Ian Downes
The Brand Radar: Royal Mail, Rug Maker and how to make stamps stick in licensing
Start Licensing’s Ian Downes looks at how Royal Mail has cemented the iconic design status of its Machin stamps through a smart partnership with Rug Maker.
The Brand Radar: Nerf, Gramercy and how to succeed in specialist markets
Start Licensing’s Ian Downes looks at how toy brands have embraced licensing, highlighting a partnership between Hasbro and Gramercy that fired Nerf into the dog toy space.
The Brand Radar: Nadiya Hussain, Wilton Bradley and why authenticity is key to successful personality licensing
Start Licensing’s Ian Downes looks at the world of celebrity licensing, shining a spotlight on Nadiya Hussain’s partnership with toy firm Wilton Bradley.
The Brand Radar: Volkswagen, Gorenje and the creativity driving car brands forward in licensing
Start Licensing’s Ian Downes looks at how the world of automobiles has embraced licensing, shining a spotlight on Volkswagen’s partnership with fridge manufacturer Gorenje.
The Brand Radar: Marmite, M&S and how food brands use licensing to thrive
Marmite… It’s said that you either love it or hate it. In the first of a new regular column, Start Licensing’s Ian Downes puts the spread in the spotlight, looking at Unilever’s inventive approach to licensing the brand.









