TOTAL LICENSING
By Roger Berman
International Licensing
Manager,
PICTURE BOOK LICENSING
Cosmo Merchandising
Co., Ltd, Tokyo.
www.cosmomerchan.co.jp
IN JAPAN
SOCIAL TRENDS
related goods for their own personal healthy retail presence. Picture book
Following a string of recessions up
enjoyment. Women see them as a properties only represented a small
to 2003, Japan’s economy started to
pleasant way to relax and are also portion of the overall Japanese US$30
grow again, and in 2005 showed signs
attracted to their cute and appeal- billion market in licensed products re-
of a strong recovery driven by do-
ing images. A picture book survey of tail sales for 2005 but the market is
mestic consumption. Whilst a healthi-
mothers with young children, besides expected to grow at a steady pace.
er economy is emerging, Japan has to
showing an overall 93% interest level, Since Autumn 2006, in the Greater
cope with a demographic crisis born
also pointed to mothers purchasing Tokyo area alone, there have been
of an ageing society and a declining
picture books for their own fulfill- a spate of retail mall openings that
birthrate. Companies whose prod-
ment. Reasons cited for this were cater to the consumer demand for
that picture books provided a “sense picture book properties including
of relaxation”, “safety” and “comfort” Lazona Kawasaki Plaza, LaLaport
in their daily lives. A separate general Toyosu, Diamond City and LaLaport
survey on characters also produced Yokohama. Tenants who stock picture
similar key phrases to explain licensed book-related products include Maru-
product purchasing patterns – “men- zen Bookstore, LOFT, Tokyu Hands,
tal quietude”, “feel good factor”, etc. Donguri Garden and Olympia.
The second survey showed that near- Last month, Plaza Style Corporation,
ly 80% of Japanese women in the 50 a retail chain that runs sixty-four Pla-
to 60 year age range own a character za (previously known as Sony Plaza)
product. stores that stocks goods such as El-
Recent social trends encompassing mer the Patchwork Elephant, Barbapa-
greener values such as the “Slow Life” pa and The Snowman opened its first
and “LOHAS” (Lifestyles of Health ever shop dedicated to non-Japanese
and Sustainability) partly explain the picture books and related products.
appeal of picture books. Targeting adults as its core consumer,
Picture book properties are also the 155 square metre store, called
uct focus has been on children now
touching wider demographic group- Cuddlesome, commenced operations
Gaspard et Lisa window
have to develop new business strate-
ings such as educated urban families, in Nagarayama, Chiba, stocking about
at Hankyu Dept Stores,
gies to appeal to adults and survive
dating couples, and even single adult 3,500 items featuring established
Osaka
this demographic crisis. For example,
males. Families look at the education- picture book characters such as The
over the last five years, the market for
al and communicative aspect of pic- World of Eric Carle, Olivia, Harry the
toys has shrunk 4.7%, and, in order
ture books for their young children; Dirty Dog, Curious George, Peter
to survive, toymakers are creating
dating couples respond to the warm- Rabbit and Paddington Bear. A A chain chain
a plethora of new products aimed at
hearted storylines; and adult males,
grown-ups. Many companies are now
who once would have been thought
Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar
targeting retirees, the so-called “sil-
as nerdish for having an interest in
at LaLaport Toyosu, Tokyo
ver market”, with a plethora of new
picture books, now buy them because
products and services such as elderly-
“kawaii”, the Japanese term for “cute”,
friendly convenience stores and con-
has become mainstream and so do
sumer electronics with large displays
not shy away from picture book prop-
and simple functionality.
erties.
Despite a dwindling child population,
the market for picture books remains
RETAIL
stable, and in particular, associated li-
In this social environment, properties
censed products are enjoying healthy
such as Dick Bruna’s Miffy and Eric
sales. Driving this is a strong trend
Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar
in adult females, across broad age
are proving themselves popular with
ranges, who buy picture books and
Japanese consumers as evidenced by a
40
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