Blog
July 9, 2020
Lamaze International, a nonprofit organization and trusted global leader in ensuring all parents make confident and informed decisions for over…
Brand licensing agency IMC Licensing is honored to be certified once again as a 2023 Top Global Licensing Agent by…
We recently refreshed the case studies on our website, and it reminded us of our love for these programs and…
Whether you call it Influencer Marketing, User-Generated Content, or Content Creation, partnering with real people who can share real stories,…
SilverSneakers® by Tivity Health®, the nation’s leading fitness program for older adults, has appointed IMC Licensing as its exclusive brand…
Almost every industry in America has been wondering what it should do about NFTs, and the brand licensing industry is…
At IMC, we believe that negotiating and executing licensing deals requires a unique approach. Our deals aren’t hammered out between legal…
Brand licensing is brand marketing. It’s that simple. We live in a marketplace where brands dominate. And then extend themselves…
It’s been just two weeks since we attended Licensing Expo 2022 and we’re still reveling in the excitement of seeing…
Licensing a brand can be a highly strategic tool for brand owners, so it’s no wonder many look to the…
IMC Licensing just turned 25, an anniversary that offers a good time to take stock on everything we’ve done and…
IMC Licensing is thrilled to be recognized on License Global‘s Top 20 Global Licensing Agent List. We’re honored to have our…
Signs of economic recovery are emerging. As we’re eager to move on from the pandemic, companies are still managing many…
Why license? Our list of reasons could go on and on, but today, we’re starting with the top 5 reasons…
Are you a brand owner who is considering a licensing program for your brand? While many think it’s a quick…
Join us this week for a new episode of The Brand Licensing Podcast! The IMC team will be taking a closer…
The potential for licensing a brand is exciting! Marketers and business owners often have an inkling that their brand could…
Ready to take a look at licensing through a data-driven lens? Today, we’re digging into the data behind the licensing…
Being the dynamic tool it is, licensing can be tailored to fit the needs of any brand. But which is…
We’re ringing in our new season of The Brand Licensing Podcast with the President of Licensing International, Maura Regan. On…
Today marks one year of The Brand Licensing Podcast! To celebrate, we’re looking back at our first season and the incredible insights our guests have…
IMC Licensing is thrilled to be recognized on License Global‘s Top 20 Global Licensing Agent List for 2020. We’re honored…
For digital media firms, licensing has become a secret weapon. Group Nine Media’s VP of Brand Development, Taylor Carlson, is talking with us about…
What are your international capabilities? It’s a common question we get from CPG brand owners when evaluating brand licensing agents.…
Mono-branded vs. co-branded – what’s the difference? And how do you know which approach is right for your brand or…
Today, we’re welcoming Timo Olkkola to the podcast! As CCO and Co-founder of Flowhaven, Timo will be sharing his insights on international licensing and…
In 1975, Lip Smackers licensed the iconic Dr. Pepper brand for their flavored lip balm line, being the first to combine a food/beverage flavor profile with a health and beauty product. I myself remember having several different Lip Smacker flavors…
Worried that licensing is too risky for your brand? Host of The Brand Licensing Podcast, Emily Wickerham Randles, is walking through the steps…
With brand licensing, the possibilities are endless. With endless opportunities come endless questions on the best way to approach licensing…
Today, we’re welcoming our first-ever duo to The Brand Licensing Podcast! Michelle Lamb of The Trend Curve and Leigh Ann Schwarzkopf of Project Partners…
We’re welcoming Julie Brown to The Brand Licensing Podcast! As IMC’s VP of Client Services, Julie is bringing her expertise in deal negotiation and…
On this episode of The Brand Licensing Podcast, we’re getting the inside scoop on RFPs with Luka Erceg of GEP. About…
Our team has been busy working on some exciting new client projects. In between the pitches and licensing 101 projects,…
Ready for a new episode of The Brand Licensing Podcast? Tune in next week to hear the latest and greatest on…
We saw many new product trends take flight in 2020, and they are here to stay in 2021 and beyond.…
From royalties to GMRs, the financial side of licensing can feel overwhelming. But no need to fear! This week’s episode…
Recently on our podcast, we had an exciting conversation with Lauren Fields Conlon, VP of Licensing and Merchandising at Loaded…
This week on The Brand Licensing Podcast, we’re sitting down with digital marketing maven, Natalie DiBlasi. Bringing her brains as…
From Ninja to Shroud, the gaming industry’s top content creators are reaching new levels through licensing. On The Brand Licensing Podcast, we’re taking a…
