James Oddy,

For me, it’s partly personal. I grew up watching Formula 1 on the BBC, and The Chain is imprinted in my memory – it’s the soundtrack to my childhood. It also happens to be the era of some of F1’s greatest rivalries, like Senna vs. Prost, which only adds to the drama and emotional pull.

But beyond nostalgia, Fleetwood Mac offers a massive opportunity when it comes to licensing today. Their music is steeped in real-life storytelling which works hand in hand with licensing. There’s raw emotion and different eras – almost like episodes that shaped their song writing.

Unlike bands like The Rolling Stones or Metallica, Fleetwood Mac has kept their licensing and merch activity fairly understated, which leaves a lot of creative space to play in. Especially if you’re tapping into that modern festival-season energy. Their aesthetic – 70s mysticism, heartbreak, resilience and bohemian glamour – feels more relevant now than ever.

With Stevie Nicks’ unmistakable style leading the vision, I imagine a beautifully curated collection that is underpinned by freedom, imperfection, drama, luxury and a touch of glam. The 70s reimagined!

Sophie Bloomfield,
Creative Director & CEO, SBC
One artist who could truly drive a powerful licensing programme today is Alanis Morissette. With the resurgence of 90s fashion – grunge in particular – her legacy feels more relevant than ever.

Alanis rose to prominence during the era of Marc Jacobs’ iconic grunge collection for Perry Ellis, and her aesthetic ties neatly into the dreamy, introspective visuals of early Sofia Coppola films like The Virgin Suicides. There’s a cultural mood right now that aligns perfectly with the world Alanis helped define.

Beyond the look and feel, her music is rich in themes of female empowerment, world peace and everyday irony, resonating deeply with multiple generations. A perfect example is the lyric from Ironic: “It’s like ten thousand spoons when all you need is a knife.” This line is currently trending online – especially during her European tour – and could anchor an entire product collection… Think apparel, stationery and even homeware built around the song’s lyrics and visuals.

When I evaluate the potential of a property to become a lasting brand, I always look for depth, how many creative avenues can we explore? With Alanis, the possibilities are incredibly broad. Her music, message and style offer fertile ground for building an iconic and enduring licensing programme.

Joana Gonçalves,
Marketing Manager, Skew
As I was researching for my interview for my role at Skew, it was great to learn that they work with Abbey Road and some of their most classic artists. There was the crossover between my new job and my current job as Head of Marketing for a Music Festival. I think there are so many legacy bands that could drive incredible licensing programmes but I’d like to suggest a present one, that headlined my festival a few years ago – the Australian rock band King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard.

While they live in the sidelines of mainstream music, they’re extremely popular within their niche and have an almost cult-like following. They also have a DIY ethic that would align perfectly with non-traditional, design-forward brand programmes.

In my opinion, King Gizzard represent exactly the kind of IP that thrives in today’s cultural and commercial landscape: prolific, world-building and fiercely adored by a global niche audience. They’ve released over 25 albums spanning psychedelic rock, thrash metal, folk, and synth-pop, each with its own aesthetic, narrative and design language. And most of them on their own label and completely owned by them. Their fans are known for collecting, remixing, and actively co-creating – see Polygondwanaland.

A standout licensing opportunity would be the ‘Gizzverse Tarot’. A 78-card tarot deck featuring the surreal characters, creatures, and themes from their sprawling musical universe – like Han-Tyumi, The Lord of Lightning, or the Rats’ Nest miners. Each card would be illustrated by a different psychedelic artist from their fan community, packaged with a guidebook that doubles as a lore compendium. It would appeal to collectors, vinyl-heads, illustrators, and spiritual seekers, sitting comfortably in design shops, museum stores or indie record retailers.

Declan McCarthy,
Head of Publishing & Licensing, The Ashmolean Musuem
Bands creating brands is no new thing at all. One only has to visualise the ‘tongue and lips’ logo of the Rolling Stones – created 55 years ago – to know that there is life in a successful brand. Equally visual, but perhaps less successful – for the band – is the Ramones’ take on the American presidential seal, which has appeared on apparel for decades… Often worn by people who quite possibly could not tell you a Ramones tune if you asked them! Many others have followed in this wake of pop culture appeal: Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Blur, Oasis…

Closer to home in Oxford, Supergrass have a terrific logo – loosely inspired from 1960s TV like The Man from Uncle. It’s a great looking device and one that could be better known on more product. It was widely used to great effect in the 1990s/2000s on all manner of product including ironing board covers – not enough bands doing that these days I think.

