June 1, 2017 | By Michael Stone and Allison Ames With the Licensing Industry Merchandisers’ Association announcement that global sales of licensed merchandise grew by just over 4% in 2016 to $262.9 billion, the annual International Licensing Expo took place last week in Las Vegas (May 23-25).
Read MoreMay 16, 2017 | By Allison Ames It was bound to happen. And it is, step by step, or should I say brick by brick? The world of online retail is tiptoeing into the physical format to try its hand at brick and mortar.
Read MoreMay 1, 2017 | By Oliver Herzfeld It all started with an unauthorized hamburger. Well, actually, it all started in 1964 when Hiroaki “Rocky” Aoki opened a chain of iconic Benihana restaurants. The restaurants feature teppanyaki cooking, a dinner entertainment style of cuisine where chefs theatrically prepare meals at an iron griddle located tableside. Sometime after Aoki’s death in 2008, his family sold Benihana Inc. (BI) to an investment firm.
Read MoreFor those in the fashion world, the first Monday in May is one of the most important nights of the year. May 1 marks the annual Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Benefit, better known as the Met Gala. The lavish benefit for the Costume Institute celebrates the opening of its spring exhibit and is the curatorial department’s main source of annual funding for exhibitions, publications, acquisitions and capital improvements.
Read MoreBy Oliver Herzfeld and Jared Mermelstein - Marijuana’s classification as an illegal substance makes brand protection under trademark law problematic and uncertain. But it is not impossible for cannabis companies to protect their brands. It just takes some creative problem-solving!
Read MoreBy Oliver Herzfeld - A well-functioning corporate licensing program can help a brand to expand into new categories and territories, adapting to new trends and a changing marketplace. However, setting up such a program takes hard work and ongoing care.
Read MoreBy Oliver Herzfeld - Using another’s trademark on your goods and services usually requires a license. However, there are exceptions to that general rule. For example, under certain circumstances, you are not required to obtain a license in connection with trademark uses for purposes of parody. The recent decision in the case of Louis Vuitton v. My Other Bag provides a good example of this legal principle.
Read MoreBy Michael Stone - Why are corporate marketing leaders and others turning to licensing as never before? With the exponential growth of targeted marketing through the internet, the decline of traditional advertising, and the readily available information about products on the internet, brand owners are now compelled
Read MoreBy Lisa Reiner - Times are tough in the food and beverage world, especially if you are looking to get a new product on the sought after shelves of supermarkets.
Read MoreBrand extension through licensing, a business model in which a third party manufacturer produces and distributes products on behalf of another brand, has long been flying under the radar for marketers.
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