Our regular column sharing the latest on retail trends comes fresh from the team’s visit to Las Vegas and Licensing Expo where it also had the opportunity to check out what’s happening at retail across the pond.
Like the great and good of the industry, the team and I were geared up for the biggest licensing show of the year and looking forward to hearing the latest on new deals, up-and-coming trends and overall performance for classic and new brands alike. Kicking off the show, it was great to hear from Licensing International that 2023 was a record-breaking year with $356.5 billion of sales of licensed products and services. This was a 4.59% increase year-on-year and outperformed the overall worldwide retail market which saw 3.7% growth – no mean feat considering the global economic factors we’ve all been experiencing!
The buoyant atmosphere and good news on the industry’s continued resilience was further demonstrated through the level of attendance at the show which felt noticeably busier than last year with more retailers than ever before walking the show floor. One of the universal observations among our peers and identified in Licensing International’s study was the shift in entertainment brands with classic and franchise brands trumping new property development and manga, gaming and social media responsible for more dollars (just, at 42%) than film and TV (at 38%).
These findings were further supported by industry chatter around the content slate being mixed for 2025 and 2026 – with Wicked being the standout for this and next Christmas, as well as the ever-present Stitch returning to the big screen. Classics and remakes continue to be a strategic focus for the studios with some hitting the mark in recent years and others not even leaving a ripple of an impression on audiences. As the variety of methods in which we consume content broadens, so does the options for fans to extend their experience with their favourite brands – with the likes of gaming, anime and those with origins in social media being the biggest winners.
The study also highlighted non-profit brands seeing the biggest growth last year and the team are seeing this reflected in buyers’ decisions with working with those brands that do good appealing to themselves and their customers. One stand that stood out at the show was the collaboration none of us expected on our arrival with Tetris not only offering the latest on its licensing programme, but offering attendees the chance to give blood when visiting the stand. Taking brands that do good to another level!
Despite a packed meeting schedule (close to 100 meetings between three of us) we made it a priority to attend some of the keynote sessions too. We found the opening session on the Future of Gaming especially engaging and insightful with some really interesting takeaways including the fact that the sheer size of competition in this space is having a positive impact with community remaining at the heart of gaming and games licensing. Being clear on how the game is connecting with its audience with the ability to take gaming experiences into the real world is an exciting opportunity.
When not at the Mandalay Bay we walked the strip and enjoyed all of the sights you love to see in Vegas and this included how brands created impact to stop those walking the sidewalk in their tracks. We loved The Stranger Things store and it’s a great example of fans being able to experience the show but, unlike so many LBE, was not ticketed – making it accessible for all. With apparel, publishing and plush there was plenty for the Stranger Things ‘nerd’.
Another example of a killer brand that continues to gain more ground, despite being nearly 50 years old, is Hello Kitty. Last year the licensed café offering sweet treats and drinks was located at the Fashion Show Mall at the quieter end of the strip, but this year saw another location launched to further amplify footfall at the Park MGM. When you enjoy a bite to eat or your favourite hot or cold drink, you can also peruse the merchandise and enjoy the colourful seating area when you want to take the weight off after racking up that step count.
Speaking of sweet things, we were, as always, in awe of the extent of licensed product and categories in both the M&M and Hershey’s stores. As a big Reese’s fan it was brilliant to see this firm favourite extended into so many different areas – everything from plush, to dog toys, to stationery, a collaboration with Loungefly and the item that came home with me, Stance Socks.
As a retail-focused agency, we flew out a couple of days earlier and assigned time away from the strip and scheduled a spot of retail therapy.
We headed to the big boys – Target and Walmart – as well as the specialists to take a look at the latest US trends in-store. In Target it was great to see such a strong publishing offering with licensed cookbooks (including every aspiring chef’s must-have book, Snoop Dogg’s From Crook to Cook) commanding a huge amount of space. And right at the front of store in the fashion section, the growing pickle ball and padel trend was clear to see – with classic American sportswear items for men and women taking inspiration from the emerging racket sports. The US showing very clearly that this trend is transcending the court.
At more specialist retailers we saw William Morris’ product range and the exclusive Bridgerton-inspired collection at Williams Sonoma bringing the regal homewares range to ‘The Ton’ of Las Vegas. We also loved the homewares selection from Crate & Barrel but there weren’t any examples of licensed activations that would have brought the space to life further. Maybe next year…
It was very exciting to see the ever-growing Moomin range in Barnes and Noble and the appeal of Moomin in the US was further cemented by the win during the week at the Licensing International Excellence Awards where it took home the award for Best Brand: Publishing, Stationery or Social Expression. With Moomin celebrating 80 years next year, we know that the cross category and retail presence on both sides of the pond will only continue to grow.
Overall, it was so good to meet our peers and make new contacts at the show and have some respite from the unseasonably cold temperatures we were experiencing in the UK – like the weather, we hope to see the next big licensing trends heat up so we can raise a glass to another record year at Licensing Expo 2025. See you there!
Katie Wilkinson is commercial and strategy director at The Point.1888.
