some key concepts

Some of the most basic concepts to remember when doing a licensing deal:

1) FIT & LEVERAGE

Make sure that not only does the new product fit within the compass of the core brand but it also leverages the brand in the new category

2) LICENSEES DON'T OFTEN UNDERSTAND MARKETING

That's why they're licensees... duh!

3) YOU CAN'T WIN'EM ALL

Whilst it would be great if all of your fantastically developed concepts flew off the shelves. Everyone gets it wrong. Any licensing deal is a triumph of persistence and deserves credit for taking the brand into a new category

4) MARKET RESEARCH

Nobody I've come across seems to value the role market research in new product development. I'm not saying that it's a way of making decisions but it would be nice if someone acknowledged the role of the final consumer from time to time.

5) COLLECTING ROYALTY SHOULD BE EASY

The last thing you want to be doing is chasing royalty. Get it in advance and credit it back!

products in search of a brand....

There's nothing worse than finding a great potential product category with no brand to match it. It's like playing that card game pairs when you turn over a card and are supposed to remember where you put the matching one. There's nothing worse than finding one half of the partnership ready to go, only for the other side to wander off into the distance. Currently I have :

one half of a sock deal looking for a sports brand
one half of a child security deal looking for a lock brand
one half of a cleaning deal looking for a cleaning products brand
one half of a battery deal looking for a battery brand
one half of a sweet deal, looking for an entertainment property

If you know any brands looking for an extra £100,000 please get in touch...

looks like market growth isn't all it's cracked up to be

The downside of market growth is that there's competition. Recently reluctantly pitched a large multinational who I'd already told I wasn't prepared to represent, only to have my hopes raised and then dashed. Worse of all the multinational has just acquired 3 new brands.