Well, it's that time of year again. As Brand Licensing Europe 2008 opens at Olympia, P&I assesses this year's licensing sector movers and shakers and takes a look at who's been doing what.
As we said last year, a league built on other people's subjective opinions is a sure way to generate controversy. Yet despite the odd criticism, most of our feedback we received was favourable.
A common gripe was that the list contained many of the "same old faces". This is something that's undergone an overhaul, but not for the sake of change alone. P&I has decided to alter the criteria to properly reflect developments in the licensing industry with regard to promotions, rather than concentrate on merchandising, in the interests of our readers.
The obesity debate has prompted big changes in the way licensing has been used in sales promotion. Key property owners and brands such as Disney and Kellogg's have pulled away from using licences to market food to kids.
There are comparatively few toys handed out with promotions today. Instead, much of the new marketing involving licensing has stemmed from films and a use of the brand's marketing spend to publicise the film itself. It is this type of deal, geared more towards adults and families, that is reflected in the list.
To be clear, the criteria for our industry panel principally rested on two main points. Firstly, the strength of the property the licensing leader controls; and secondly, the quantity and size of the promotions they've been involved with.
As many of those named handle pan-European promotions, overseas campaigns have been taken into account, although the UK still takes precedence.
Criticisms about the same old faces in the same old positions are really no longer valid. Out of last year's 20, only eight remain and their positioning has changed radically. But some aspects of the list have stayed constant - in particular the closeness of the results and the difficulty in separating the candidates.
1. Zachary Eller
Vice president for global promotions, Sony Pictures
One panellist says: "He might not do as much as a studio like Fox but what he has done has been big and global. It catches the eye." Next year's big property is likely to be Terminator Salvation, but the title that propels him to the number one spot is Bond film Quantum of Solace. Promotions have been lined up with Ford and Coca-Cola, which has renamed its Zero variant 007 for the duration. Another panellist praises Eller for bringing in top quality brands and promotions to 007 despite the film being more serious than its predecessors.
2. Jo Webster
Senior marketing manager, McDonald's
The obesity debate and refusal of property owners like Disney and Nickelodeon to deal with the Golden Arches might suggest there's no future in licensing for kids - but look at a McDonald's Happy Meal and you can see it is alive and well. Shrek the Third, Bee Movie and TV's Art Attack have been featured and Webster encourages promotions that educate kids and provide a constructive activity. In the words of one panellist: "Sure, the company's promotions are handled by The Marketing Store, but Webster holds it all together."
3. Ian Morton
Pan-European director of promotions and theatrical, Fox
Morton's activity covers all new releases and has seen him handle promotions with 27 Dresses and Nimble and Horton Hears a Who! and Typhoo. He was also responsible for the tie-up between Galaxy and The Devil Wears Prada. What distinguishes him is his autonomy from the US. That he is allowed a free hand in Europe illustrates the high regard in which he is held. He also handles the Ice Age 3 property which runs across brands such as Nissan.
4. Vanessa Andreis
Promotions director, Warner Bros
This position could have been taken by Warner's consumer products manager David Binnie but the panel felt Andreis, with her responsibity for promotions, was more apt. The studio estimates promotions equating to £3million in terms of media spend went towards supporting its big title The Dark Knight. Brands involved included Burger King, Nokia, Orange, Police watches, Maxell, Armani and Henkel. Andreis is also overseeing promotions with American Golf for the I Am Legend DVD release and TV series Gossip Girl, which will run with Debenhams, House of Fraser and the Fragrance Shop. Her remit covers promotions across Warner's theatrical, home entertainment, TV and consumer products divisions.
5. Carl Lumbard
Executive director marketing partnerships EMEA theatrical and home entertainment, Fox
It is unusual to have two separate entries from the same company but the structure of Fox and the output of both Morton and Lumbard demands it. Lumbard is the European guardian of The Simpsons. In 2007 he made his first appearance in the list after a series of promotions around the film version. This year he has carried on where he left off, launching a pan-European campaign for the Renault Kangoo, a promotion for Virgin Megastore in France and, surprisingly, a UK Burger King campaign starting next month. Separately he has negotiated partnerships with brands such as Asda to use Family Guy and handled licensing for 24 and Prison Break. The panel pays tribute to his professionalism and flexibility.
6. Andrew Brown
Senior vice president media and promotions, Universal
It's been a quiet year for Universal. Despite being a big studio, it is handicapped by a dearth of licensing-friendly properties like The Dark Knight to tempt brands. The biggest recent release was last year's The Bourne Ultimatum, which featured promotions across sectors such as automotive and alcohol. This year has seen promotions for Mamma Mia! with Maltesers and easyJet and there's a new Fast and the Furious film to come.
7. Tina-Louise Phipps
Head of promotions, Dreamworks Animations
It's impossible to ignore Dreamworks. Films such as Shrek and Madagascar are always going to have an appeal to brands looking to run promotions. "She works well with the US and is approachable and helpful," says a panellist. She is lower on the list than many of her contemporaries as most of her promotions have been in Europe. It is arguable she has been held back in terms of promotions in the UK by the large number of children's properties Dreamworks handles. Phipps is currently talking to agencies in an attempt to create partnership opportunities in the UK.
