TOTAL LICENSING
presto, the property works extremely
well amongst teenage girls in Japan.
Banpresto are owned by Bandai-
Namco and specialise in console and
arcade machines. Over and above this,
their licensing division has a number
of successful properties in addition to
Henry. Moinko is based on a piece of
wool from a carpet and already has
significant numbers of licenses. Banao
(Banana Man) is a further Banpresto
success story. The character was
based on a stationery line and has
since attracted a major number of
licenses.
industry. However, with the advent of kets”, she explained. “TV is not as im-
Of course, Japan’s falling birth rate has
digital TV in 2011, most in the busi- portant. What is important is that the
an impact on properties and certainly
ness expect the number of television product has quality. To keep a proper-
means that competition is high when
companies operating in the country ty alive you have to refresh regularly
to grow significantly, together with a and create high-end products that be-
far wider range of channels on offer. come aspirational”, she continued.
Having said that, TV-based proper- This was proven by the success of the
ties are highly popular in Japan, unlike MTV license with Roen for ranges of
movie properties which rarely suc- accessories.
ceed in the marketplace. Product was very high-end with pric-
Of course, a major player in terms of es ranging from $200 for a T-shirt. The
children’s television is Nickelodeon. initial line launched in Fall last year
The Blues Clues and Hello Kitty joint and three more items will be added
venture featured on its own stand. in Spring.
There are now reported to be more South Park is also an ongoing success
than 100 skus featuring the joint story for Nickelodeon/MTV. More
branding in Japan and the property than 100,000 videos were sold of the
features heavily in Kiddyland – a ma- South Park movie in Japan, (the first
jor outlet for licensed product. Shrek movie achieved 130,000). South
Dora the Explorer was launched Park will begin airing on MTV in Japan
into Japan in 2007 beginning with a this April.
six month exclusive at Toys R Us. A
number of local licensees launched
it comes to children’s properties. In
product in July, all of which is reported
fact, Japan is now the nation with the
to be selling extremely well, not only
oldest average age on the planet. The
in Japan but throughout Asia. For ex-
birth rate has actually fallen from 27.5
ample, more than one million videos
births per thousand population in the
have now been sold in Korea.
1950s to around 8.0 in 2005.
SpongeBob is the subject of a dual
Naturally then, when it comes to chil-
program. Originally launched aimed
dren’s programming, the marketplace
at teens and adults, the program then
is tougher than in previous years.
skewed younger with product aimed
The results of this could be seen at Li-
at children which launched around
censing Asia. Television companies, to-
two years ago.
gether with their properties, enjoyed
Bathing Ape, a Japanese clothing com-
significant exposure. The two largest
pany with stores in Japan, Hong Kong,
Japanese television companies NHK
the US and Europe have launched a
and Fuji TV both had major booths
designer-take on SpongeBob and it is
When one considers Japanese enter-
whilst American brands such as Nick-
this kind of initiative that Leigh Anne
tainment, one immediately thinks of
elodeon and Cartoon Network also
Brodsky, President Nickelodeon and
Sega who had a major booth at this
enjoyed a major presence.
Viacom Consumer Products believes
year’s show. Sega Japan are responsi-
The TV landscape at the moment is
helps to keep the property in the pub-
ble for licensing all of their properties
dominated by the terrestrial channels
lic eye.
outside the United States and this
with a very under-developed cable
“Japan is different from other mar-
year are majoring on two very dif-
90
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