Hasta La Creative!

Licensed merchandise sales grew more than 4% last year to $262.9 billion, according to the sector’s big trade association, but exhibitors at the annual International Licensing Expo in Last Vegas last week were still striving to keep up with consumer habits moving at warp speed. There were eight key takeaways:

1. It’s more than nostalgia. Bringing back entertainment properties — characters, movies, TV programs — from the past has always been a pastime of entertainment companies, and we saw this again this year with exhibitors promoting the return of “Twin Peaks,” “Queer Eye” and the popular childen’s series “Magic School Bus Rides Again.” However, it now seems like it’s more than just nostalgia. Trusted brands, with equity attached, can break through the clutter and noise. That’s why bankrupt brands are trying to have second lives. Exhibiting at the Expo we saw Sharper Image, FAO Schwarz and Quirky, each staging a comeback through licensing. Expect more brands looking for a revival.

2. New media embraces old media. Over the past decade, new media has sent shock waves through traditional media. But as some of these new media players become successful, we find them turning to old-media ways to expand and reach consumers. Both Amazon Studios and BuzzFeed (a first-time exhibitor) were at the Expo this year. We expect to see more new media brands turning to consumer products to satisfy their fans.

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