It’s easy to focus on all the craziness when looking back on 2020, but here at IMC, we honed-in on…
Get ready for today’s guest on The Brand Licensing Podcast, Terése Whitehead! While Terése is currently keeping score at the…
Debunking licensing myths is a familiar topic of conversation for the IMC team. From prospective client pitches to onboarding a…
Using a licensing agency versus building a licensing program in-house is similar to a house project – you can take the DIY approach…
IMC Licensing is thrilled to be recognized by License Global as a Top 25 Global Licensing Agent. On this year’s…
On the latest installment of The Brand Licensing Podcast, we’re sitting down with Lauren DeLapa from IMC Licensing. As an Associate Account Manager,…
Wading into the licensing pool can be pretty intimidating. On one hand, you think you should understand every aspect, but on…
On the latest episode of The Brand Licensing Podcast, we’re sitting down with Steven Shweky, President of Fetch for Pets,…
So, you’re looking for a brand licensing agency. Congrats! Jumping into licensing is an exciting endeavor, but now, you’re facing…
On the latest episode of The Brand Licensing Podcast, President of Spark Your Brand, Randy Golenberg, sat down to discuss the nitty-gritty of retail marketing. Randy…
On this episode of The Brand Licensing Podcast, we are joined by Partner and Creative Director of StyleWorks, Tom Froberg. Our conversation dives deep into…
Joining us on The Brand Licensing Podcast is co-founder and CEO of Brainbase, Nate Cavanaugh. On this episode, we take a closer look…
It’s launch day! The Brand Licensing Podcast is officially live to listeners, and we couldn’t be more excited. Check out our first three…
We’re counting down the days until the launch of The Brand Licensing Podcast and can’t wait to share our upcoming…
Our team is excited to announce the launch of The Brand Licensing Podcast. The podcast will be available across streaming platforms on July…
Once we’ve executed a thoughtful licensing strategy and connected you with the perfect licensee via our solicitation services, we don’t ghost. We’re in it…
We recently spoke with a leading casual dining restaurant chain about licensing their brand. They wanted three things: Big deals Product on…
So, you’re looking to jump into licensing solicitation and start your search for potential partners. Where do you begin? This is where we come into the picture! At…
As experts a top brand licensing agency, IMC offers three core services: licensing strategy services, partner solicitation, and program management.…
CONTACT:Emily Wickerham RandlesIMC Licensingerandles@imclicensing.com1-502-272-2406 IMC Licensing Announces Representation of ELEVENPARIS Fashion Brand IMC Licensing is proud to announce its representation…
As a licensor, you have high expectations of your licensees. And you should! You manage a leading brand and business…
Originally from RapSnacks.net. New York, NY (December 6, 2019) – This January, Rap Snacks, the official “Snack of Hip Hop,”…
We recently attended the 70th Outdoor Retailer show in Denver, CO. Outdoor Retailer happens twice a year. There is a…
We get several calls from start-up companies and entrepreneurs about utilizing licensing to launch their product. The conversation usually goes…
Royalty accounting can be somewhat complex, especially depending on the contract terms that are negotiated. However, once you have an…
It’s fairly common, a licensee’s legal or executive team negotiates and signs the licensing agreement and then hands the reigns…
Today, most businesses prefer not to guarantee results in a contract — let alone guarantee sales results. This is what…
Inevitably one of the first questions asked is how much will we earn in royalty revenue. As an industry expert…
Some consider licensing out their brand very risky, while others would argue that licensing out their brand is a low-risk…
One of our clients is looking for new partners in the outdoor space. With Outdoor Retailer happening down in Denver, I jumped…
We stopped exhibiting at the licensing show when it moved from NY to Las Vegas. That seems like ages ago,…
Like many industries, once a year the licensing community descends on Las Vegas, Mandalay Bay. The show offers something for…
Disruption: The Only Constant Did you ever think you would buy toilet paper on your phone? Neither did supermarkets. Did…
It was our first year attending the 2nd annual Licensing Summit in New York and we’re so glad we added this conference to…
2016 was another great year for us here at IMC. We enjoyed working with our licensing partners and meeting with…
I can’t believe there hasn’t been a funny movie made about the trade show experience. You know you can relate!…
As a licensing program manager, I always get excited for a new product launch at retail. Licensees, licensors, agents, manufacturers,…
Baby’s Journey and AT&T Enter the Baby Monitor Category to Provide Parents a New, Convenient and Secure View into Baby’s…
