The Source takes a look at some of the big licensing stories of the year.
2015 has been another bumper year in the UK licensing industry – from Force Friday to emerging new brands, from The Licensing Awards to The Light Fund challenges and another strong Brand Licensing Europe.
We round up some of the stories from the year, focusing today on September and October.
September
Cartography company Edward Stanford enters the licensing arena, following customer demand for mapping and other travel related products bearing its images and branding.
Licensed merchandise for Star Wars: The Force Awakens is finally unveiled on September 4 – otherwise dubbed ‘Force Friday’. Selected stores opened at midnight, including The Disney Store on Oxford Street, which also had appearances from the film’s stars Daisy Ridley (Rey) and John Boyega (Finn).
Rocket Licensing signs up to handle the UK licensing programme for the hotly tipped re-boot of Ghostbusters, due to hit cinemas in 2016.
Alison Downie joins HTI as its new global licensing director.
Minions becomes the second biggest animated film of all time at the global box office, moving past Toy Story 3 after opening in China with $20.1 million. The record breaking opening in China, the biggest for an animated film ever in the country, pushed Minion’s global ticket sales to $1.08 billion.
Katherine Pierce joins Golden Bear from Jumbo Games to become its new marketing and licensing manager.
Primark, Shop Direct, Peppa Pig, Ted Baker, Minions, Barbie, Rugby World Cup, One Direction and The Gruffalo are among the winners at The Licensing Awards. Founder and md of Danilo, Laurence Prince, was presented with the Honorary Achievement Award.
DHX Brands unveils a new infant range for the popular In The Night Garden property.
eOne takes a controlling stake in the Peppa Pig brand – the property’s co-owners Astley Baker Davies will produce a further 52 episodes as part of the deal.
October
Vivid Imaginations partners with England international and Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane for a new range of football related products, due for launch in April 2016.
BBC Worldwide reveals a new structure for its in-house licensing team. Rikesh Desai will head up the new-look department as licensing director, as well as managing the growing digital innovation and gaming business. The current Merchandising and Gaming teams will work as one team. Clare Piggott will remain as head of merchandise and report in to Rikesh.
Moomin Characters and master agent Bulls Licensing report record revenues for the year to date. With revenue increasing 27 per cent worldwide, it is the highest sales increase and brand growth yet for Moomins, which has enjoyed 10 years of continuous growth, from €2.3 million in 2004 to €14 million in 2014.
The V&A teams up with Penguin Random House Children’s UK to create a bespoke children’s range. From baby gifts to craft and activity and storybooks for older readers, the publishing range will aim to engage children with art and design.
Rubie’s former head of licensing, Holly Oldham, joins Hasbro UK in the role of licensing director.
Pop-out and build, collectable cardboard robot toys, OiDroids wins the License This competition at Brand Licensing Europe.
Staying with BLE, and more retailers attended this year’s event than ever before, according to official figures released by UBM Advanstar. Retail attendance was up by 19% on 2014. On top of this, the Retail Mentoring Programme was the biggest yet since its launch six years ago. It included over 35 individual buyers from 12 major UK retailers. Total attendance reached 7,203 visitors (BPA Audited) across the three days, with one third from overseas. The largest ever character parade took place on the first day, with 80 characters making their way down the centre aisle.
The new-look Danger Mouse becomes the best performing new kids’ show of the year, according to industry ratings body BARB. The data is for children aged six to 12 and four to 15, and is based on average figures for the first 15 episodes.
Toy retailer Hamleys is sold by its French owner Grupe Ludendo to Chinese footwear retailer, C.banner International.
Shop Direct, the UK’s second biggest online pureplay retailer grows profits by 78% to £71.7 million for the year ending June 30, 2015.
A new conference and networking event is confirmed to take place in New York next March, called the NYC Summit: The Business of Brand Licensing. Running on March 1-2, the two-day event was developed by License Global, in partnership with UBM Advanstar, organisers of Licensing Expo and Brand Licensing Europe, and LIMA.
