{"id":14971,"date":"2018-09-21T10:06:55","date_gmt":"2018-09-21T14:06:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/retail-battle\/"},"modified":"2018-09-24T09:38:43","modified_gmt":"2018-09-24T13:38:43","slug":"retail-battle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/retail-battle\/","title":{"rendered":"Retail Battle"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the lead-up to Brand Licensing Europe (BLE), rights owners outline the L&M strategies needed to get products onto retail shelves and into consumers\u2019 hands.<\/em><\/p>\n

Kids do seem to still be getting what they want these days, even with the shuttering of Toys\u201cR\u201dUs earlier this year. Toy sales reached $18.4 billion in the first half of 2018, up 4 percent over last year across Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands, Russia, Spain, the U.K. and the U.S.\u2014the 13 international markets tracked by The NPD Group\u2019s Global Toy Market Report<\/em>. In the U.S. alone, toy sales were up 7 percent to $7.9 billion.<\/p>\n

And the collectibles market continues to be strong, with global sales increasing by 26 percent. In fact, collectibles now account for 11 percent of dollar sales in the overall toy industry. That\u2019s music to the ears of companies like 4K Media, which manages the Yu-Gi-Oh!<\/em> franchise outside of Asia for parent company Konami Digital Entertainment. Collectibles are high up on consumer wish lists, says Jennifer Coleman, the VP of licensing and marketing at 4K Media. \u201cOffering bespoke and limited-edition collections is something retailers and consumers all around the world are looking for.\u201d<\/p>\n

Two different Yu-Gi-Oh!<\/em> collectible ranges\u2014one from Funko and the other from GameStop\u2014recently launched to the mass market. \u201cWe\u2019re also excited to be working with the high-end collectible company First 4 Figures, which is going to be doing a beautiful resin statue for Yu-Gi-Oh!<\/em>,\u201d Coleman continues.<\/p>\n

For 4K, the popularity of Yu-Gi-Oh!<\/em>\u2019s lead character has been key to its L&M\u2008success. Peter Kleinschmidt, the international commercial director of Studio 100 Media and m4e, believes that brands such as Maya the Bee<\/em>, Mia and me<\/em>, Arthur and the Minimoys<\/em> and Wissper<\/em> also lend themselves so well to toys and other consumer products because they all feature \u201clikable key and secondary characters\u201d that work well for a \u201cwide toy range.\u201d<\/p>\n

Marie Cong\u00e9, GO-N International\u2019s head of sales and business development, notes that as both boys and girls can relate to the titular character in Simon<\/em>, the property should be a home run in the L&M market. Simon is \u201can adorable little boy who looks like a rabbit, but he also makes mistakes,\u201d just like young viewers, she says. \u201cKids can see themselves in him, and children and parents love him.\u201d<\/p>\n

CHARACTER APPEAL<\/strong>
\nYet, it\u2019s not just the characters themselves that can strike a chord with young viewers. For Joseph Kim, head of the global business team of the animation division at CJ ENM, the messaging behind brands also makes them appealing and can help drive the licensing program.<\/p>\n

\u201cPucca has been a huge hit in the past across the world, and we are rebooting this outstanding brand soon,\u201d Kim says. \u201cWith love and passion as themes, Pucca will be appealing to every consumer group, regardless of age or gender.\u201d The same goes for the girls\u2019 property Rainbow Ruby<\/em>, which \u201cdelivers the message that children can become anything they want with their passion and dreams.\u201d<\/p>\n

Valentina La Macchia, Mondo TV\u2019s licensing director, also believes that the nature of a property and the storylines in a TV show can drive licensing and merchandising. \u201cInvention Story<\/em>, the tale of an intelligent, thoughtful and creative fox who in each episode comes up with a new invention, is toy-oriented, most obviously through the various inventions and the tools used to build them, as well as the memorable characters in the show,\u201d she explains.<\/p>\n

Kleinschmidt echoes La Macchia, noting that the basis of the licensing and merchandising of Studio 100 and m4e\u2019s brands lies in \u201ccontinually adding more content to the series in the form of new seasons or feature films.\u201d<\/p>\n

