It would be an understatement to say that not all licensed consumer products sell through at retail, regardless of how hot a property may be. More often than not, we can pin this on a poorly-conceived, visually disjointed or underachieving licensed product packaging program. Unlike traditional consumer … Read More
Restless consumers are hunting more than ever for products that deliver additional value. Co-branding a strong national brand with an equally-recognized licensed brand is one way in which to accomplish that. The goal: to pump up volume and to gain a competitive edge by attracting and retaining … Read More
Hasbro announced that, in 2020, it will begin phasing out plastics from all new toy and game packaging across its portfolio of brands. The goal of the initiative is to eliminate virtually all plastic components, including polybags, elastic bands, shrink wrap, window sheets and blister packs from … Read More
The trend of entertainment and consumer product brands from the past reemerging and banking on their rich heritage in today's marketplace continues to gain momentum. And I'm not surprised. While there are a lot of reasons brand owners are reintroducing these classics instead of investing in the … Read More
The marketers of strong brands inevitably turn their attention to licensing. It's a natural progression of things. Usually, their focus is on building even more brand awareness, sales and profits. It might sound counterintuitive, but that shouldn't be their primary goal. Their thought processes should be on … Read More
Have you ever noticed that kids often love the packaging that a toy comes in more than the toy itself? They usually find creative ways to integrate colorful packaging into their play. Even basic cardboard boxes are turned into dollhouses, spacecraft, robots, puppet stages or anything else … Read More
How can we reach new generations of consumers? That's what many marketers of mature consumer product companies are asking themselves as younger customers in every age group are actively seeking brands that offer personalities and experiences with which they can align. Read: brands which are relevant to … Read More
As powerful as visual communication is in modern culture; as engaging as visual brand representations can be, consumers are hungry for something deeper. Marketers who are taking their brands to a whole new level are tapping into that "something deeper." Compelling design: imagery, fonts, icons, color and … Read More
Those of us who are veterans of the licensing business remember the days when every successful brand's style guide was a cleverly-conceived, highly-immersive printed masterpiece that stopped us in our tracks and commanded our attention. Envy-evoking and impossible to ignore, the purpose of these epic treasures was … Read More
Many elements of visual brand design are presented on a large canvas, but packaging is an exception. Especially in the toy and licensed consumer product categories. Working within space constraints and still being able to design effective packaging is the challenge for marketers and package designers. But … Read More
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