And, of course, management stablemates Radiohead have a strong visual identity and a wide range of product available for their legions of followers. Just seeing our Retail Team at the Ashmolean Museum preparing for our summer exhibition on Radiohead artwork (This Is What You Get – opens August 6th: https://www.ashmolean.org/exhibition/this-is-what-you-get-stanley-donwood-radiohead-thom-yorke) is a testament to the diverse possibilities.

Up and coming bands? Not brand new, but I think Fontaines D.C. would be a great candidate for opening up a broad range to a growing fanbase. Or The Last Dinner Party cutlery and crockery sets would have appeal? And maybe an ironing cover too…

Josie Starsmore,
Creative Director & Co-Founder, Socktopus
Band socks are on the rise. Literally. Pulled up and paired with a Gazelle and shorts. Shown-off. Loud and proud. Accordingly, our sales of licensed band socks are up year on year. Customers frantically asking for Oasis – who I see have paired with H&M – socks shows that perhaps band merch really is now a top-to-toe trend.

From our experience, I would say that – sadly – licensed socks tend to be a bit of an afterthought. The logo is fairly lovelessly ‘plonked’ on the ankle. More of a box-ticker than a prized possession. Therefore, the opportunity comes from artists being more experimental with their assets. One band who are – in my opinion – the champs of this are King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard.

Their artwork invites you to discover their music in a way that Grateful Dead championed. Tying in with the current anti-AI trend for hand drawn creative illustration and subculture fandom, these guys – or guy: Jason Galea – hit the mark. I would love to see all over patterned, detailed knit showing off the wealth of band and cover artworks for all bands past and present…

Rob Ames,
Co-Founder, Triclops Studio
Tough one… I reckon the most successful music-driven licenses are not only those bands with gargantuan global appeal, but also some of the best and most iconic logos of all time – The Beatles, KISS, Nirvana, Ozzy Osbourne, RUN DMC, The Rolling Stones, Grateful Dead, Wu-Tang Clan, Sex Pistols, Prince’s Symbol… The list goes on.

Now, with the exception of the Wu-Tang, I don’t listen to any of the above and therefore haven’t bought anything their logo, or similar stature, adorns. I once bought Luc – the other half of Triclops Studio – an authentic, vintage Queen baseball cap when I was in some batsh*t rock and heavy metal record shop in Marseille years ago, but that’s OG gig merch – well, so the scary shopkeeper told me!

The type of music-driven products I like to buy are predominantly t-shirts and limited edition toys and figures from ‘hey-day’ 90s hip-hop artists, or bands involved in electronic dance music. Recent pick-ups include a cap from the excellent Supreme x Aphex Twin capsule collection, a J Dilla ReAction Figure from Super7, and a re-released Chris Cunningham x Bjork t-shirt from the amazing ‘All is Full of Love’ video.

Some of my favourite pieces from the studio shelves include Medicom x Daft Punk ‘Discovery’ action figures, a rare Billie Eilish vinyl figure by Takashi Murakami and several UNKLE toys and artwork by the mighty Futura 2000 – who also created album art for The Clash back in the day.

That said, I used to live near Castle Donington, famous for its ‘Monsters of Rock’ festival which ran from 1980 to 1996. Anyone who was/is someone in the rock and heavy metal fraternity played Donington, and my dad – who was in the police force at the time – used to get me a t-shirt every year he was on duty at the festival. I didn’t know 99% of the acts printed on them – and the tee often came down to my knees – but I always remember being drawn to the awesome band logos and fonts. I don’t think things have changed that much in the rock and heavy metal world today. Bands like Ghost, Deftones, Slayer, Slipknot, Korn – who interestingly just released a collaborative sneaker with Adidas – Lamb of God, and so on, all have huge fan bases, but similarly eye-catching logos and on-stage looks.

So, even though it’s not my musical taste or buying habits, I’m going to pick Indian metal sensations, Bloodywood. A friend of mine mentioned them a while back. He bought Raksha, their playful naan-coloured vinyl album and thought I’d dig it from a design perspective. Bloodywood are a blend of Indian folk with metal and are currently breaking international barriers and collaborating with the scene’s biggest names. Most recently, their song Dana-Dan was used in the pivotal action sequence in Dev Patel’s action thriller masterpiece, Monkey Man. A must-see if you haven’t.

