PLMA Expands Trade Show

As retailers increasingly leverage celebrity endorsements and licensing to promote their store brands, the Private Label Manufacturers Association’s trade show will present a special pavilion of companies that offer opportunities for private label licensing partnerships.

The section, which was introduced on a limited basis a year ago, will give private-label decision makers from America’s leading retailers and wholesalers a chance to explore the fast-growing licensing trend and meet with licensing companies, publishers, celebrity and artistic management firms, entertainment lawyers and others who either own or manage licensing properties.  Beyond the Licensing Pavilion, the PLMA show will present over 2,000 exhibit booths featuring the latest products, packaging and promotional ideas for retail brand programs.

While sales statistics for direct-to-retail licensing are not recorded, the pairing of private label with celebrities, animated characters and other licensed properties has become the latest in a series of quality upgrades in products, packaging, and presentation that have given retailer-owned brands more than 20% of supermarket unit sales.

Kroger, the country’s top supermarket chain, has enlisted Mickey Mouse and friends for Disney Magic Selections, a kid-friendly private label program that also gets the thumbs-up from health conscious moms. Meanwhile, Warner Bros.’ Looney Tunes characters, have been licensed to Safeway for an exclusive line of Eating Right Kids products.

Kohl’s department stores and the Food Network have rolled out cookware and tabletop items for casual entertaining, all branded and created in collaboration with the network’s star celebrity chef, Bobby Flay. And Target continues to build up its home and housewares lines created in partnership with famous designers like the architect Michael Graves and interior designer Sami Hayek, while CVS offers exclusive beauty lines from celebrity stylists Cristophe of Beverly Hills and Ellin LaVar, in addition to a baby care line under license from Playskool.  In similar fashion, retailers from Wal-Mart to Walgreens, Costco, Kmart, Williams-Sonoma and Home Depot are already using well-known interior designers, sports figures, chefs and animated characters to build their store brand programs.  Others are sure to follow.

“Licensing partnerships with private label can be a win-win for the retailer as well as the licensor,” according to PLMA President Brian Sharoff.  Retailers can gain increased sales and consumer awareness by tying their store brand products and promotions to a licensed property.  At the same time, going direct to a retailer can also benefit license owners by giving them more control and boosting chances that their properties will receive prominent shelf display, instead of being buried in a wall of myriad other brands.

Companies exhibiting in the Licensing Pavilion at PLMA’s 2008 Trade Show include:   Brand Central; Curtis Publishing;  Global Icons; Guiding Stars Licensing; IMC Licensing; The Joester Loria Group; King Features Syndicate; The Licensing Company; MODA International Marketing; Nancy Bailey & Associates; and License Global Magazine.

The range of license owners and properties represented by these companies include: Norman Rockwell and The Saturday Evening Post; Build a Bear Workshop and Make a Wish Foundation; Guiding Stars nutritional ratings program; Louisville Slugger and The Chocolate Factory; Parents Magazine and Care Bares; Popeye and Betty Boop; Indiana Jones and Sex In The City; The Nature Conservancy, Ask Jeeves and The New York Times; Quincy Jones and Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood; USA Today and Crayola.

PLMA’s annual Private Label Trade Show attracts more than 5,000 visitors and 2,000 buyers, it is the largest show of its kind in the U.S.

PLMA’s 2008 trade show will be held November 16-18 at Chicago’s Rosemont Exhibition Center.  On the food side, product categories include fresh, frozen and refrigerated foods, snacks, beverages, ethnic specialties and gourmet lines.  On the non-food side, the show includes household and personal care products, over-the-counter pharmaceuticals, vitamins & nutrition, DIY and general merchandise.

More info: www.plma.org