“Momentum is vital”: Elmer Marketing’s Vicki Marler-Hausen on pushing licensing products

Vicki, thanks for making time. Firstly, can you give us a brief introduction to your business and career to date?
I’ve been involved with licensing since the first day of my career when I joined Gullane Entertainment as Marketing Manager for Thomas & Friends back in 2002. Character licensing has been a huge part of my work over the last two decades and I’ve been involved in some very exciting launches. While at Maverick Entertainment – Muffin the Mule days for anyone who remembers! – and then a switch to the toy product development and marketing side at Corinthian, Bandai and Bladez Toyz.

With a family background in toys too, you could say it’s in my blood! I went freelance in 2018 to give myself more freedom and to help more companies with their marketing needs. Elmer Marketing is an agency offering trade and consumer marketing support, media planning, event management and social media services. For the last six years, I’ve worked with Dreamtex on marketing their licensed homewares and I have recently taken on the role of marketing and media consultant for toy distributor toys2market – one of their brands being Multiprint licensed stationery sets.

What led you to go out on your own?
It was a brave decision to leave the safety net of the corporate world, but I wanted more variety and to bring my skills, experience and enthusiasm to a wider network. I spoke to a few close industry friends about my idea to go solo and they encouraged me to go for it, so I took the plunge.

Do you have any advice for anyone considering launching their own business?
My advice to anyone considering the same is to believe in yourself, you can do it! Also invest in a good website and professional branding photography – people like getting to know the face behind the agency. Also, be active on social channels, particularly LinkedIn, as it’s important to be visible. There is so much amazing, bright, colourful and fun content around us in this industry, so there’s always something to talk about and share.

You have worked a lot across toys and licensing. How would you describe the relationship between these two sectors? What’s your ‘state of the nation’ assessment of the marketplace right now?
One of the highlights of my year is going to BLE and seeing the two worlds come together. The synergy brings such a buzz to the show floor and the professionals on both sides are truly committed to seeing projects come to life – it’s inspiring and satisfying seeing partnerships thrive. I’ve enjoyed being exhibitor, licensee and visitor and love all the relationships I’ve nurtured over the years within the licensing community.

Right now, while tough out there, there is so much to be excited about, with strong movie releases this year – the return of Power Rangers with Character Options, LEGO partnering with Bluey and Pokémon, the list could go on… I feel especially fortunate to work on Bluey with Dreamtex and the BBC – the plans they have for the brand as they gear up for the movie in 2027 remind me of the good old days… You can’t help but be energised by it.

Conversely, I have also supported a client who had no licences in their portfolio. Reflecting back on that experience, you have to work so much harder to raise awareness and promote own IP when there’s no big story, character or TV series to do a big chunk of the publicity generation for you. We’re very lucky when toy and licensing intertwine so beautifully. It’s a joy and is where I am best suited.

On that, are there some key points companies should think about when marketing licensed products?
Setting clear goals and knowing your audience is key. Then there’s the challenge of finding the most effective ways to reach that audience and cut through all the noise out there. It does need investment so budgets are important – there’s only so much that can be achieved organically. I urge marketing teams to be realistic, commit to a campaign and drive it. Then do it again, or find brand ambassadors, because momentum is vital if you want your customers to stay loyal.

“Setting clear goals and knowing your audience is key.”

You can’t sit back, say “That went well” and then hope your brand stays in their mind, because there’s just too much going on that’s vying for their attention and money. Think about why they should spend their hard-earned money on your product rather than someone else’s – and go to town on your USPs. Maybe that’s sustainability, exclusivity, play value or price… Whatever your big selling points are, be sure to shout about them loudly and proudly to get heard and to support your vision.

From an agency perspective, what do you think makes a good brief from a client?
My favourite subject – my media partners and I need to know budget! In order to get in front of that target audience, raise awareness of the brand/product and then drive to retail, there needs to be a level of investment. It doesn’t have to be bank breaking.

Thinking about character licensing, which is where I tend to focus the most, there are some more than affordable family and youth and children focused partnerships out there which can definitely help get clients seen, if they are prepared to explore opportunities and listen to agency advice. I also pride myself on delivering campaigns in a timely fashion, so knowing launch timings and on-shelf dates and working back from there really helps.

Over the last couple of years, Dreamtex and I have worked on PR campaigns to support the Bluey Halloween bedding launch at ASDA. It feels a little crazy talking to influencers about spooky content creation in the height of summer, but it’s a necessity when the stock lands in-stores at the end of August. You can’t afford to miss these seasonal windows, so good planning and awareness of significant calendar dates are critical in preparing a clear and concise brief.

Would you have any advice for companies that are new to licensing in regards to selecting licenses to work with?
Play safe at the start. Look at tried and tested products, speak to other licensees and do your homework before jumping in. Not everything is an immediate success, and it can be an intimidating place to navigate – but when it works, what a delight it is!

An example of a company I believe have done their due diligence well before venturing into the world of licensing is Orchard Toys. Once upon a time, a traditional toy and game supplier like that would never have dreamt of adding a licence to a game but look at them now. They carefully considered what to run with first and they chose the classic and evergreen Peter Rabbit. Now they are launching Bluey games – a guaranteed winner with parents, grandparents and gift-givers who trust the Orchard brand and love Bluey.

Likewise, my former client The Puppet Company have made a similar leap of faith into the unknown world of licensing in the last couple of years and introduced Paddington and Elmer puppets. Obviously I am a huge fan of the latter having adopted Elmer as my agency mascot! I am very proud of both these companies for embracing change and adapting their strategies to include licensing, and hopefully their experience will inspire others.

Can you single out an impactful trend in the licensing market you have observed in recent months?
My view of licensing, especially with toys, has been influenced differently over the last four years since becoming a parent. I find it fascinating to observe what attracts Max’s attention and how digital content has a big impact on what he says he wants – Paw Patrol, Spidey and Sonic all current obsessions!

What stood out for me recently is the Comic Relief merchandise in TK Maxx, which has drawn on some much-loved characters to encourage families to engage with the charity. As a marketeer, I love the partnership and in-store space that is dedicated to the campaign each spring. As a consumer, I’ve now bought Max a Comic Relief t-shirt for the last two years to support the cause – but to also entice him into wearing the clothing thanks to a clever choice of characters that will excite him. Last year it was Wallace and Gromit, this year it was the Toy Story Buzz Lightyear design. I wonder which character he’ll get in 2026?!

Finally, on a personal note, what’s your favourite licensed product and your favourite toy?
As a toy girl first and foremost, my all-time favourite toy is Sylvanian Families and I’ve given this answer many times over the years. My Dad was at the Flair launch, coming up for 40 years ago now, and I was the perfect age to play and collect – giving away my age now! And collect I did – I am still cross with my Mum for selling my original Sylvanian house playset. I would love to have that for Max now to go with the few adorable fuzzy animals I did keep.

Today I’m also very impressed with Tonies – it’s just the perfect collaboration where tech and collectible toy combine with character. Our Toniebox is used every single day and is an important part of our bedtime routine. The quality of the Tonies is amazing and they look fabulous on display in Max’s bedroom. I also like how they don’t take up much space and are a good gift suggestion for birthdays and Christmas, so that Max can add to his collection and continue to be entertained by his favourite characters. It’s yet another example of how I’m now learning through my son as to which licences are popular with preschoolers.

And on that note, I’m here if anyone wants to get back into PJ Masks licensing because Catboy is a big hit in my house right now and we need more merchandise!