After checking out more of their work, I think they’re one of metal’s most original bands and their genre-defying sound has huge global appeal. Their logo is pretty cool too! I’d love to see more of the band’s playful take on their culture – their self-produced documentary was called ‘Raj Against the Machine’ – imbue clothing and other merch opportunities, but it’s their vision to try fresh things within the metal scene that could spark some awesome products.

For example, they just released an animated music video to accompany their new song, Bekhauf. It’s totally bonkers – Indian meets Japanese metal, as the song features female Japanese metal icons, BABYMETAL. Now, in a Daft Punk ‘Interstella 5555’-inspired way, the animated band members and the fusion of Japanese/Indian folklore creatures would make amazing action figures. The animation could also be the foundation for a great comic book – as well as spin-off animations. A Bloodywood x Netflix animated show wouldn’t look that out of place… Think K-Pop Demon Hunters x Castlevania Nocturne!

Stephanie Griggs,
Creative Director & Founder, Studio Griggs
When it comes to licensing in music, we often look to the bands. But I’m thinking for the Summer festival season, the real brand that people connect with and often return to year after year, is the festival itself. Festivals aren’t just a venue, they’re a community and they breed their own cultural tribes.

Just like a band tee is an identity statement, Glastonbury stages do the same in helping you ‘find your tribe.’ Slogans like ‘Pyramid Pilgrimage’, ‘Shangri-La Survivor’ or ‘Arcadia After Dark’ could create merch opps within the constraints of Glasto as a huge brand itself. Over 200,000 attendees and millions of viewers on iPlayer – that’s a huge opportunity!

Of course, there’s room to celebrate other festivals with strong subcultures, too. Green Man, Boomtown, Lost Village and End of the Road all have their own opportunities, but I think Glastonbury would be my number one licensing expansion hot ticket!

Stage specific merch like patches, tees, campsite flags or even tents and camping gear would work well – and collabs would also be brilliant in this space. Glastonbury x The North Face tents for example! Now I’m craving a lukewarm can of beer…

Ian Downes,
Director, Start Licensing
I auditioned a lot of bands in my head to decide who would get the gig but kept coming back to The Smiths. I think that was inevitable. I was lucky enough to see The Smiths live many times, including in small venues at the start of their career, and actually interviewed Morrissey and Marr. I also got on stage with them once in Ormskirk; A moment I still hold dear.

I think there are many people like me to whom The Smiths means something special – musically and emotionally. I think this could translate well into a well curated licensing programme. The Smiths album and singles covers featured a variety of ‘cover stars’ generally sourced from film, pop culture or TV – and usually featured in black and white. If rights allowed, this could be a ‘design palette’ with potential across multiple product categories.

However, my principle idea for The Smiths would be an exhibition that blends music, film footage, ephemera, lyrics and artwork. I think people of ‘my generation’ would find this a really appealing immersive experience and I’m sure that there would be a great venue in Manchester to host it. Salford Lads Club springs to mind.

This experience might be as close as we would ever get to a Smiths reunion – thinking principally about the sad loss of Andy Rourke as opposed to the Morrissey/Marr friction. The Smiths: A Light That Never Went Out – The Immersive Experience… Coming soon, I hope.

Louise Simmonds,
Licensing Expert
Growing up as a teen through the 90s, there were so many great bands and differing music cultures to explore and experience. Yet I am going to pick the super cool Jay Kay and the band Jamiroquai, with a playlist that includes Space Cowboy, Little L, Emergency on Planet Earth, Virtual Insanity, Cosmic Girl and Too Young to Die to name a few.

Following Jay Kay’s recent appearance with Dua Lipa, his upcoming 2025 live tour and the current interest in the 90s vibe from Gen Z, I feel the moment is perfect for a brand licensing programme with Jamiroquai.

From a branding and marketing standpoint, Jamiroquai has its own signature logo that is instantly recognisable and could be integrated into a variety of product categories. The silhouette could work wonderfully for visual merchandising. I wonder if the silhouette could also dance and move for use across social and digital campaigns?

