Stuff We Loved: What are the industry’s favourite licensed launches of 2023?

Jean Gauvin, Senior Creative Director of Global Consumer Products, Ubisoft
My big crush this year was Louis Vuitton’s collaboration with artist Yayoi Kusama. I know it has been criticised for “simple” polka dots everywhere, robots in window displays, giant Kusama painting dots on the Louis Vuitton building in Paris – as well as the artist’s unique health condition being discussed… But I still love how the products were treated. The mix of classic Louis Vuitton style and Kusama’s art gave life to some really beautiful products. Artistically, the juxtaposition of Kusama’s bright coloured dots and pumpkins on the famous Louis Vuitton pattern is so perfectly imperfect. It gave the brand a totally new joyful dimension.

Stephanie Griggs, Creative Director, Studio Griggs
A range that really made me smile this year was the Lush x SpongeBob SquarePants collection. It had everything that a good brand partnership should have in my eyes: solid purpose and shared brand values – the range raised awareness for the SpongeBob SquarePants: Operation Sea Change initiation and was 100% plastic free – creative synergy and great product innovation… The Krabby Bathy was a 3-in-1 bubble bar, soap and bath bomb that in my four-year olds words “made bath time cool”.

I’ve loved seeing Lush build out their licensed ranges as a staple strand of their offering. This year saw a number of other great collaborations for them including Barbie, the Super Mario Bros movie and Netflix’s Stranger Things.

Paula Rich, Owner, Dot Dash Design
My top choices among licensed products this year are undoubtedly the collaborations with The Met in New York. Expanding on their prior successful partnerships in the realms of fashion and beauty, they launched six captivating fragrances in collaboration with Pura. Each scent draws inspiration from the museum’s most iconic spaces, such as The Temple of Dendur. These exclusive products are available at The Met, their online store and through Pura’s website.

I was particularly impressed with the thoughtful approach taken in the collaboration. Recognising the strong connection between fragrance and memory, The Met sought innovative ways to convey the museum experience through the senses, bringing a fresh dimension to the appreciation of art.

Being a stationery enthusiast, I also loved their collaboration with Papier. The newly unveiled collection of planners and diaries for 2024 is exquisite, showcasing artwork from The Met’s archive. This includes a rejuvenation of art nouveau book covers designed by Margaret Neil Armstrong.

Ben Cox, Creative Director & Co-Founder, Fraktal
My favourite licensed product this year is definitely Hasbro’s Haslab Ghostbuster Proton Pack. I’ve been a lifelong fan of Ghostbusters and as a child I dreamed of owning a Proton pack. Alas, I had to make do with the Kenner Real Ghostbusters version to fill the gap… Fast-forward 35 years and Hasbro answered the call of Ghostbuster fans everywhere by manufacturing a full-size screen-accurate replica through their crowdfunding Haslab platform. The campaign was a roaring success and thousands of fans are now the owners of their very own nuclear accelerator. With all credit to Hasbro, this a great example of a company listening to fans and going the extra mile to deliver a product beyond the expectations of consumers.

Oliver Dyer, Founder, Skew
Our team is closely following fan brands, community-led product development and social selling like TikTok Shops. Sides by Sidemen – in partnership with Hero Brands – fits very much within this emerging phenomenon. Hero Brands, the company behind German Doner Kebab and Island Poké, is moving extremely fast to turn Sidemen’s immense following into a sustainable, long-term brand. It’s impressive and whip-smart how they quickly turned the feedback received from the delivery-only model into a carefully selected chain of restaurants. The location, menu, product design and marketing are a case study in where licensing is heading… Fan brands are the future, and Sidemen have a hyper-engaged focus group of over 20 million who are only too happy to help shape their brand extension offerings.

Anita Castellar, CEO, FanGirl Consulting & Brand Management
My standout for 2023 is McDonald’s bringing back the beloved retro mascots. I always regretted that McDonald’s didn’t keep these iconic characters relevant throughout the years and put them into the archives. Their resurgence not only creates a nostalgia play for kidults, but also an opportunity for a shared moment with those of us who have children. Now we can pass along our love for these sometimes-mischievous characters to next generation. My personal favourites are the adult Happy Meals and the Loungefly bag collection for the win!

