Start Licensing’s Ian Downes uncovers some fresh examples to answer the question, ‘does licensing work?’ this week.
It was timely reading about Comic Relief and TK Maxx’s partnership on LicensingSource yesterday.
I have seen the collection in a couple of TK Maxx’s stores this week. The collection of apparel, giftware and plush items features brands such as Aardman, Disney and Mr. Men Little Miss. It is a special edition product collection which brings together licences and properties that have featured in TK Maxx’s highly successful Comic Relief partnership over recent years.
Comic Relief celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. I am often asked if licensing works by manufacturers and retailers considering entering the market. An example like the TK Maxx and Comic Relief one is a great case study to point to. It has had long-term success, but has remained fresh and engaging. It is well presented in-store as well.
The in-store delivery of partnerships is often overlooked and can let things down. But not in this case – it has been allocated its own space, in-store signage and window displays. It is also a great example of how retailers, rights holders and good causes can work together effectively. This is nothing new in licensing – licensed properties and charities have worked together many times over the years.
For example, Louis Kennedy Partnership has developed lots of partnerships with banks and building societies with items like pin badges being sold as fundraisers.
Talking of ‘real life’ examples to highlight in terms of showing licensing works, I was very impressed by a Marmite display I saw in Waitrose this week. The core Marmite spread product was featured in an aisle side FSDU, but was accompanied by a number of Marmite licensed products such as oatcakes, cashew nuts and rice cakes. This example is a great one to demonstrate how a suite of licensed products can help a brand achieve more visibility and in-store presence. For licensees it is also a great example of how a well chosen licence can help build distribution, but also help deliver a heavier punch at retail. It is unlikely that each of these suppliers working individually would have achieved this level of retail coverage. For Marmite, the brand licensing has helped unlock a raft of activations and engagements that have helped tell the ‘Marmite story’ and widened the consumer pool. It has enhanced the NPD pipeline and created new ways for consumers to try Marmite.
Related to this it is always good to see how HMV selects, supports and backs brands in its stores. It continues to recognise that there is a value in supporting brands in depth and giving consumers the chance to buy a mix of products featuring selected brands.
It makes good use of dedicated display space, brand signage and FSDUs. A good example of this at the moment is the Pokémon display. It makes shopping easier for consumers and also encourages gift purchase.
It is also good to see how HMV’s partnership with TruffleShuffle continues to thrive.
TruffleShuffle curates a t-shirt selection for HMV and it has dedicated space in-store to showcase these selections. It works well for both parties and helps keep things fresh selection wise. It is also a further example of how retailers are working collaboratively with other brands and, in some cases retailers, to add further choice and variety to their stores. This is all part of enhancing the ‘in real life’ shopping experience for consumers.
A related example to this was something I spotted in Primark’s Bristol store – it has a Gregg’s Café in the store. At first inspection it seems a ‘win win’ for both parties and something that would work well for Primark’s consumers. It shows retailers are more open minded about how to use their space productively. I wonder if this pre-dated the Greggs x Primark apparel range or grew out of that conversation?
Finally, and while in Bristol, I was able to see the fantastic Aardman street art mural that is sited near Cabot Circus shopping centre. The art was created by Bristol artist Rob Bain assisted by Lorna Harrington from Aardman. It includes many of Aardman’s characters such as Wallace, Gromit and Shaun the Sheep coupled with a number of Bristol landmarks. In part the mural was created to give shoppers another reason to visit Cabot Circus and to enhance their shopping experience. It also creates social media content and opportunities for ongoing PR. It is a very vivid example of how licensing and licensed characters can deliver positive results.
After this week’s Looking Out I think I have some fresh examples to share when I am next asked the question, ‘does licensing work?’
Ian Downes runs Start Licensing, an independent brand licensing agency. His X handle is @startlicensing and on Instagram he is @iandownesphotos – he would welcome your suggestions for what to look out for.