Although there are multiple product areas that could work, especially in the 90s fashion and accessory aesthetic. A product I feel could be particularly cool for fans is a sounds, lights and visual art immersive experience that pulls on Jay Kay’s dance moves and Jamiroquai’s album graphics, lyrics and music videos. How about a moving illusionary floor for Virtual Insanity, possibly with a game element that has you avoiding obstacles? Or perhaps you are in a futuristic style nightclub for Cosmic Girl, inspired by the lyrics and as a nod to Jay Kay’s dance moves?”

Richard Pink,
MD, Pink Key Licensing
I think that a band who could successfully develop a compelling range of merchandise would be Elbow. The band are renowned for their expansive epic sound and particularly for Guy Garvey’s poetic genius. Certainly not mainstream, but a great opportunity to create a meaningful merchandise range that reflects band’s cult appeal and a deep connection with their fan base.

Apparel would be key to the programme, utilising snippets of Guy Garvey’s lyrics using slogans such as ‘We’ll make the moon our Mirrorball’, ‘Throw those curtains wide’, ‘Build a Rocket Boys’, and utilising the album artwork as the key imagery. T-shirts, on trend vintage jackets and scarves, and even trainers would be likely product candidates.

Limited editions would fit the band’s appeal particularly well, whether it was prints of the artwork or replica set lists with an element of personalisation which would fit with the connection the band have with their fanbase.

Gifting would also be of appeal to the ‘Dad’ demographic, with mugs bearing lyrics, drinking-related items to reflect some the song’s themes about drinking with friends – ‘Another sunrise with my sad captains’ – and this could also extend into a range of branded beers and spirits.

A line of stationery or bookmarks would appeal to the literary side of the fanbase and would reflect the one of the key facets of the band – their lyrics penned by Guy Garvey which are nothing if not poetic.

Eco-friendly merch, such as reusable water bottles or other sustainable merch appealing to the environmentally conscious audience, would also play into an underlying message that they care about the world around them. But not without the humour that accompanies everything they do and obvious to anyone who has seen them perform live.

David Born,
CEO of Born Licensing & Born to License
My pick is Fleetwood Mac, without question! Their cross-generational appeal, iconic sound, and unforgettable aesthetic make them perfect for licensing. We’ve already seen the power of Stevie Nicks as a brand, with the Barbie doll inspired by her selling out almost instantly.

A great product idea: a premium lifestyle collection blending vintage fashion, home décor and vinyl accessories. Think velvet throws, incense holders, embroidered jackets, and beautifully designed record players. All of course capturing that dreamy, boho spirit Fleetwood Mac is known for.

I think it would be a massive hit and would serve the generations that love the band – both those who have been longtime fans and those who have discovered the timeless band more recently.

Anthony Marks,
MD & Founder, Fanattik
Fanattik is all about heritage, supporting brands with multi-generational appeal, so I am gravitating towards Iron Maiden – a British band who, like me, celebrated their 50th anniversary in 2025. When you look at available merch now for bands, it’s mostly clothing, maybe a few souvenirs… The exception when it comes to Iron Maiden is the great product that their licensee Nemesis Now creates, such as the themed tankards and goblets.

A good chunk of the fans of this band are the older demographic and do not want yet another t-shirt or keying, so we would suggest tapping into one particular aspect of the band – the tours. Tours connect with the hardcore fans and even if you were too young to go to a particular tour, you will have heard about it or watched it on TV. In the 1980s you had the Killer World Tour, in the 1990s the No Prayer on the Road Tour and starting this year the Run For Your Lives World Tour, so there is a wealth of material to utilise.

A higher end range of collectible product commemorating these tours, potentially limited to the year of the tour and with packaging that captures the colours and theme of the decade, would be very well received. Both by fans who went to the actual concerts and fans who wished they could go back in time and go to the concert.

Stuart Hunt,
Marketing Director, Major Look
It would have to be a band or musician with a distinctive look and style to work across a programme of different licensed products. If they’re iconic and influential, then that’s obviously a big plus too. Nineties and noughties bands and fashion are enjoying a resurgence. There also seems to be a blended trend of toys, collectibles, and fashion that is gaining in popularity too – as shown with brands like Labubu, which are popular with both teens and adults.

