September 29, 2017 | The legal saga between Snyder’s-Lance, the maker of Pretzel Crisps, and PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay, maker of Rold Gold’s Pretzel Thins, may already have seven years under its belt, but it’s seems to be only beginning. While the final chapter is yet to be written, the ongoing court proceedings are already serving as a cautionary tale to emerging food and beverage brands.
Read MoreSHANGHAI (AP) — It is no secret that the bulk of Ivanka Trump’s merchandise comes from China. But just which Chinese companies manufacture and export her handbags, shoes and clothes is more secret than ever, an Associated Press investigation has found.
Read MoreSeptember 18, 2017 | By Oliver Herfeld, Chief Legal Officer, Beanstalk
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 MoreLisa Reiner, MD of Beanstalk, Europe and Asia Pacific, reveals how Beanstalk is leveraging TGI Fridays’ famous menu items into products and plans for its newest client, McVitie’s.
Read MoreAugust 28, 2017 | By Oliver Herzfeld, Chief Legal Officer, Beanstalk
The U.S. Supreme Court recently decided Matal v. Tam, holding unconstitutional an old provision of the U.S. Trademark Act that barred registration of “disparaging” trademarks.
Read MoreAugust 18, 2017 | Today’s the 40th anniversary of Elvis Presley’s death but, from a business perspective, The King doesn’t appear to have missed a beat.
Read MoreAugust 9, 2017 | With a growing number of states having legalized marijuana for medical treatment – 29 at last count including the District of Columbia – and eight states plus the District of Columbia where it has been cleared for recreational use (with California coming on line in 2018), licensing professionals are viewing the cannabis industry as a growth market.
Read MoreJune 12, 2017 | Written by Steve Olenski When it comes to celebrities, their brand value appears to go up once they have passed. Take Elvis, for example. He has been dead 40 years.
Read MoreJune 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 More