Ian Downes, Director, Start Licensing
It’s been interesting to see food and drink brands embracing licensing more frequently and in more depth in recent years. Brand owners like Unilever have led the way with a range of licensing deals with brands such as Marmite. These always seem to be well chosen and created with care. There’s no rush to market, rather a strategic roll out of products. One recent deal that I particularly admired – and one that is a great example of developments in the sector – is McDonald’s working with Galaxy to create a Galaxy Caramel Hot Chocolate. It is well presented in store and represents a very effective bit of NPD. It’s well timed in the run up to Christmas – a season when consumers are looking for festive treats and experiences – and is a great way for Galaxy to activate their brand while strengthening their brand equity. It’s also a good example of a focused licensing deal. The fact it’s a limited edition helps build more engagement and opens the door for further NPD in the future. It is a great example of what is going on in the FMCG licensing market at the moment – and also what is possible when brand owners work together in a focused way.

Sophie Bloomfield, Creative Director & CEO, SBC
2023 has been yet another year of awesome consumer products. It just shows the creativity out there, and the demand for great products. Barbie X Zara collection must get a shout out because wow – just wow! I don’t think Zara has ever given so much attention and marketing support to one brand, let alone a licensed brand. The in-movie look approach to the range was a great creative direction and the sales results proves this was a fantastic collection.

My second choice is Bird & Blend’s Wallace and Gromit tea range. So adorable, especially the packaging and how they executed the brand in store. Great work Aardman!

This next choice has only just launched. Mattel’s Uno collection with Province of Canada. They have literally made Uno into a cool art brand – I want it all! But in all seriousness, this is a tough feat of design. Often classic brands aspire to being a collectable art and lifestyle brand but fail. Uno and Province of Canada have executed this range effortlessly. This is down to the balance of design aesthetics, the choice of products and styles – and not ‘over-designing’ the collection.

Last one! A new favourite is the boygenius collaboration with Brooklyn-based Jewellery brand Catbird. I first saw Catbird’s work via their collab with The Met in 2020 and have been impressed by their work ever since.

David Born, CEO, Born Licensing
Barbie has had such an incredible year, with the world turning pink in July as Greta Gerwig’s film generated over $1.4bn at the box office. However, the product that really caught my eye this year would have been my choice regardless of the film success: the Barbie Stevie Nicks doll. Steve Nicks is one of my favourite performers and when I saw this product, I was super impressed. Mattel absolutely nailed it, with 27-year old Stevie’s iconic bohemian dress and signature tambourine inspired by the 1977 album Rumours. The launch generated a lot of mainstream press and, from what I’ve read, it sold out very quickly. Mattel are brilliant at ensuring that Barbie continues to appeal to a broad customer base… Collaborating with Stevie Nicks is a great example of tapping into the older demographic who grew up listening to Fleetwood Mac and Stevie Nicks.

Tim Collins, MD, The Brand Director
My vote is for Bearbricks. These are large scale figures in different materials covering the usual superhero, sci-fi and classic toy characters. They’re really nicely produced and are – of course – not at all subtle. It truly shows that ‘merch and pop culture’ isn’t a niche market any longer.

Will Stewart, Founder & CEO, The Point 1888
The Powerpuff Girls x Nike SB Dunks are fucking awesome in every way. No idea if it’s gonna be successful, but hey in our industry what does successful licensing mean anyway? Eyeballs, inches or sales? All are valuable regardless of objectives or success. Our industry can do it just cos it’s cool… We can look at a worldie like this and be proud we work in such a cool industry.

Rob Hutchins, Editor & Community Manager, Products of Change
My pick has to be Lush x SpongeBob SquarePants. This was exciting from the get-go. Launched to coincide with Plastic-Free July as part of Paramount’s SpongeBob SquarePants Operation Sea Change campaign, this was a partnership that heralded a new first and a new dawn for licensing. Quick to market with fresh products, Lush is a dynamic outfit of creatives – and it’s everything licensing loves. Bold, pioneering, with a captured pop culture audience on the global stage – all while being kind to the planet through sustainable practices and regenerative processes up and down the value chain. Lush presents a purpose-driven new era for licensing. And the SpongeBob collection presents a creative new application of the industry’s best-loved IP. Besides, show me anyone not happy jumping into a bathtub with a Krabby Patty after a big night out and I’ll show you a liar!

Susan Bolsover, MD & Founder, Lightbulb Licensing
My choice has to be Barbie. While I am a Sindy girl through and through, Mattel knocked it out the park this year! What I found so brilliant was the way in which traditional consumer products and promotions blended seamlessly with movie marketing to create a truly immersive event – and a memorable pop-culture moment. From the core toy product through the extended licensing categories – shout out to the apparel category in particular –to the movie poster selfie generator and the Malibu home promotion with Airbnb to name but a few… Barbie changed the landscape of movie licensing forever and showed how with joined up thinking around a brand, you can deliver something truly outstanding… Something that consumers of all ages around the world can engage with.