Captive audiences at home in 2020 have been re-shaping the business of entertainment. Where children (and adults) consume content influences their interests, shopping and playtime. For the licensing business, new routes to consumers are both an opportunity and a disruption. Established powerhouses can leverage “vault brands” and studios to drive character development. New players, meanwhile, are leveraging streaming, e-sports, anime and mindfulness, and are bridging generation gaps.
This report comes in PPT.
Each year brings dozens of new brands, many of which fail to connect with an audience and quickly fade into obscurity. Established players can, however, reach into their “vault brands” to look for a sure thing. As content becomes ubiquitous and older fans begin to experience classic franchises with their families, new opportunities in licensing will emerge.
Millions of captive consumers stuck at home for the better part of a year now consuming nothing but content on smart electronics means big business for toy licensing. As the film industry contemplates its future, YouTube “kidfluencer” brands are racking up millions of views and striking new toy licensing deals, while Disney+ aims to compete on Netflix’s home turf. Fan and consumer interaction, which would normally occur in a cinema, a theme park or a toy store, has moved online.
18–34 year-olds account for an increasing share of toy spending, and adults without children spend more money on toys for themselves than adults with children. This segment serves a community of adults looking for escapism or nostalgia, and, potentially, investment. Established brands like Star Wars and Lego are favourites among more mature toy buyers, but licensing will also favour new players focusing on anime, mindfulness and bridging generation gaps.
Entertainment and licensed toys as a vehicle for gender equality are increasingly popular. Characters that expose the power of women do more to increase the total value of the licensing industry than subtract from it. The lack of traditional premieres for films like “Black Widow” and “Wonder Woman 1984” in 2020 will, however, undoubtedly affect sales.
This is the aggregation of traditional toys and games and video games.
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