World in motion: “The biggest opportunities are always the least expected”

Spotlight Licensing’s Carole Postal on keeping eyes and ears open for new properties and more opportunities for existing licensors.

LicensingSource.net chats to a selection of licensors and agents based outside of the UK to find out their takeaways from 2020, what the biggest challenges and opportunities are for licensing moving forward, their main aims for 2021 and what word they would use to describe business in both last year and this year.

Today, we head to the US to get the views of Carole Postal, president, Spotlight Licensing.

“2020 was all about adapting to the new normal of Zooming and virtual events, but we are looking forward to getting back to the ‘old normal’ once we can.

Our goal [for 2021] is to work with clients, licensees and retail partners in order to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to new opportunities, as consumers and the retail and manufacturing environments adjust and recover from 2020.

The biggest opportunities are always the least expected. We always have our eyes and ears open for great new properties and more opportunities for existing licensors. We have been hearing hints about a Downton Abbey movie sequel, for example, talking to clients about upcoming television seasons for The Last Kingdom and Call the Midwife, and enjoying the recent re-appreciation for Precious Moments as a brand which offers inspiration, hope and togetherness in difficult times.

2020 was the year for ‘humility’ and that is going to be my word for 2021 as well. We’re going to need to remember the lessons learned in 2020 in order to move forward in 2021 with more understanding for what was and what still could be.”

This feature originally appeared in the spring 2021 edition of Licensing Source Book. To read the full publication, click on this link.

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