Licensing is for Everyone

In an era when booth sizes and foot traffic at trade shows are declining, the New York Licensing Show is an anomaly. This year's show grew all around—overall attendance was up, including a 15% increase in retailer attendance. There were 185 new exhibitors and show size increased by 14% to 180,000 sq. ft.

There was also no shortage in the variety of licenses to be found—exhibitors marketed licenses based on books, television, films, cartoons, comics, toys, video games, art, sports and corporate trademarks.

Retro and classic properties had some of the most formidable presences—from Peanuts, Ziggy, Alvin and the Chipmunks and Fraggle Rock, to Lassie, Sixteen Candles, Mash, Green Acres, Fat Albert, Weebles and Trolls. Even Holly Hobby is back. To support new licensing programs, many retro and classic TV shows and movies will be re-released to a new generation of consumers through TV specials and DVDs.

The focus on pre-school programming and licensing also remains strong. Ragdoll is re-branding Teletubbies to incorporate the thematic message that "Teletubbies Teach Happiness." Known well overseas, but new to the states this year is Big Tent Entertainment's The Koala Bros. The show's sweet spot is 3-5 year olds.

Another pre-school property new to the U.S. is Tiny Planets from Pepper's Ghost, for which MGM Consumer Products is the exclusive licensing agent. The CGI-animated show encourages children to make observations and test ideas as they play.

Publishing continues to generate a wealth of licensing properties. Miffy, which originated as a book property in Holland in 1955 and began airing on Noggin in 2003, is now launching its second wave of licensing in the U.S. Although there is no movie in the works, Viacom is launching a licensing program for Nancy Drew, in honor of its 75th anniversary. Book-based movies and licensing programs-in-the-works include Universal's Curious George, Sony's Memoirs of a Geisha, Viacom's live-action Charlotte's Web movie, Warner Bros.' Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, from Disney.

After three to four years of consistent box office hits that also produced strong licensing programs, the studios are out in full force with film-based programs. "The retail community is feeling more confident about movie-based licensed products than ever before," says Ann Globe, of DreamWorks Consumer Products, adding that interactive is becoming more important than toys. DreamWorks was showcasing its upcoming CGI-animated properties, Shark Tale and Madagascar.

Other movie and TV-based licensing programs showcased included Universal's King Kong, 20th Century Fox's Ice Age 2 and Sony's first CGI movie, Boys N the Wood.