If there was ever a time for companies to showcase their brand strategies and innovations, it’s this week at the Licensing International Expo. More than 7,000 brands and licenses showed up at last year’s show, almost guaranteeing an even bigger turnout for 2010.
In addition to cult favorites like UglyDoll gracing this year’s show, the Entertainment & Licensing division of Hasbro is hoping its newest developments for brand favorites such as Transformers, Nerf, Littlest Pony Shop, My Little Pony, Monopoly, and Playskool will make sparks fly and partnerships develop. By building initiatives in categories such as television, movies, digital gaming, performance sports, and apparel, Hasbro—in alignment with goals many other attendees have—hopes to reinvigorate brands that have been around for years.
“Hasbro continues to deliver on the company’s commitment to create innovative and immersive global brand experiences that resonate with consumers around the world,” said John Frascotti, global chief marketing officer at Hasbro. “We’ve re-invented our brands and put them at consumers’ fingertips for anytime, anywhere entertainment.”
Taking a step back to 1984, Blue Planet Software, which manages the licensing rights to the Tetris brand, is expanding into merchandise licensing. Already available on more than 30 platforms, from handheld games to computers to mobile phones, Tetris continues to be one of the top 50 console games of all time. And that’s just what Blue Planet is banking on.
“We’re excited to be making this announcement and are looking forward to further expanding the Tetris brand into a new arena,” said David Kwock, general manager at Blue Planet Software. “Over the past 25 years, we’ve built the Tetris brand into one of the most recognized names in video games, and we’re thrilled to have the opportunity to work with new partners and licensees to see the brand grow even more.”
It’s not all a flashback focus for big name companies, however, Mattel, one of the world’s leading toy companies, will be introducing a new property, Monster High, which targets teen and tween girls with a new take on managing the battleground of high school through the world’s most famous monsters. Mattel has entered into strategic partnerships with Little, Brown Books for Young Readers and Universal Pictures, to name a few, to reach its target audience.
“Mattel is a leader in providing meaningful brand experiences that translate into innovative and successful cross-brand partnerships,” said Neil Friedman, president, Mattel Brands. “Our ability to secure best-in-class category experts to introduce teens and tween to the Monster High property is a testament to our brand management expertise and reinforces our long-standing legacy as one of the world’s premier licensing partners.”