Penske Media Corporation accelerates consumer products programme with Brainbase

Brainbase, the venture-backed company helping licensing teams optimise their partnerships from contract to revenue, and Penske Media Corporation (PMC), a pioneer in the digital media space and owner of iconic brands including Billboard, Robb Report, Rolling Stone, SXSW, The Hollywood Reporter, Variety and WWD, among many others, have announced that PMC will begin using Brainbase’s brand licensing platform to streamline and manage their global licensing business.

“We’re thrilled to combine Brainbase’s leading licensing technology platform with PMC’s innovation in the media and entertainment space to create an elevated consumer products programme,” says Nate Cavanaugh, co-founder and CEO of Brainbase. “Our team is committed to delivering industry-leading technology that will take PMC’s growing licensing business to the next level and contribute to their organisation’s success for years to come.”

“As PMC continues to evolve with its brands’ audiences, we’re excited to expand our licensing programme to new categories including cannabis, health & wellness, food & beverage, apparel and more,” says Rachel Terrace, SVP of Licensing & Brand Development at PMC. “The Brainbase platform will enable us to optimise our processes and in turn launch a diverse range of partnerships across our iconic brands.”

Brainbase aims to bring together every feature required to run a global licensing business at scale to help licensing teams make smarter, faster decisions. With the help of Brainbase, IP owners are able to unify their global operations into a single software platform – from deals, product approvals, royalty reporting, digital asset management, and dashboard analytics.

PMC joins a Brainbase customer roster with leading global brands including BBC Studios, BuzzFeed, Chefclub, Crayola, Moose Toys, SYBO Games and the Van Gogh Museum, among others.

 

Rolling Stone to launch dedicated UK magazine in licensing deal with Stream Publishing

The iconic music magazine, Rolling Stone is to launch a dedicated UK edition thanks to an exclusive licensing agreement between its owners Penske Media Corporation and Stream Publishing, home of the LGBTQ magazine, Attitude.

The UK edition will launch across print and online and will emerge some 50 years after the first attempt to launch a local titles – which was sponsored by the Rolling Stones’ Mick Jagger – dissolved within its first few months.

The launches will go live this autumn but the frequency of the UK print title is still to be confirmed. Its New York flagship magazine is a monthly print publication. Stream, a content creation and live events agency will begin to launch live events under the Rolling Stones brand in spring 2022.

Darren Styles OBE, managing director of Stream, said: “The arrival of Rolling Stone in the UK is not only a hugely exciting development for our brilliant team, but also fantastic news for the UK music and entertainment industries which deserve the showcase and platform that this iconic brand will deliver.

“A Rolling Stone cover is the picture worth 10,000 words and UK artists will now have opportunities of their own to achieve just that, as well as access to the RS network that stretches well beyond its native USA to Australia, CHina, and more than a dozen other countries.

“We are excited to have the opportunity to search out UK talent to commentate on one of the most fascinating political ages this country has seen and have the opportunity to bring to light the kind of long-reads and investigative work made famous by the like of Hunter S Thompson, P J O’Rourke and Tom Wolfe

“Rolling Stone UK, here as there, will share the stories that need to be told, shine light into dark corners and yet celebrate too, that which entertains us. There is no title better suited to these times.”

Rolling Stone president and chief operating officer, Gus Wenner, said he “couldn’t be more thrilled about the launch.

“The opportunity to bring our content to a country we have a longstanding history with and admiration for feels right. The UK is the birthplace of some of the most iconic musicians, many of whom have played a significant role in shaping our legacy.

“Today is the beginning of another exciting chapter in our evolution.”