Licensing 2006: A Changing Landscape
By Joseph Dobrian, Contributing Editor

The licensing industry used to be all about “what’s new?” Lately, say the experts, the licensing business is learning that long-established, classic characters can offer a less precarious path to profits.

Marty Brochstein, of EPM Communcations, which publishes The Licensing Letter, reports that “Movies are not necessarily ‘where it’s at’ the way they used to be in terms of licensed product sales. ‘Event films’ come along perhaps 10 times a year now... thus devaluing the currency. ”

The characters that are not based on one big promotional pop are those that retailers like best, says Brochstein, noting that classic characters and ongoing television shows tend to give licensed products a longer shelf life.

Interestingly, many of the important movie properties for 2006 are based on classics, which may better lend themselves to licensing success in the environment described by Brochstein. Most notable in this group is King Kong, for which Franco American Novelty Co. LLC holds the license for costumes, masks and wigs. Superman Returns (Rubie’s Costume Co.), and a sequel to Pirates of the Caribbean (Disguise, Inc.) can also be characterized as new versions of old favorites.

The Playboy Brand
Another development in Halloween licensing is Pony Express Creations’ licensing of the Playboy brand for a line of women’s costumes. Pony Express president Ryan Rothschild notes also that licensing a brand rather than a single property represents a new direction for the Halloween industry.

Additional trends to watch for include:

• The popularity of anime is having a ripple effect on children’s properties this season. Examples of anime-influenced properties include Smiffy U.S.A,’s Rock Hard Fairies, based on a British property, Naruto, (Disguise, Inc.) and Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi (Rubie’s).

• Little girls shopping for costumes want to, above all, look pretty, and there are a number of licenses this year that hope to woo those in search of “prettiness.” Rubie’s has Magical DoReMi a new television series about witches in pastel colors and Barbie Mermaidia.

• Toddlers (or more accurately, their parents) love licenses. Disguise offers Doodlebops and Backyardigans.

• Nostalgia and humor are routes to licensing success. Rasta Imposta is debuting Pez, Wonderbread and Trix.