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Discount Store News, June 4, 1990

Finding Next Year's Dick Tracy

NEW YORK - Mighty Mouse, the Chipmunks and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles along with Mickey Mouse, The Simpsons and Dick Tracy will be among the many characters available for licensing arrangements during the 10th International Licensing and Merchandising Conference and Exposition held here June 5 to 7 at the New York Hilton Hotel.

More than 8,000 attendees are expected to visit the 130 exhibitors featuring over 800 available properties at the show's new exhibition site.

Not all of the available licensing opportunities will be with such tried-and-true characters like Mickey Mouse. The creators of The Simpsons, which were first introduced at the Licensing Show two years ago and now have their own television show, will be present as will Hillary Vermont, an art designer, looking for avenues, for her work, said Susan Reuter, show manager.

This year's show, entitled Licensing 90, is sponsored by the Licensed Industry Merchandisers' Association and produced by Expocon Management Associates. The show was moved to the Hilton because of its more convenient location, said Reuter.

Licensing is a $64.6 billion industry currently enjoying a boom. According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, American consumers spend more money on licensed products and services than they do on, among other things, alcoholic beverages at home, personal care, tobacco, drugs, cleaning and household supplies, toiletries and fuel.

Licensing 90, is organized into six categories: corporate; lifestyle/fashion/design; personality/nostalgia; entertainment; character; and sports.

On Tuesday, June 5, show attendees may choose from "Introduction to Licensing," or "A New World: Licensing in Europe, The E.E.C., and the Eastern Block." The seminars for Wednesday, June 6, will be "The Classics: More Than A License - A Brand?," or "Licensing For The Year 2000: Opportunities on the Horizon." For Thursday, June 7, the seminars are "Merchandising Your License: You have the name, the product and the program . . . what else do you need? You need retailers!," or "Entertainment Licensing: The Start of a New Cycle."

Licensing 90 is essentially a show for manufacturers looking for licensing opportunities, not for retailers. However, some "retailers come to the show to see what's coming up. It's like looking into the future," said Reuter. Also, retailers can use the information from the show to help guide their manufacturers.

Attending Licensing 90 is "a natural" for Gibson Greetings, said Greg Ionna, vice president, marketing. Ionna will be looking for "new" licenses, particularly in adult characters and themes. He also is interested in "hearing about Dick Tracy," seeing the new Disney program and scouting out the hot items for 1991 and 1992.