Is cheesecake the new tobacco? That’s a question asked that has highlighted both good news –the New York Times last week, Americans Are…
At this year’s Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity only one campaign won two Grand Prix Awards (in Design and Promo/Activation), and…
Last year Facebook’s Sheryl Sandberg came to the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity, and boy did she make a difference. …
Five years ago many of our licensing clients (global CPG brands among them) weren’t even using digital marketing and social…
For all the lessons technology teaches us, did you ever feel like it also ignores some of the most important…
Though it’s a few years old, I recently re-read “The Biggest Business Comebacks of the Past 20 Years” shared the stories of…
Brands are constantly seeking the loyal consumer. Not the one who buys occasionally, but the one who follows through on…
Batman and Robin. Brin and Page. Ben & Jerry. Some business partnerships are so great that they appear to happen…
This year’s CES (bigger than ever, and more interesting than usual) failed to offer one show-stopping piece of technology, but…
Since Jerome McCarthy laid out the Four P’s in 1962, we’ve been able to take for granted that a successful…
When you make your shopping list, do you think about buying a category or a brand? Even if you think…
When Orchard Supply Warehouse, a California based home improvement and gardening retailer, was purchased by Lowe’s last year, its employees…
My friend called me from Target last week. “I am standing between the Halloween costumes and Christmas decorations, what is…
Chiquita Brands, a former IMC client, found itself in play this year, with competing offers from the Ireland-base Fyffes, the world’s…
Only a decade ago, it was not easy to use the terms “private label” and “brand” together. But private label…
Gil Phillips, Vice President of Corporate Brands at Kroger told the Cincinnati Enquirer about their house brand strategy, “We’re not offering…
The beginning of the end of storytelling, announced David’s Berkowitz’ piece in Ad Age last week. The end of storytelling? The…
Every business that has ever developed a product dreams of getting on shelf at a Walmart or Home Depot. Big…
Our CEO, Carla Dearing, recently wrote about what makes an innovative product disruptive. Thanks to technology, we assumed for many years that…
Kraft Foods recently entered into a license agreement with McDonald’s to deliver McCafé Coffee to a supermarket near you. While…
I have something I have to get off my chest. I don’t drink coffee. There I said it. I don’t…
Licensing restaurant brands into supermarket products is nothing new. Brands like Marie Callendar’s (in pies and frozen dinners), TGI Friday’s…
Less is more. So the theory goes with “disruptive innovation.” A new product is disruptive innovation if it has something…
Licensing a company to expand your trademark into other product categories can be rewarding to your bottom line and strengthen…
Is there any product that doesn’t come in a scented version? Today you can buy not just scented candles but…
Since 1997, IMC has been helping the owners of global iconic brands find ways to grow through new products and…
While I was at International CES earlier this month I had a chance to meet with leaders of the hearing aid business…
When it comes to business, the talented male professional is perceived as “boss” while the talented woman professional in the…
Last week I was one of the 150,000 people swarming around Las Vegas for International CES. While the show has never…
If you want to develop great products that actually sell at retail, you are probably already thinking about how to…
Last week’s LIMA Bottom Line featured an article I wrote about the recent resolution of a long-running dispute between Starbucks…
IMC’s hometown hosted the Louisville Innovation Summit last week Aging care is a growth industry for Louisville (headquarters for companies like Kindred,…
Kraft Foods recent announcement of its intent to test market McCafe packaged coffee adds a deep, new wrinkle to the already interesting…
Licensors with iconic brands often have to make tough choices about extending their brands in new markets through licensing versus…
On vacation this summer I needed to get my sunglasses repaired. While waiting, I was surprised to look in the…
One of IMC’s most deliciously licensed products is Kellogg’s Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory cereal. The coco-brown box features the names…
In my hometown of Louisville – a city proud of its food culture in a state proud of its farming…
Two large-scale lawsuits in the licensing world have recently been stopped by injunctions. After spending millions of dollars on legal…
Paula Deen, as a brand with great licensing potential, seems almost beyond repair. While I can imagine strategies that would…
I was recently reviewing some notes from a talk I heard almost two years ago – one that continues to…
Often times we describe a licensing partnership much like a marriage. The Licensee and Licensor meet, are engaged by signing…
