Features

Catching Up With...
Catching Up With Brian Backus, Founder of Kidlandia

The idea of Kidlandia began as simple creatures that lived in Brian Backus’ imagination when he was a child. While working a full-time job in the beverage industry, he designed personalized maps in his spare time. These individual commissioned works of art served a growing client base. Along the way, he married these two concepts to create Kidlandia, a child’s personalized world. Kidlandia now encompasses a website with multiple product lines as well as licensed partners.

Catching Up With...
Catching Up With Paul Andrejco, Founder of Puppet Heap

Puppet Heap, founded by Paul Andrejco in 2004, is a puppet design studio with three divisions that works with clients such as The Walt Disney Company and Nickelodeon. In the fall of 2011, the company’s first line of retail puppets was sold in the U.S. Andrejco describes his philosophy behind the studio, puppetry, and the characters his team is creating.

Catching Up With...
Catching Up With Dan Levin, Managing Director of West Coast Operations, Beanstalk

Paris Hilton, as the saying goes, is big in Asia. So big in fact, that she has 30 free-standing stores in Asia and is kicking off 2012 with the introduction of a line of licensed eyewear. Read what else is on tap for this billion-dollar global Paris Hilton’s brand.

Catching Up With...
Catching Up With Caren Calabrese, Vice-President, MIKE Licensing

Pet gear is a big business—a $50 billion business. There is no doubt that consumers love their pets and they are proving their love—and expressing their style—by spending money. The I ♥ Pet Head brand was created to focus on the pet grooming, fashion, and accessories categories. As we move into 2012, the brand will expand into Walmart and Target.

Catching Up With...
Catching Up With Sara Nemerov, Senior Vice-President, Consumer Products and Brand Licensing, Rhino Entertainment

The Grateful Dead has endured for generations through its music and tie-dyed, peace-loving lifestyle. But now Rhino Entertainment, a division of Warner Music Group and licensing agent for the brand, is relying on a new brand strategy to ramp up licensing efforts to ensure the brand carries on alongside its music.

Catching Up With...
Catching Up With Eric Reinsfelder, Senior Director, Jarden Sports Licensing

Jarden Sports Licensing (JSL) is showing off its latest TLG8 brand and product offerings in a unique campaign that’s bringing the brand to five top collegiate stadiums across the country in search of the ultimate tailgaters and “failgaters.” The tour wraps up at Ohio State’s “Horseshoe” stadium for the Penn State vs. Ohio State game on November 19, and the ultimate tailgaters will win a full suite of licensed TLG8 gear.