8. Vickie Holtom
Partnership manager, Chorion
Higher profile candidates such as Chorion's John Collins (senior marketing manager, Europe) were nominated, but new entry Holtom, who heads up Chorion's Brand Partners division, was felt to be far more relevant to the promotional sector. She has presided over tie-ups such as Paddington Bear with British Airways and the Mr Men with Persil. Chorion's retro kids characters include the Wombles, which several brands are negotiating to use.
9. Richard Hollis
Head of UK licensing, BBC Worldwide
Hollis was placed second last year and commands huge respect. He controls some of the UK's best known properties, including Doctor Who and In the Night Garden. According to one panellist: "It's nigh on impossible to get away with much at the BBC but he was one of the first to lay down strict guidelines on what you can do." Despite this, he has found room for promotions such as a tie-in with Doctor Who and Yoplait's Frubes range.
10. Clare Piggott
Vice president of consumer products, Nickelodeon
Piggott is responsible for popular kids' characters such as SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer, and for implementing Nickelodeon's "anti-fast food" charter, providing strict guidelines about what the brand will partner with. The move reflects a shift in the industry, with companies balancing their need to generate revenue through marketing with a sense of responsibility over how the property is used.
11. Corine Pouvreau-Miles
Director of promotions, ITV
Having been in the newly created role of director of promotions at ITV for just weeks, Pouvreau-Miles in theory has not had much of a chance to justify her position on the list. Yet the former director of licensing at sales promotion agency The Marketing Store has a brief that should change the way ITV and its products are seen promotionally. Despite falling revenues and ratings, it still has products such as Coronation Street and The Bill. Pouvreau-Miles's brief is to drive promotions with brands and add existing value for those already sponsoring programmes.
12. Seema Khan
Head of licensing, UK Endemol
Big Brother might not be at the top of its game but it is impossible to deny the power of Golden Balls and Deal or No Deal, which has featured in several promotions, including one for 3M and McDonald's. However, given what seems like the irreversible decline of Big Bro, there is a feeling that Endemol needs to develop some new properties and fast.
13. Monkey
Brand ambassador, PG Tips
Yes, the ongoing success of PG Tips' promotions could be down to agency Ogilvy Action or the brand's marketing team, but for this year's panel, it's the property itself that deserves a listing. This year Monkey made his cinema debut in a "film trailer" that saw PG Tips sales rise by five per cent. But where Monkey scores over his competitors is in longevity - he first appeared for ITV Digital in 2001.
14. Alex Ward
Chief executive, Lime
Lime specialises in creating partnerships between brands and films, and its blue chip clients include Masterfoods and Warner Bros. The agency, which was been behind promotions for Sex and the City and The Dark Knight this year, is regarded with a mixture of respect and loathing. "Not afraid to make enemies" was among the panellists' lighter remarks about the agency. Yet Ward's postion here is justified by the number of film and video-game promotions Lime has been involved with. Sub-division Sublime creates partnerships and experiential campaigns around brands such as Rockstar games.
15. Sean Clark
Head of licensing, Aardman Animations
Last year the line was that it would be hard to fail if you had Wallace and Gromit in your stable. Yet the animation studio has other strings to its bow and has been involved in campaigns for brands ranging from Harvey Nichols to Nithol to Texaco. Pundits refer to Clark, like Aardman, as an innovator un-afraid to take a risk and plough new ground.
16. Janet Woodward
Head of licensing, Coolabi
The primary licence that Woodward handles is Giles Andreae's Purple Ronnie. The stick character has been active this year outside of his usual role of adult cartoon character with a campaign for the Prostate Cancer Charity. Although not specifically sales promotion, the character has been supported with a number of licensed products.
17. Stephen Gould
Managing director, 4Kids
Last year's number 11 has been responsible for promotions around the puppy photography franchise Artlist Collection: The Dog, notably with McDonald's, which has run three Happy Meal promotions. The "industry heart-throb" also handles licenses for brands such as the RAF.
18. Graham Saltmarsh
Licensing director, Cartoon Network
It would be difficult to pinpoint any groundbreaking promotions or work with brands this year, but that is not why Saltmarsh is here. Like the BBC's Hollis, he is responsible for some of the biggest kids' properties in the UK, the foremost of which is Ben 10. Saltmarsh joined Cartoon Network last year and immediately made his mark on this and other properties such as Transformers. A panellist described his impact as "out of this world".
19. Kelvyn Gardner
Managing director, Asgard; managing director, LIMA
Last year's number 13 still faces an uphill battle as head of the licensing trade body because of the focus across the Atlantic. However, last year his efforts to raise awareness of the industry saw him hold his place in the league. Promotionally he has made the list with his work on Yoplait, which has spawned a number of initiatives, most notably featuring Doctor Who for Frubes.
20. Ian Downes
Founder, Start Licensing
Downes was compared to Manchester United for dominating last year's Licensing Leaders league but this year there's been a change in emphasis towards the promotional end of the licensing sector. Downes has fewer licenses and a lower profile than some of the names mentioned in these pages. Yet there's no question that his personality and knowledge of the sector make him "as influential as ever".