With that in mind, I would say a band like the Spice Girls would be perfect for a fresh new licensing programme today, especially as they are recognised globally and each member has a distinct look and personality. I think a POP MART x Spice Girls collaboration would do really well. A range of collectible Spice Girls-inspired dolls would fly off the shelves – appealing to both music fans and collectors. Collecting all five could prove a bit of a challenge, mind!

John Dyer,
MD, Windle Creative
I think that in order to drive a successful licensing campaign, you have to start with something – or someone – iconic and play with that… As much as there is an abundance of iconic music throughout the ages, when looking at bands – especially ones that stand out with their visual brand identity – there aren’t as many truly untapped iconic ones as you might expect.

So, instead of looking at one band, we looked at a selection and tried to work it into a licensable range using another household brand as a partner… Yes, we’ve some great fun in the studio with this and came up with ‘iconic bands meets Cadbury’ in ‘The Choc ’N’ Roll Selections’.

We looked to utilise Cadbury’s existing, classic brands and playfully integrate iconic band’s names/songs/artwork. From Freddo Mercury to The Stone Roses…

As a final note, I’d like to add that we had some other things which we were considering playing around with which I’ll list for you here in no particular order…

Elton John’s Goodbye Yellow Brick Road Teeth Whitening Set, ZZZ Top Duvet Set, The Beatles – Hello Goodbye T-shirts for Introverts, Desmond Double Decker, Fleetwood Caramac, Picnik Kershaw, Fruit & Slipnut, Bruno Mars Bar/Life on Mars Bar, Emerson Flake & Palmer, Aero-smith, Kit-Kat Stevens, Oreo Speed Wagon, Boostie Boys, Milk Tracy Chapman, Fairy Milk, Bon Bon Jovi, Jimmi HenTwix, Cadbury Queen Egg, Eminem M&M, Pez Zeppelin, Skid Rolo, Tom Petty & The Jawbreakers, Careless Wispa, David Bounty, The QUALITY Streets, Pharell Rocher… And so on and so on – you get the gist!

The post Talking Brands: With festival season upon us, which bands or artists could drive a licensing programme today? appeared first on Brands Untapped.

Top of our wish list at the moment are Buffy the Vampire Slayer, FernGully, Sweet Valley High, Sabrina the Teenage Witch and That’s So Raven – all shows our customers have been asking us for, and that have plenty of devoted fans here at TruffleShuffle HQ too.

For these properties to succeed in licensing today, access to the right assets is key. We’ve seen first-hand how much more powerful a product becomes when it taps into authentic, recognisable moments from the original series… Whether that’s early illustrated artwork, photographic cast imagery, lyrics from the soundtrack or even memorable quotes and episode-specific references. That kind of detail instantly connects with fans and sparks the emotional response that drives a purchase.

As more retro IPs get snapped up by big studios, there’s often a shift towards cleaner, remastered graphics or generic character silhouettes – which can make licensing more straightforward, but sometimes at the expense of the nostalgia that makes these brands special. If licensors are able to retain and offer access to a richer library of original assets, it allows licensees to create product that really feels like the show or movie fans remember – and that’s where the magic happens.

Ultimately, the best-performing ranges we’ve worked on are the ones that go beyond surface-level recognition and tap into the deeper emotional connection people have with these stories. If a relaunch can honour that, while staying flexible to modern tastes and formats, there’s no reason these IPs couldn’t be just as relevant – and successful – today.

Luc Hudson, Co-Founder, Triclops Studio
It’s a tricky question – partly because the vast majority of IPs from my childhood have either been relaunched already or never really went away. We are big fans of more obscure toy lines from the past here at Triclops, but that preference would make our picks very niche and therefore only likely to appeal to the select few other toy nerds who were aware of the brand the first time around…

If it was up to nine-year-old me to make the decision, I would plum for the M.U.S.C.L.E. line of wrestlers – the two-inch-high pink marvels which were my favourite toys as a kid. Based on the successful and long-running Japanese manga Kinnikuman, Mattel rebadged the line and released the figures in either garbage can tubs of 10, or blister packs of four randomly assorted figures. The appeal to me was the weird and wonderful variety of cool characters. The fact there was no real backstory conveyed on pack meant that I could just pit the characters against each other in a free-for-all, no-rules battle for supremacy.

