A license to appeal

Nation's Business, April, 1985 by Sharon Nelton

Jerry Alpert says it can take a year for a licensor (and agent) to realize any income from a licensed product. In some cases, it takes longer. New York illustrator June Amos Grammer was thrilled in January, 1983, when a division of Lenox, Inc., offered her a modest advance for designs for a line of antique-style china dolls that would be sold at prices ranging from $250 to $500. Grammer blames her lack of experience for not understanding how long it would take her and Lenox to get the project off the ground. So far, she has designed more than a dozen dolls and has yet to see any royalties.

STILL, THERE ARE unexpected pleasures, ones that have nothing to do with money. About three years ago, United Media's Bob Metz recalls, he and Mike Georgopolis were visiting a licensee in Nice, France. It was La Maison Snoopy, a shop that carried "Peanuts' items. They were there during lunch, when the store was closed for two hours, but they could see out its front greenhouse-like window.

"People would be window shopping, sometimes with children, sometimes just by themselves,' says Metz. "And as they walked by and looked at the display of Snoopy and Charlie Brown products, these smiles would come on their faces. Or a child would see it and he'd laugh and touch mommy or daddy, and the parent would turn and smile.'

Metz says he doesn't want to hype you when he tells you this, "but it was just a wonderful experience to be there and say, "Hey, it's kind of nice to be connected with this kind of business.''

Photo: The avid fan can eat, drink, sleep on (or with), read by, decorate with and chat via his favorite characters in licensed form.

Photo: Comic strip character Buster Brown launched a children's line for Brown Shoe Company in 1904. Today, stars of the television program "Dynasty' have inspired a host of products, including McCall's dress patterns.

Photo: United Media's Michael V. Georgopolis hopes Robotman (second from right) will match the success of "Peanuts.'

Photo: Corporate licensing agent Gerald J. Alpert sells such company trademarks as Tony the Tiger and the Campbell Kids.