What is Brand Licensing?
The definition of brand licensing is the process of leasing a trademarked or copyrighted property for use in connection with a product, service, or promotion.
The property could be a name, likeness, logo, graphic, saying, signature, character, or a combination of several different elements.
The licensing agreements that property owners and licensees make have the potential to unlock powerful brands with in-demand products that drive real value to both parties.
Why is Brand Licensing an Important & Powerful Brand Strategy?
A walk down any shopping aisle illustrates the impact that brand licensing has on both the consumer and an increasingly diverse range of retailers, brands and manufacturers.
Licensing can extend a brand into new categories, areas of a store or into new stores entirely. It is a way for brand owners to increase their current fan base and move into new businesses without major investment in new manufacturing processes and also allows retailers and manufacturers to stand out from the competition and offer consumers the hottest brands as well as drive sales
From "Pokemon" action figures to NFTs featuring Crayola, the potential to leverage a brand for licensing or license out a beloved brand can deliver revenue and brand awareness to all parties involved. The licensing industry is valuable for both brand owners as well as retailers and manufacturers.
With the industry reaching over $292.8bn in sales in 2019, companies large and small are all reaching new heights thanks to licensed merchandise.
How do brand owners benefit from licensing?
l How do brand owners benefit from licensing?
l Boosting awareness and marketing for core IP
l Borrowing competency of licensees
l Alternative to brand extension
l Protect the brand across up to 45 different trademark classifications
l Reach wider pool of consumers
How do retailers and manufacturers benefit from licensing?
l Gaining the consumer awareness and marketing benefit of a well-known brand, character, logo, design, etc.
l Reducing In-House costs
l Enhancing authenticity and credibility
3 Examples of Brand Licensing
Funko
Funko has redefined what a collectibles company can do in the marketplace and proven that retail is very much alive, so long as you have what’s in demand. Aptly described as “fast fashion of pop culture” by Brian Mariotti, chief executive officer, Funko, the company deals primarily in bringing beloved licensed properties – from entertainment, sports and music to familiar, nostalgic corporate brands and mascots – to market largely via its Pop! vinyl figurines range, a core product offering and the company’s No. 1 seller.
V&A
The V&A works with licensees across Europe, the U.S., Japan, China and South Korea to spread the core values of the institute: making art accessible to all. It’s this core theme that drives the V&A’s work with designers and licensees to create valued, consumer-focused products.
Working with leading interior experts, craftsmen, designers and fashion creators, the V&A has produced innovative products such as children’s fashion lines with Little House of Hackney, paperback products based on English chintz fabrics with Pimpernel Press, tableware products with Caspari, Japanese textile-inspired needlepoint kits with Ehrman Kits and a range of gardening tools with Wild & Wolf.
Ford Motor Company
Whether it's apparel, toys, novelties or collectibles, the licensed product categories for auto brands run the gamut. Iconic, classic American brand Ford and its top-rated licensing program is successfully exploiting all categories.
“Ford Brand Licensing has a process in place to review license applications and also works with a variety of internal teams to determine key categories and growth opportunities in which we’d like to seek new partners for,” says Casie Ocaña, global brand licensing manager, Ford Motor Company. “When it comes to picking those partners, Ford looks to ensure the company shares the same values as well as passion for our products and consumers.”
Find further brand licensing examples here.
Who are the World's Biggest Global Licensors
The world’s top Brand Licensors and IP owners, by sales of Licensed merchandise:
1.Walt Disney
2.Meredith Corporation
3.Hasbro
4.Authentic brands group
5.Warner Media
6.NBCUniversal/Universal Brand Development
7.ViacomCBS
8.The Pokemon Company International
9.Bluestar Alliance
10.Sanrio
Understanding Licensing Terms
u Licensing – To give permission to a third party to use a legally protected intellectual property in conjunction with products, service, or promotion.
u Licensor - The owner of the intellectual property. (Ex.Disney,Coca Cola)
u Licensee – The party – whether a manufacturer, retailer, service provider, or promotional agency – that is granted the rights to use the IP. (Ex.Funko, Wal-Mart)
u License Agreement – The legal document signed by licensor and licensee that provides for the manufacture, sale and use of licensed product against agreed commercial terms, broadly known as the schedule
u Royalties – The money paid to the licensor, usually paid on gross sales with a certain limited deductions.