However, this falls into the category of IPs that never really went away if we include Asia in the discussion, so adult me would suggest Extreme Dinosaurs from 1997. I missed out on the cartoon show and the brand slipped past me first time around, but the IP has all of the right ingredients to appeal to kids and kidults alike if it were brought back today. The slightly hokey plot of the 52-episode animated show concerned a meddling villain who caused the extinction of the dinosaurs first time around, and teams of good ‘Extreme Dinosaurs’ versus bad ‘Raptors’ who had lain dormant for millions of years to be awoken in the modern world. Most stories focus on the bad guys creating environmental disasters and the good guys foiling them.

The most appealing aspect to me is the OTT character designs – the dinos are all jacked up to beefy scale off the back of the success of other musclebound-mutant toy lines of the time like Street Sharks and Cowboys of Moo Mesa, both of which have been on the relaunch roster recently. The guaranteed appeal of gnarly dinosaurs means that marketing could be fairly minimal in order to drive sales. The notion that dinosaurs could teach kids basic principles about environmental issues and being more green kind of makes sense – even if this aspect of the show is secondary to the fact that the dinosaurs have blasters, cannons and cool cyborg bits!

We often – rather heatedly! – discuss the deluge of relaunches in the studio and one of our beefs is the fact that most fans of an original IP have the original toys already. We question whether this primary target audience would want or need to buy relaunched product, especially if it does not have additional perceived value when compared to the first wave. On the flip side, would fans of an original toy line want a ‘modernised’ or reimagined version of something that in its original form tugs so hard on their nostalgia strings? That’s why something like Extreme Dinosaurs should be a safer bet. Even without heavy promo, the theme is a perennial favourite with kids and the fight features on the hero characters would inject some much-needed play value to the action figure aisle.

Debs Southwood, Design Director & Co-Founder, Wigwam Studios
It’s fantastic to see so many retro brands making an appearance in licensing and I’m proud to have been involved in bringing some of my personal childhood favs back to life. But if there’s one brand I would absolutely love to see relaunched, it’s SuperTed! I mean, what’s not to love about a teddy bear with super powers?!

The messaging and premise of the original story is more relevant today than ever – an ordinary bear, cast aside for not being “perfect” is taken under the wing of a visiting alien who sees his true worth and brings out his superpowers! We can all relate I’m sure! This message alone will give this brand wings – or a cape – to succeed in the licensing world. Not only will it tickle the nostalgic buds of us 80s kids, but it can also inspire a new generation of fans to believe in their own true worth and embrace those who lift them up to let their superpowers shine.

I heard a rumour a while back that SuperTed may be getting relaunched, but I’ve not seen anything come to fruition yet… I’m really hoping it does though, and I know I’ll be first in line for some product! My original SuperTed plush sits on my desk – he’s looking his age but his energy and message is stronger than ever. Please, please, please bring him back – the world needs more Super Teds (and Spotty’s)!

David Born, CEO, Born Licensing & Born to License
I’d love to see Captain Planet make a comeback. With climate consciousness at the forefront for younger generations, the brand’s eco-forward message feels timelier than ever. A rebooted animated series or even a big-screen adaptation, in the spirit of Masters of the Universe (coming 2026), could be incredibly impactful. The storytelling potential is huge, and the licensing opportunities that could follow. Toys, apparel, educational content and eco-conscious product ranges would resonate with a generation that cares deeply about the planet. The time feels right to bring Captain Planet back into pop culture in a meaningful way!

Ian Downes, Director, Start Licensing
One TV show I always made a beeline to watch in the 1970s – yes I am that old – was We Are The Champions. It was a BBC show presented by the wonderful Ron Pickering. Ron was one the BBC’s leading sports presenters at the time and, specifically, their resident athletics expert. We Are the Champions saw three schools competing in a series of team challenges that were loosely based around athletics, swimming and other sports events. It was fun and engaging. I seem to recall Ron being joined by a sports star of the day as his co-presenter. I was always trying to get my Waterloo primary school to compete in We Are the Champions but now realise we were probably under resourced, and our teachers had other priorities, like teaching us to read and write. A TV televised sports day wasn’t high on their to do list!

We Are the Champions succeeded in delivering a competitive sports competition in an engaging and credible way, with children as the stars. It was, to use modern parlance, relatable. I think the format could work well now and could be linked to other schemes to encourage children’s participation in sports. It may well appeal to sports associations and the government as a promotional platform for their aims.

