Tag Archives: Opinion

“There’s a real wave of enthusiasm from across the licensing industry as we emerge (once again) from pandemic restrictions. The impact of the last two consecutive pandemic-driven years has brought many challenges, but it’s also accelerated the evolution of consumer engagement with brands, creating new opportunities. As we emerge from …

In-real-life and online shopping are both important retail strategies, but for brands in particular, they throw up different problems. Is embracing a ‘clicks and mortar’ approach the way forward, wonders Spread Group’s Head of Licensing Sven Burscher The last two years have seen a huge shift in consumer behaviour. Some …

Aleksandra Szczerba, researcher at Kids Industries, explores the ubiquity of geek culture today, and the very real chance that if you’re reading this, you’ve long since become one. No longer constrained by the four walls of a dimly-lit basement or the stacks of a comic book store. No longer only …

As global pandemics go, the onset of Coronavirus, while forcing many to navigate a treacherously rocky road to begin with, hasn’t fared too badly for the toy industry; a global business that has provided support and entertainment to families and children worldwide. Among some of the last year’s biggest successes …

It almost seemed by design that Disney’s subscription based streaming platform, Disney+ launched just as the Coronavirus pandemic began to tighten its grip on the UK and force the world’s population inside and away from the entertainment venues of yesteryear. And in just a short space of time, its impact …

It’s like the old Funko strapline says: Everybody’s a fan of something. It’s no secret that adult fandom has become an increasingly important market to the toy industry and pop culture scene in general, but – with limited shelf space among retailers – just how can brands and manufacturers cater …

Next week the ‘virtual doors’ of the Festival of Licensing will open to the licensing world. So, before we’ve even begun to get used to London’s Excel as the new home of Europe’s biggest licensing event, Asgard Media will now be coming to terms with being a digital exhibitor. We …

By the time this goes to print the state of the COVID-19 pandemic will be in a very different place than it is now so bear with me. We are experiencing unprecedented times. The pandemic is not just affecting the health of the global population, but it is also having …

Anthony Marks is MD of Fanattik a pop culture specialist, a gifts and collectibles licensee for 20th Century Fox, Universal Studios, and Paramount Pictures. He talks us through why the days of the Comic Con counterfeiter may just be numbered As a self-confessed geek I have no problem admitting that …

In my on-going battle against plastic waste, I have previously written that it was time for brands to be more public about the actions they’re taking to be more sustainable. Consumers aren’t looking for perfection, but they are looking for action.  Action by brands leads to increased trust and loyalty. …