048-051_53_LSB_Summer 2020.qxp_NEW LSB 2008 GRID 05/07/2020 10:50 Page 50
OVERSEAS FEEDBACK
US: Ilana Wilensky, president, Jewel Branding & Licensing
“We have been actively connecting with licensees to see how they’re doing and to touch base on how we can be of service. There has been continued interest in our creative services, trend direction and new artwork. With consumers spending more time at home, they are looking for ways to decorate their spaces and purchase activitybased products that can be enjoyed at home. We have signed several new partners in home textiles including bedding, kitchen textiles and towels. We’ve also seen interest in Inset: Ilana is categories including puzzles, colouring books, paint by number and diamond painting. anticipating that a recovery at Traffic in the stores varies depending on the retailer and state regulations, but generally retail will take there seems to be an increase in store traffic. The shift to online retail has greatly some time. accelerated due to the pandemic and we anticipate that trend to continue. We think the biggest challenge to overcome will be a decrease in sales and royalty revenue that resulted from store closures, lack of spending and overall economic uncertainty from the pandemic. Even with the recent reopening of stores, we anticipate a recovery will take some time. Retailers have canceled orders and delayed payments to their vendors which creates challenges for licensees. The good news is we are hearing from many of our licensees that retailers are ready to see new presentations which is a very good sign. I think there are several conversations the licensing industry needs to be having, with key points being the rapid shift to a digital marketplace, an increase in cause-based licensing partnerships and the need to re-evaluate what products people are going to be inclined to buy in the future.”
US: Lloyd Mintz, svp global consumer products, Genius Brands “After the initial challenge of the sudden shift to working from home, everything has been full steam ahead. In fact, I would say that the entire company has been busier than ever. While we are mindful of the new situation under which we are all currently living and working, we are also hopeful that we will all collectively emerge in the relatively near to mid-term, and we want to be poised to move aggressively in the back half of 2020 into 2021. Everyone is going to want and need to make up for lost momentum, and we have made every effort to position Genius Brands to sprint out of the gate and maintain that pace for the foreseeable future. We have maintained a steady dialogue with all of our partners. I think everyone has been understanding and respectful of each
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LICENSING SOURCE BOOK EUROPE 2020
other’s need to re-orient and get back on their feet. It was a staggering shock to the system, so to speak, but it seems as though everyone is poised to bounce back pretty aggressively. We have negotiated and closed some deals during this time and expect the pace will pick up as retail reopens and people start looking toward 2021. The greatest challenge is the inventory backlogue that retailers will need to work through at their stores and the next hurdle will be people feeling comfortable leaving their homes and visiting retailers and shopping.” Below: New licensees have recently come on board for Llama Llama.