What's Old Is New Again

Belly dancers! Lion cubs! Gene Simmons! The recurring carnival that is the annual Licensing Show was back in town, and it was busier than ever. More than 18,000 people attended Licensing 2001 International in New York in June, a 5 percent increase over the previous year. More importantly, the show featured some 5,000 properties — the names, faces, and designs that shape the licensed products available for your store. It's a market segment that retailers should pay attention to, since, according to International Licensing Industry Merchandisers' Association president Charles Riotto, licensed merchandise generates nearly $97 billion in U.S. retail sales per year.

With the heat of Harry Potter fading and the general undercurrent of distrust of blockbuster movie properties, there was no single hot property this year. Instead, the playing field was broad and even, and there was an increased focus on brands. One major brand, Coca-Cola, teamed up with The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts to create The Coca-Cola Andy Warhol Collection. Set to debut in early 2002, the collection will place Warhol's famous Coke artworks on products like stationery, gifts, collectibles, and housewares. The attendance of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, a first-time exhibitor, bore witness not only to the prominence of brands but to the gift industry's gradually increasing presence at the show. According to representative Sophia Hart, the museum's licensing program doubled in size in 1999, so this seemed like the time to test the waters. "We wanted to broaden our appeal to a younger, more family-oriented market," she explained, with pieces like an economical 18th century-style couch from The Lane Company. Colonial Williamsburg licensed products now include furniture, fabrics, lamps, and even heritage seeds.

With names like Lionel, Strawberry Shortcake, and Care Bears tripping off of tongues again, nostalgia is shaping up to be a significant trend in licensing. "What's old is new. The classics are truly the classics," commented Leslye Schaefer of Scholastic Entertainment, pointing out that properties like Ziggy and Peanuts are again at the forefront. In fact, much of the nostalgia trend is aimed at Gen X, centering around properties from two or three decades ago. Scholastic represents Schoolhouse Rock, the animated educational shorts that burned themselves indelibly into the consciousness of many a Generation X couch potato. "It's really important for properties to have a heritage, a fan base," Schaefer noted. The Schoolhouse Rock collection will include retro collectible lunchboxes from NECA. Another example of the retro trend is the upcoming Nostalgic Barbie Collection, an array of licensed products that will target adults with fond memories of the plastic blonde bombshell. Inspired by Barbie doll imagery from the 1950s and 1960s, the collection will include things like martini glasses, women's accessories, gifts, stationery, and housewares. According to Mattel's Richard Dickson, the key to reaching adult collectors with a nostalgic property is to present it in a modern way. "We borrow from what was the history, and re-present it," he explained.

Literary properties also had a strong presence at the show. When it comes to giftware, literary licenses are a perfect match: They have an intellectual cachet, and their gentle, quiet appeal is well suited to the specialty market. One example is Silver Lining Productions' Toot & Puddle license, from the children's books by Holly Hobbie. The two winsome pigs begin appearing this fall on products like Christmas ornaments and tins from Department 56, and cards and stickers from Peaceable Kingdom Press. Golden Books Family Entertainment will be translating its classic children's picture book pat the bunny into plush items from Gund starting in spring 2002. Other product categories from various manufacturers will include frames and keepsake boxes.

In an interesting twist, even cookbook authors were getting in on the literary licensing action. Molly Katzen, chef and writer/illustrator of the healthy Moosewood Cookbook, was being represented at the convention by The Joester Loria Group. "I really gravitate toward fabric," Katzen said, adding that she'd also like to see her work applied to china, ergonomic cookware, and even pillows and furniture.

In some cases, literary properties transform themselves into entertainment properties. That is the case with Harold and the Purple Crayon, the classic children's book about a boy and his imagination, which debuts as a TV series this winter. To celebrate, Sony Pictures Consumer Products has arranged for cards and stationery from Peaceable Kingdom and puzzles and games from Briarpatch.

What are the lessons of Licensing 2001 International? The first is that licensing is a continuously evolving entity. In years where there isn't the blare of a single outstanding license, it's easier to get an appreciation for the breadth of quieter offerings available. The second lesson is for gift retailers who hope to capture the attention of customers with licensed wares: For inspiration, look to the bookshelf, or look to the past.