I am sure a modern production company could get a lot of sports stars involved and, depending on the channel, it would be an attractive sponsorship opportunity for certain brands. The format could be revamped with contemporary graphics, settings and challenges, and I think it would translate well to licensing in regard to outdoor toys, play equipment and live events. I could also see it working well in on-pack promotions, maybe even linked to other sports events and programmes like Park Run. We Are the Champions also has scope for international syndication format wise as well.

Sadly, Ron Pickering is no longer with us, but I understand a certain Gary Lineker has a bit more free time now and would be a strong candidate for the Ron role. Indeed I believe he presented a one off version of We Are The Champions at one point, so knows the format well!

Rob Ames, Co-Founder, Triclops Studio
There’s been a tsunami of returning retro brands over the last few years – 80s, 90s and I’m guessing it won’t be long before we start to see early 00s IP rebound. Whether it’s the trendy ‘Kidult ‘ market or a reimagining for today’s youngsters driving their reappearance, it’s safe to say my childhood is currently back on shelf – from He-Man and Care Bears, to Furby and Koosh. Even more obscure lines like Madballs, Cowboys of Moo Mesa, Biker Mice from Mars and Barnyard Commandos are available once again.

I was going to plump for another fond 90s childhood toy IP – Monster in my Pocket, the PVC, neon-infused collectibles line (not the awful 2006 second generation version!) I definitely think the line could make a comeback given pocket money offerings are trending again, as are blind boxes/bags, but also its strong brand stretch potential with spin-offs, such as Wrestlers in my Pocket or Aliens in my Pocket. Its MIMP supporting comics, trading cards, lunch boxes – and there were even bum bags and caps! – were amazing too.

HOWEVER, I’m going leftfield… Let’s bring back 90s streetwear clothing brands: Thrilla Krew Gear and/or Maui Surf Co. What’s old is new in fashion these days. Levi’s, GAP, Ed Hardy, Juicy Couture and FILA are all set to make major comebacks this year and next, so why not either of these iconic properties.

As an impressionable 11-year-old growing up in gloomy Leicester, the US sunshine surf and skate scene seemed soooo rad – with its gnarly graphics, cool characters and vibrant colour palettes. Thrilla Krew’s Thrilla Gorilla and Da’ Boyz were cool and humorous (I wasn’t aware of Santa Cruz till my teens!), and Maui’s rare, The Legend of Sharkman action figures (inspired by the tee’s iconic frontman) were always on my wishlist when out toy shopping, but sadly they never made our shores! I was lucky enough, however, to get my grubby mitts on some Maui board shorts and a few Thrilla Krew ‘Street Krew’ t-shirts when I visited Florida for the first time on a family holiday… I wore them to death, much to the envy of my mates back home.

Some 30 years on, I believe Thrilla Krew and Maui are both re-releasing limited edition tees, and Super7 released a Thrilla Gorilla ReAction figure last year – but surely they’re ripe for a much bigger revival!? Both tap into the current resurgence of 90s and 00s sportswear trends and could easily be marketed towards a new audience through a mix of nostalgia, endorsement and social media.

Crossing the streams with credible brand collaborations is also hot right now, so what about a graphical Thrilla Krew x Stussy crossover, or a Maui x Palace capsule collection like their recent Oakley one. Maybe hiring a ‘celebrity’ creative director/visionary to lead the charge – like the recent hirings of Nigo at Uniqlo, Pharrell Williams at LEGO, and Salehe Bembury at Puma – could help fuel a credible comeback? As well as clothing, both brands have the scope to release a plethora of themed accessories too – another big streetwear trend. Supreme seems to nail every accessory they drop, whether it be a water bottle, water soaker or jet ski ! Sunglasses, caps, beach bags, shoes or towels… The possibilities are huge.

Helen Lynch, Retail Consultant & Executive Coach, HL Retail Brand Licensing Consultancy
One IP I’d love to see make a comeback is The Good Life. Tom and Barbara ditching the rat race in suburban Surbiton to grow veg, raise chickens, and live off the land – much to Margot’s fabulous horror. It was a brilliant example of popular cross generational 70s telly, loved in our house!

