018-019 LSB Kids Insights 2020_muk.qxp_NEW LSB 2008 GRID 09/09/2020 18:02 Page 19
KIDS INSIGHTS RESEARCH Right: YouTube was the most popular app used by children between March and May. Below: LEGO’s fundamental offering is that of a creative and unique experience to the user.
New Horizons. Since launching on March 20, the game sold 13.41 million copies in its first six weeks. The core experience is centred around encouraging players to create and share. The game’s art style featuring colourful animal characters has prompted users to call for licensed products, such as requests from Build-A-Bear to create soft toys. In response to a viral tweet requesting a collaboration, the stuffed animal company hinted that licensed products could be around the corner. Licensed collectables based on video game characters stand to grow in popularity with the gaming industry. As we move into Q4, there is a new viral sensation. Fall Guys, a game in which players attempt obstacle courses as colourful, customisable blobs, sold two million copies on Steam in its first week – representing a licensing opportunity in downloadable cosmetics. Kids in the UK are spending more than half a billion pounds (£581m) on apps and in-app purchases every year, presenting an opportunity for licensed digital content in a post-COVID world in the form of skins and cosmetic add-ons for popular games. Fortnite, the second most popular game with kids in the UK, has already licensed imagery
from Disney properties Marvel and Star Wars, Warner Bros’ DC universe and rapper Travis Scott. Creating content which allows users to express their individuality and interests online creates a deeper connection between kids and their favourite brands or characters. Masks are something kids are considering to be the ‘next big thing’ following lockdown restrictions easing. Kids want a way to express themselves - branded masks with licensed recognisable imagery on them provide a simple way of doing so as they become an everyday outfit staple this upcoming quarter. The new normal will force change and innovation in all areas of retail, as we see substantial shifts in how products are marketed and sold. Direct to consumer models have already grown in prevalence, but following a further decline in high street prominence, it is likely that this sales model will continue to become more popular with companies in the future. Kids Insights, the global leader in kids’ market intelligence, surveys more than 4,000 children every week, across five continents and 11 countries, and more than 200,000 children a year. It is working with clients to help them define and understand their audiences, plan their Christmas product and media campaigns, as well as tracking, measuring, and evaluating their campaigns through its Brand Uplift solution. To download a complementary Kids Insights report and get access to the demo version of the awardwinning portal, visit kidsinsights.com/lsb.
LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2020
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