TOTAL LICENSING
EUROPEAN INSIGHT
DISCOVERING
NEW MARKETS!
By Morten
Geschwendtner
Director
“With the American market close to saturation point, if not been friendly with Kalman (KJ) Istok of EEMC and no one
Kidz Entertainment
actually already there, every one in the licensing industry is knows these markets better than him. So, given that both
looking to discover new markets. Eastern Europe of course our companies were coming off record years in 2006, it
is one of the initial targets with all manner of licensing com- made sense to join forces.
“I honestly
panies looking to cash in on what some see as a licensing We have signed a Letter of Intent to formalize our plans to
goldmine? merge the two companies. This is a strategic move which believe that if
But how do you do that? How do you go about making an gives us a significant presence in Eastern Europe, and EEMC
impact in a territory where you don’t know the market, access to new markets and capital to sustain its track record
you stand still
don’t speak the language, and have no idea of the social or of meteoric growth.
you will die,
cultural conditions in the re- What we have done with
gion you have earmarked for EEMC is very similar to what
and rather
expansion. we did in Finland with Pro
Of course you can simply Licensing. Again that deal ben-
than wait to
steamroller your way in efits both companies and, as
and assume that what has well as increasing our pres- be taken over
worked in your country will ence in our own Nordic re-
work in other territories. I gion, it gives us access to the
yourself it is
think you need to have a very Baltic markets.
much
good product and very deep Those who are regular read-
pockets for that sort of tactic ers of this column will know
better to
to be really effective. that constant evolution is one
At Kidz Entertainment we of my hobby horses. I hon-
forge a
saw opportunities in Eastern estly believe that if you stand
Europe; so did everyone else still you will die, and rather strategic
and to be honest you would than wait to be taken over
have to be very naïve not to. yourself it is much better to
alliance that
This is an area which is open- forge a strategic alliance that
ing up in television terms
“There are lots of other
will help both
will help both partners and
with the major pay-TV chan- strengthen both companies.
nels taking a presence, and markets out there – India is
partners and
There are lots of other mar-
opening up in retail terms
with major supermarket
opening up, China is not far
kets out there – India is open-
strengthen
ing up, China is not far behind
chains moving in to provide
behind – and we all want to
– and we all want to grow our both
the sort of retail infrastruc- business wherever we can. So
ture that can support a li-
grow our business wherever
it makes sense to find people
companies”.
censing programme. who know those markets,
But how do we take advan-
we can. So it makes sense to
cultivate those relationships,
tage of those opportunities? I and use them to your mutual
don’t speak Polish or Hungar- find people who know those benefit. At the end of the day
ian or Russian or Czech and
other than what one gleans
markets, cultivate those
all you are doing is driving the
process by which you can earn
at trade fairs I am a stranger
relationships, and use them
your commission, and giving
in those markets. However yourself the chance to earn it
for a number of years I have
to your mutual benefit”.
in many more areas.”
107
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