Storytelling is also a vital pillar of the L&M strategy for SUNRIGHTS, which represents the Beyblade<\/em> franchise. \u201cThe very essence of the Beyblade Burst\u00a0<\/em>brand sets it up for success,\u201d says Natasha Gross, the director of TV sales and licensing at SUNRIGHTS. \u201cThe brand is a continuing rollout of new, relevant stories wrapped around highly collectible toys, all lending themselves to further merchandising opportunities.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gross adds, \u201cThe key to keeping the brand fresh is making sure its television content and merchandise are relatable to today\u2019s young, active consumers from around the world.\u201d Thus, the company is ramping up the brand\u2019s digital and social media presence.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have worked on creating a more robust social experience for the Beyblade Burst<\/em> brand through our GEN BEY campaign [offering fans new products, sneak peeks, giveaways and more] and new partnerships with WildBrain and BeybladeGeeks for a global YouTube experience and new, original social content,\u201d Gross explains.<\/p>\n

Once the content message is in place, rights owners must then convince licensees and retailers to support a property. Kleinschmidt notes that the current focus for Studio 100 and m4e is on \u201csigning licensing agents for important markets. Our strategy on new brands is to first get the classic, content-driven categories in place in order to create awareness and acceptance within the target group.\u201d Food and beverage, home and living, and personal care are top-of-mind at the moment. \u201cRegarding Arthur and the Minimoys<\/em> and Gormiti<\/em>, we are still looking for licensing partners in several categories,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

For Mondo TV, La Macchia says the goal is to expand its brands\u2019 L&M programs to \u201cany and all territories where our shows are available.\u201d<\/p>\n

Similarly, CJ ENM\u2019s Kim states that the company is keen to \u201center into every available L&M category for all of our properties, which includes toys, publishing, apparel, accessories, back-to-school, shoes, housewares, food and beverage, promotions and events.\u201d<\/p>\n

4K started working with a new subagent in France in the past year for Yu-Gi-Oh!<\/em>, Coleman says. \u201cWe\u2019re still looking to get further penetration for Yu-Gi-Oh!<\/em> in Europe, including the U.K.\u201d The company also wants to continue the momentum it has experienced in North America and hopes to expand further in Latin America as well. \u201cWe are talking to a couple of agents there, so Latin America is probably going to be our next big push following Europe.\u201d<\/p>\n

Getting the attention of retailers is never an easy process. It\u2019s one that can be helped along if a property has some level of brand awareness already.<\/p>\n

BACK IN STYLE<\/strong>
\n\u201cFor retailers, the awareness level is one of the most significant factors to building trust in a brand,\u201d Studio 100 and m4e\u2019s Kleinschmidt explains. \u201cEvery buyer wants products on shelves with a strong turnaround, and we deliver this from the bottom up to marketing campaigns. To work more closely with retailers, we created the position of retail manager last year. This enables us to focus even more strongly on the needs of every retailer and create tailor-made promotions.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also important to work with licensees to ensure that everyone is on the same page as far as where to take the brand and its L&M program.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn general, our licensing department works closely with the production staff in order to produce a TV series that is not just a good production in terms of quality and content, but that can also translate into appropriate merchandise,\u201d explains Mondo TV\u2019s La Macchia. \u201cWe back up our merchandising work with strong graphical material and the rich style guide we try to provide every time we work on a new show. Character-based graphics as well as logos, patterns, icons, backgrounds and any materials that can aid in the development of good merchandise are part of this process.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFinding like-minded partners has always been and continues to be key to our long-term success around the world,\u201d says Mark Teunissen, senior project manager at Mercis, which owns the rights to the classic Miffy property. \u201cWe truly relish long-term partnerships and find it very important to grow the business and global footprint together. Our task is to stay extremely focused on what collaborations or other initiatives fit the DNA [of the brand] and will further build on the rich heritage it already enjoys. This not only means finding partners but also sometimes saying no to deals that are commercially very lucrative but not in line with our core values.\u201d<\/p>\n

Coleman says that 4K Media works with its licensees as much as possible to leverage opportunities in the retail space. And it helps to have partners that are aware of the brand and what fans want. \u201cThe partners that we\u2019re working with are staying on trend. Therefore, the designs that they are then able to create from the style-guide materials that we\u2019re providing them are spot-on.\u201d<\/p>\n

To stay true to a brand like Yu-Gi-Oh!<\/em>, Coleman notes that it is critical to work with partners that aren\u2019t necessarily looking to \u201cstock the next Frozen<\/em> or Moana<\/em>. You need to try to embrace your difference, own it and figure out where you can make it work in the market.\u201d<\/p>\n

Indeed, in this crowded L&M landscape, it is difficult to be \u201can independent Nickelodeon, Warner or Disney,\u201d she acknowledges. \u201cIt\u2019s an uphill battle. That\u2019s why opportunities with specialty chains such as FYE, Hot Topic and GameStop are so valuable.\u201d It\u2019s retailers like these that tend to recognize the value of niche brands.<\/p>\n

