Europe brandlicensing.eu The Grand Hall, Olympia London

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Ashley Mady is president of Brandberry, a newfull-service licensing agency focused on licensing,marketing, design, and consulting. Mady co-foundedBrandberry in 2009 with Larry Gellar, who acts asBrandberry’s vice-president. Mady brings her experience in working on brands such as HannahMontana at Play Along, a division of Jakks Pacific,to the company, as well as a number of strong relationships with retailers suchas Walmart, Target, and Toys “R” Us, as well as ties to various licensors andmanufacturers. Current clients for Brandberry include Blinc Cosmetics, Kidfluence, Laser Partners, green brands such as NextLife and Mountain Valley Recycling, design and event companies Mthree Image and Mthree Productions, artist Romero Britto, and children’s theme park Wannado City.

Solutions to Puzzles on Page 49

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FEBRUARY 2010 51

POSTED BELOW IS A SAMPLING OF WHAT AMERICAN CONSUMERS ARE INTERESTED IN THIS MONTH.

by Christopher Byrne

TOP-DOWNLOADED MOVIES, JANUARY 15, 2010Source: Apple iTunes1. The Hurt Locker2. The Hangover3. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs4. Moon5. Tyler Perry’s I Can Do Bad All By Myself6. Fame (2009 version)7. Inglourious Basterds8. District 99. Step Brothers10. Jennifer’s Body

TOP TRAVEL DESTINATIONS 2010Source: Frommer’s1. Tunisia, North Africa2. Copenhagen, Denmark3. Hanoi, Vietnam4. Santiago de Cuba, Cuba5. Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates6. Hawaii (The Big Island), United States7. Salta Province, Argentina8. Isles of Scilly, England9. Mexico City, Mexico10. Melbourne, Australia

TOP-GROSSING BROADWAY SHOWS, 2009Source: BroadwayWorld.com1. Wicked—$43.2 million2. Billy Elliot the Musical—$36 million3. The Lion King—$34.5 million4. Jersey Boys—$31.6 million5. West Side Story—$27.3 million6. Mamma Mia!—$26.6 million7. South Pacific—$25.5 million8. In the Heights—$23.6 million9. Shrek The Musical—$23.4 million10. The Phantom of the Opera—$23.4 million

BEST-SELLING 2010 THEMED CALENDARS,JANUARY 2010

Source: Barnes & Noble1. 2010 Ansel Adams Wall Calendar2. Kate Spade 2010 Wall Calendar3. 2010 Mom’s Plan-It PLUS 17-Months Wall Calendar4. 2010 Movie Posters Wall Calendar5. 2010 New York City Wall Calendar6. Miami Dolphins 2010 Cheerleader Calendar7. 2010 Irish Country Wall Calendar8. 2010 Cats Page-A-Day Calendar9. 2010 Getting in Touch with Your Inner Bitch Box Calendar10. 2010 Just Goldens Wall Calendar11. 2010 Seasons of Yellowstone and

the Grand Tetons Wall Calendar12. Ellen Krans Calendar Kit13. 2010 Sudoku Page-A-Day Calendar14. 2010 Hello Kitty Wall Calendar15. Melissa & Doug Magnetic Calendar

TOP-SELLING ATHLETIC SHOES BY BRAND,JANUARY 15, 2010

Source: Amazon.com1. New Balance2. Asics3. Sorel4. Columbia Sportswear5. Skechers6. Merrell7. Timberland8. Rockport9. Clark’s10. adidas

Star Wars-licensed adidassneakers for the 30th

anniversary of TheEmpire Strikes Back

BUILDING GLOBAL BRANDS

FremantleMedia Enterprises is the leading independent one-stop-shop for global brand representation. We have a proven track-record of groundbreaking programs across all licensing disciplines including consumer products, interactive, mobile, sponsorship, integrated marketing, live events, home entertainment and international television program distribution.

CONTACT US TO FIND OUT HOW WE CAN HELP BUILD YOUR BRAND

For further information, contact:

James NgoSenior Director, Consumer ProductsFremantleMedia EnterprisesT: +1 (818) 748 1145

E: [email protected]

www.fremantlemedia.com

NOW REPRESENTING

THIRD PARTY BRANDS

YOURBRAND

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