Objective:
Licensing is the lifeblood of the toy industry, turning great products into global phenomena. By tapping into the cultural equity of brands like Star Wars or Bluey, strategic licensing allows businesses to leapfrog the competition, enter new retail aisles, and maximize their marketing impact.
This webinar introduces toy industry professionals to the core fundamentals of brand licensing. Participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of deal structures, partnership evaluation, and the strategies both licensors and licensees use to drive revenue and brand equity. Featuring real-world case studies, this session provides a clear roadmap for companies looking to launch or optimize their licensing programs.
Who Should Attend:
This webinar is designed for Toy Association members and toy industry professionals interested in understanding how licensing can support growth and innovation.
- Manufacturers (Licensees): Toy manufacturers exploring licensing opportunities
- Brand Owners (Licensors): Brand owners seeking new revenue streams through licensing
- Licensing professionals: Sharpening deal-making expertise and staying ahead of emerging industry trends
- Entrepreneurs: To learn how to use licensing to scale your business model
- Finance Executives: To analyze licensing as a capital-light growth engine and master the mechanics of royalty reporting and audit compliance.
- Attorneys: To master the role of trademarks in driving brand value and identifying hidden contractual risks.
What You Will Learn:
Participants will gain a practical, strategic overview of how brand licensing drives growth and market authority in the toy industry.
- Licensing Fundamentals: Master core definitions, industry terminology, and the end-to-end lifecycle of a licensing deal.
- The Licensing Ecosystem: Identify the key players — licensors, licensees, and agents — and understand their unique roles and motivations.
- Strategic Growth Drivers: Discover how licensing accelerates sales, expands distribution, and amplifies brand visibility in new categories.
- Royalty Economics: Navigate complex financial models, including typical royalty ranges, guaranteed minimums, advances, and audit compliance.
- Evaluation Techniques: Learn professional frameworks for identifying high-potential partnerships while avoiding quality and channel conflicts.
- Market Intelligence: Analyze current trends shaping the entertainment, toy, and consumer product landscapes to future-proof your roadmap.
- Risk Mitigation: Uncover hidden legal, financial, and brand-equity risks inherent in modern licensing agreements.
- Winning Case Studies: Examine success stories of companies using licensing to scale revenue and deepen consumer impact.
Moderator:
Anne McConnell, senior director, market research & educational initiatives, The Toy Association
Presenter:
Stu Seltzer, president at Seltzer Licensing Group & NYU Professor
Stu Seltzer is an award-winning adjunct professor at New York University, where he’s been teaching for over 20 years an undergraduate course on Brand Licensing. He is the co-author of Brand Licensing for Dummies and was inducted into the International Licensing Hall of Fame in 2024. A frequent global speaker, Stu delivers engaging seminars and keynotes at leading conferences around the world.
Stu is also president of Seltzer Licensing Group, a 27-year-old global licensing agency. A specialist in brand licensing, partnership marketing, and strategic alliances, he analyzes, crafts, and secures partnerships for clients such as Unilever’s Popsicle, NBC’s American Ninja Warrior, and the American Red Cross. His deep industry expertise and negotiation skills were honed while managing licensing for Yves Saint Laurent of America and at DC Comics/Warner Bros. He has helped national brands, including Dove personal care, Mack Trucks Soup, and Scotts Miracle-Gro, achieve exceptional returns on their marketing investments.
Earlier in his career, Stu developed his analytical foundation as a CPA at Arthur Andersen & Co. He is a graduate of Lehigh University and holds an MBA from Columbia Business School.