The partnership between Purina Tidy Cats and Glade Tough Odor Solutions has developed a scented cat litter which has customers…
Demands on new product development have greatly increased over the last decade with increased need for speed to market, lowering…
The cliche is that pets look like their owners- but will they use the same products? The theory at IMC…
The pet industry is one of our favorites, and not just because most of us at IMC have pets of…
Pet owners are passionate about their furry little friends and they spend over $50 billion annually to prove it. They…
I’ve read lots of articles about Martha Stewart’s recent bout of litigation, but none of them addresses why someone would…
The 2013 International Home and Housewares Show in Chicago is the largest housewares-only fair in the world with 60,000 home goods professionals…
When I saw that Cracker Barrel, the southern-fried restaurant chain, had recently licensed its brand to John Morrell Group, a…
In the licensing world, most royalty payments are made on a quarterly basis. Any licensing professional can immediately tell you…
Truly successful brand extensions are the result of pairing leading consumer brands with products that enhance the brand’s reputation and…
As advertising is faced with a rapidly changing environment, brand owners and brand managers are looking for smart and new…
Some licensed products are very much like the brand’s core product itself. They may be used the same way (like…
Wherever industry regulars gather, they’re sure to discuss the world’s largest licensor; the world’s citizenry buys more than $23 billion…
Brand licensing agencies and consultants can play a central role in the development of an effective licensing program. Whether your…
Even if your company has an in-house licensing director or staff, there are several reasons to hire a brand licensing…
During a panel discussion about product innovation at the 2009 Grocery Manufacturers Association’s Merchandising, Sales and Marketing Conference, one participant…
As a brand and product licensing agency that develops and manages licensing programs for our clients’ trademarks and brands, we…
Every day the list of victims of the faltering economy grows longer. Circuit City (#32 on National Retail Federation’s, Top…
In recent surveys senior marketing professionals say that accountability for marketing services is more important than ever, and that they…
In the licensing industry, attention is typically focused on strategies to license a brand “out,” extending a brand into new…
I cannot count the number of times I have heard companies talk about whether they should hire a “licensing professional”…
One of the needless mysteries of the licensing industry is the topic of agency compensation. Although talented professionals neither gain…
Food and beverage licensing is everywhere. A quick trip to the supermarket will produce Nesquik chocolate milk, Oreo ice cream, and…
An experienced reader of license agreements would know exactly where to find what I call the “bankruptcy clause” (about three…
If anyone doubted that trademark licensing has become an essential part of brand management, the recent Annual Meeting of the International…
Most form license agreements assume that licensees pose greater threats to licensors than the other way around. Aside from the…
As all IP counsel know, registration of a trademark depends on that trademark’s use. A trademark cannot be reserved indefinitely…
Many years ago, companies that made a branded consumer product thought they did only one thing: make that product. Their…
Hiring the best trademark counsel – and getting them to draft the best possible license agreement – will not alone…
As the licensing industry frets about whether the biggest event of the year will be the performance of Harry Potter…
Whenever you see a licensor and licensee in litigation with each other you should assume that something has gone wrong…
Because so many brand owners fail to appreciate how important licensing can be for their brand, many of those who…
Last month I described how companies find themselves distributing or authorizing branded products that either weaken the protection of their…
If you looked to a corporation’s internal licensing department for evidence of trademark usage and enforcement, as well as development…
As someone who runs a licensing agency for the owners of brands and trademarks, I can be expected to argue…
Licensing is a relationship not merely between brands, but among people. At IMC, we build and nurture both of those relationships while delivering top-notch customer care that treats — and protects — your brand as if it were our own.
We’re committed to fostering dynamic brand alliances. Often those alliances are born from one brand’s need and another’s ability to meet that need. The IMC team are experts at recognizing and creating those opportunities, but our real expertise is people. Standing side by side, as consultants, partners, peers, and as friends, we’re driven by a singular purpose: creating a smart idea.