Who wins? - boyswear licensing - Apparel Merchandising

Discount Store News, Feb 20, 1995 by Shari Sanders

Boyswear merchants are hoping to hit the jackpot with popular video game and comic book characters.

At stake in the latest licensed apparel bet are such images as Nintendo's Donkey Kong Country, Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog, Capcom's Street Fighter II and Marvel Comics' X-men.

Retailers see promise in these properties, but say it is risky to depend on characters that have enjoyed popularity in their primary markets, but are yet unproven in the apparel area.

"It's been more of a struggle than not," says George Needleman, general merchandise manager, childrenswear and menswear for O'Fallon, Mo.-based Venture Stores. Needleman is committed to giving apparel bearing the marks of X-men, Sonic and Street Fighter II continued exposure even though they only comprise a minor part of the boyswear blend.

But if the fever that Saban Entertainment's Mighty Morphin Power Rangers aroused in millions of children gives any indication of how well media superheroes can translate into apparel, retailers may find greater success with video and comic images than they thought possible.

In the past few seasons, Gail Lindeman, children's merchandise manager for Secaucus, N.J.-based Jamesway, has appropriated a great deal of selling space to Power Rangers. But for Back-to-school, she forecasts milder sales for the teenage idols. "Although we'll still carry product, I don't think it will move as well as it did last year."

"Power Rangers is still important to us, but now we're looking for some more cutting-edge properties," says Don DeLaura, vice president and general merchandise manager, boyswear and menswear for Omaha, Neb.-based Pamida. Delaura is going forward with Sonic, X-men and newcomer VR Troopers.

"The big concern now is, who will go up against Power Rangers? People are trying to find new strength in something," says Lindeman, adding that Jamesway is trying its luck with X-men and Sonic. "A lot of properties are just starting up - nothing is really blowing out of the stores yet. Last season, we had a lot of open-to-buy dollars and we put all of our eggs in one profitable basket. Now our task is to find another basket."

Manufacturers agree that in licensing, it's difficult to follow a winning act, but contend that there are many video and comic book characters that offer a wealth of possibilities.

Fruit of the Loom has been manufacturing video game apparel through its Union Underwear division since the 80s. Debbie Hills. director of marketing and licensing, hearkens back to the days of PacMan, when the tone for the video explosion was set. More recently, Hills says Union has been "very successful" with Nintendo's Super Mario Bros. "But now we're moving away from Mario and rebuilding our Nintendo line with Donkey Kong Country," says, referring to the latest installation in the Donkey Kong saga. Printed briefs for sizes 2 to 8 debut at Kmart and regional discounters in the middle to latter part of this year. A three-pack will retail for between $5 to $6.

Nintendo is exerting a great deal of energy into promoting Donkey Kong Country, a video title introduced in November. The first fully computer-rendered game designed for the 16-bit Super Nintendo Entertainment System (Super NES) exposes video players to a broad cast of characters in addition to Kong himself. These include: Diddy, Cranky, Funky, Candy and Manky, and their foes, The Evil Kremlings.

Everything Kids, a children's accessories maker based in New York, is currently shipping a line of Donkey Kong Country backpacks and fannypacks to Kmart and other discounters. The bags feature clear and colored vinyl pockets and pouches designed to hold cartridges and Game Boy hand-held systems. A two-in-one design combines a backpack with a removable lunch bag. Retail prices run from $8 to $12.

Other Donkey Kong Country licensees are Chapkin International, athletic and casual footwear; Logo 7, headwear, handwear; Pine Hosiery Mills, socks, belts, suspenders; Renaissance Eyewear, prescription eyewear and sunglasses; Signal, tops; Union Underwear, undergarments; Wolf Mfg., sportswear; and Wormser, sleepwear, sportswear, long underwear.

Although Sonic the Hedgehog has clocked a bit more time in the boyswear department, the feisty blue figure is still picking up speed.

The Sonic licensing program is designed to attract two target consumer bases, one, for the most part pre-teen, that enjoys the animated television show and the video game group, which includes a high proportion of teens and adults.

Seideman says SEGA "plans to spend millions of dollars each year to promote its characters," adding that retailers are supplied with cardboard standees, posters, write-on/mark-off boards, video game units and monitors.

SEGA aims to make Sonic and his cohorts Knuckles, Tails and Sally Acorn, and arch-rival Dr. Ivo Robotnik, more than passing fancies. "We want to create lasting images that can grow with the introduction of new video games," says Seideman.

Venture has been stocking Sonic underwear, sleepwear and shorts sets for two years. "The merchandise peaks at certain times," says Needleman, noting that new video titles do help to spur sales.