KNOW YOUR BRAND<\/strong>
\n\u201cYou have to respect your fan base,\u201d Coleman adds. \u201cIt stems from that: be true to your brand, give fans the quality they\u2019re looking for, give them the designs they want, because at the end of the day, if you don\u2019t have them, you don\u2019t have a basis for your business. Respect their knowledge, respect the investment that they\u2019ve made in the brand, and they\u2019re going to come back for more, especially with a brand like Yu-Gi-Oh!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe key to standing out lies in keeping your brand connected to its target audience of consumers, knowing what they want and what motivates them into action,\u201d SUNRIGHTS\u2019 Gross maintains. \u201cTo that end, we have looked to form licensing, merchandising and promotional deals that keep Beyblade Burst<\/em> in sync with young fans.\u201d<\/p>\n

But rights owners agree, it\u2019s still not easy. \u201cThe most difficult thing right now is the distribution of products,\u201d GO-N\u2019s Cong\u00e9 says. \u201cIt\u2019s not only limited to dealing with the licensee; it\u2019s getting your licensed product onto the shelf.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is more competition than ever [vying] for less retail shelf space than ever,\u201d says Lloyd Mintz, the senior VP of global consumer products at Genius Brands International, which represents the new girls\u2019 preschool property Rainbow Rangers<\/em> and the gender-neutral, book-based brand Llama Llama<\/em>. The company has seen success with Rainbow Rangers<\/em>, which it created from the ground up in \u201cresponse to a market void in the girls\u2019 preschool segment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yet, bringing an entirely new property to retail can pose quite the challenge. \u201cWhile everyone is interested in something new and different, at the same time, everybody is afraid of sacrificing shelf space from the tried-and-true for that \u2018something new and different,\u2019 so it\u2019s a bit of a catch-22 for the retailers and the licensors to position their property as that \u2018something new and different,\u2019\u201d Mintz explains.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe biggest challenge is that the market is overcrowded and a property\u2019s life can be very short,\u201d La Macchia of Mondo TV states. \u201cThis means we need to make our properties stand out with lots of supporting marketing activities.\u201d<\/p>\n

For example, Rocco Giocattoli, the toy distributor in Italy for Robot Trains<\/em>\u2019 master toy licensee Silverlit, planned a marketing campaign to support the range. Similarly, the Italian launch of Heidi Bienvenida<\/em> was supported by social media campaigns, competitions, cast interviews and appearances by the show\u2019s star, Chiara Francia.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur challenges are to never become complacent or follow what others do, but always rely on the intrinsic strength of the brand and the people working with it,\u201d stresses Mercis\u2019s Teunissen.<\/p>\n

Mondo TV\u2019s La Macchia concurs, but notes, \u201cMaintaining momentum is another challenge. We always work on long-term plans to renew the content and the brand constantly in order to keep awareness high and allow licensees to work on a long-term program.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt ultimately comes down to a brand\u2019s relevance, collectibility and demand,\u201d adds SUNRIGHTS\u2019 Gross. \u201cYou not only have to know and stay in sync with the needs of your target consumer base, you also have to find ways to keep them hungry for and gobbling up the newest iterations of your brand.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Rights owners outline the L&M strategies needed to get products onto retail shelves and into consumers\u2019 hands.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":477,"featured_media":14972,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pmpro_default_level":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[79,21],"tags":[1881,1882],"class_list":["post-14971","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","","category-features","category-top-stories","tag-ble","tag-brand-licensing-europe","pmpro-has-access"],"yoast_head":"\nRetail Battle - TVKIDS<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/retail-battle\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Retail Battle - TVKIDS\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Rights owners outline the L&M strategies needed to get products onto retail shelves and into consumers\u2019 hands.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/retail-battle\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"TVKIDS\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2018-09-21T14:06:55+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2018-09-24T13:38:43+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2017\/07\/Arthur-and-the-Minimoys-S100-m4e-918.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"351\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Sara Alessi\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Sara Alessi\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"10 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/retail-battle\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/retail-battle\/\",\"name\":\"Retail Battle - TVKIDS\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2018-09-21T14:06:55+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2018-09-24T13:38:43+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/#\/schema\/person\/3a30a856ec6d9cc2372bf054d26a0418\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/retail-battle\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/retail-battle\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/retail-battle\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Retail Battle\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/\",\"name\":\"TVKIDS\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/#\/schema\/person\/3a30a856ec6d9cc2372bf054d26a0418\",\"name\":\"Sara Alessi\",\"description\":\"Sara Alessi is the associate editor of World Screen. 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