Amazon, NBCUniversal, Fanatics and eBay are all moving the same way. Licensing's dealmaking process has to catch up. The broken vector Here's how many licensed products still come to life: A retail buyer asks a licensee to chase a specific IP. Sometimes the ask is backed

Success in today's licensing industry isn't limited by geography. A television series can become a hit overseas through streaming platforms. A gaming franchise can develop passionate fan communities across multiple continents. A social media creator can build an audience that spans dozens of countries before signing

For decades, Sanrio has built one of the world’s most recognizable character brands through storytelling, partnerships, and consumer products. At the center of that success is Hello Kitty, a global icon that has connected with generations of fans through categories like plush, apparel, and collectibles. In 2023, Sanrio expanded

When millions of fans travel across borders for a global sporting event, they aren’t just watching the competition. They’re discovering culture. The 2026 FIFA World Cup has already shown that some of the biggest brand moments happen outside the stadium. International visitors have gone viral documenting their first

Every year, the Summer Fancy Food Show offers a preview of where consumer tastes are heading. This year, it also a glimpse into where the next generation of licensing partnerships will come from. Across hundreds of exhibitors, one pattern became increasingly clear: many of tomorrow's strongest licensees aren&

For nearly two years, it felt impossible to escape Wicked. The licensing campaign began long before the first film hit theaters in November 2024 and continued through the release of Wicked: For Good in November 2025. Everywhere you looked, there was another collaboration: apparel, cosmetics, home décor — even reusable grocery