TOTAL LICENSING In Japan, there is a unique history tied to publishing. In 1976, “Popeye” magazine was the first fashion and lifestyle magazine to be published in Japan that targeted Japanese young men. The launch editor,Yoshihisa Kinameri (now Magazine House Honorary Advisor) and the Editing Department Head, Jiro Ishikawa, established the magazine. As they were thinking of a name for the magazine, Kinameri, knowing that Ishikawa’s young son liked the character Popeye, suggested that name would be good because Popeye was strong, kind, and everyone loved him, so that was it. Popeye magazine was born. The first issue also happened to be a special feature on California, so the name was a good match to convey as-yet unknown American culture in Japan, and it is well-known as the first magazine for introducing US West Coast style to Japan. When Popeye was first published, there were no other men’s fashion magazines focused on fashion and culture including US and Europe in the
market, so it was an innovative step for the men’s magazine industry. The magazine immediately became very popular, fostering new worldviews among young people in their late teens to 20s because it features culture and combines products with lifestyles and tastes. Because of its heavy use of photography and the popularity of and interest in Japanese fashion overseas, Popeye magazine is increasingly popular outside of Japan, especially among men’s fashion designers and men’s apparel companies in the US and in Europe. Due to the popularity Popeye gained, the magazines Brutus, Olive, and Casa Brutus were later launched. Although each magazine has its own special perspectives and themes, they are all regarded as part of the same family. Popeye and his friends have also been prevalent in brand promotion for decades, appearing in commercials and ads for brands such as “Start” orange juice, Cocoa Puffs, Dr. Pepper, and Quaker Oatmeal. More recently, Popeye and his crew have been spokecharacters for Bank of America, Pepsi, Kerrygold, BMW, La Lait and Google/ YouTube. However, Popeye’s endorsement power doesn’t only lay in the realm of consumer products. When a symbol of power or strength is needed for an cause, Popeye is often chosen. His character is associated with anti-bullying and in the early 90s, Popeye was named the official mascot for the Boy Scouts of America. Popeye has a history of being active in environmental conservation, advocating for marine life protection and empowering folks to take action on water pollution. We are planning to reignite Popeye’s activism in his anniversary year through new partnerships. And we are excited to announce our charitable partner-
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ship with Fundação do Câncer in Brazil. Popeye will serve as their the spokes-character starting in 2019.
How has the program developed over the years? Today we offer a range of products from collectibles to publishing. Some of our latest products include toys with Funko Pop!, notebooks from Tilibra, athletic apparel from Taymory, apparel in France, Belgium, and the
Netherlands from Bellerose and retail partnerships Riachuelo and Renner in Brazil. But over the years, Popeye has evolved from a well-known character in print and on the silver screen into a fashion icon! In recent years, we’ve seen much success for the brand in the streetwear category through partnerships with brands like Joyrich, Supreme, Iceberg, A Bathing Ape, H3 and more. We are excited for more upcoming collaborations in 2019, including our latest partnership with popular streetwear brand, HUF as well as anniversary collections with Scotch & Soda and Zara, just to name a few.
Popeye has been popular now for 90 years. What do you attribute his longevity to? Popeye is a unique character that people both aspire to be — he’s a tough guy who fights for the underdog — and relate to — he’s true to himself and doesn’t try to be anything else. This is true not just in the US, but with fans around the globe as well. His attributes are unchanging, which makes him ageless and continuously relevant, no matter what generation fans belong to or where in world they live.