When it first aired, it sparked a real shift. Allotments became trendy again, people got into preserving, pickling, making their own wine… And post-pandemic, we’ve seen that same energy come back. Sustainability, climate action, doing more with less.

Brand licensing today? I had fun –and a little help from ChatGPT – thinking about retro-style, vintage artwork and slogans on tees, mugs, stationery, kitchen linens with cheeky nods to self-sufficiency and current trends such as ‘Grow Your Own Way’ ‘Powered by Parsnips’, ‘Barbara Runs This Plot’, ‘Margot Wouldn’t Approve’ and ‘Keep Calm and Muck In’.

Given the relevance of the show’s values today – sustainability, community, and living more consciously – beyond just nostalgia, there’s space for clever collabs… Garden centre collections, grow-your-own kits, craft kits, sustainable homeware, seed calendars, and even community market-style pop-ups. Experience-wise, I could see a “Good Life” retreat or workshop series going down really well.

The show does reflect the broadcast standards, language, and attitudes of its time and some of the original content is dated now. The 2010 Giles & Sue reboot proved it can flex into modern culture and opens up the chance to retell it in a fresh, relevant way. Personally, I’d love to see Barbara and not Tom front and centre – strong, capable, and making it all work behind the scenes. The Good Life today? It’s all about joy, resilience and doing your own thing – and that’s a story a lot of people want in their homes right now.

Another nostalgic brand I’d love to see make a comeback is Instant Whip – the convenience dessert that ruled British teatimes (and our house in the 70s). It was a proper treat of my childhood – light, fluffy and yummy!

Made by Birds, Instant Whip had real character. Then along came Angel Delight – also Birds – with a smoother, more grown-up vibe, and by the 80s, Instant Whip was quietly slipping down the rankings. But let’s be honest, while Angel Delight might’ve stuck around, it never had the same personality. Instant Whip had the Whirlin’ Magician, on-pack comps to win fab t-shirts and even tie-ins with legends like The Magic Roundabout. It was fun!

There are loads of opportunities for lifestyle brand licensing and collaborations. It could be cleverly repositioned for today’s themes of retro comfort and authenticity, bringing it back with a twist – pastel packaging, retro fonts… Perfect for homeware, slogan tees, mugs, retro kitchen appliances, gifting and more.

Also, there’s real scope for foodie collabs – with updated ingredients for a more health-conscious era. Those classic Instant Whip flavours – strawberry, chocolate, vanilla, banana – are on trend for retro milkshakes, or ice cream desserts. Or a cheeky chocolate bar with a whip-style centre or even a Whip-flavoured cocktail… You’ve got something for every age and occasion.

Instant Whip has that rare mix of nostalgia, charm and a bit of untapped magic. With smart positioning, the brand could deliver a fresh wave of relevance – especially when paired with partners who understand how to blend nostalgia with modern-day formats. I’d love to see Instant Whip ‘re-whipped’ for today’s consumers!

Louise Simmonds, Licensing Industry Expert
One of the early 80s Saturday morning animations that I raced onto the sofa to watch was The Raccoons, which to me had the most awesome theme tune… I can hear it now: “Run with us, we’ve got everything you need…” This has now also got me thinking of Dogtanian for nostalgic 80s children’s TV theme tunes! Other than The Raccoons’ excellent song, there are several reasons that support a revamped licensing campaign aimed at a new children’s audience, as well as utilising the original artwork for a retro vibe that would be aimed at young adults.

Central to each episode is the important message of environmental protection. The protagonists, the raccoons, are always thwarting the villain Cyril Sneer from finding ways to profit from the deforestation of their home, ‘Evergreen Forest’. This is a positive message that remains highly relevant and significant today.

With a play pattern of good versus evil, coupled with themes of friendship and overcoming obstacles this offers toy, plush and digital gaming opportunities. It’s humorous and appeals to both genders which supports the apparel and home categories too. Finally, music was a feature in the episodes which can help bind a licensing and marketing strategy together.

James Oddy, Co-Founder, Vize
I was always a massive fan of Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors — it was such a unique and imaginative show. It followed the Lightning League, a heroic team piloting customised, weaponised vehicles in a battle against the monstrous, plant-like Monster Minds. The mix of sci-fi, fantasy and rich storytelling made it unforgettable.

With today’s appetite for nostalgic IPs, Jayce is perfect for a reboot. Its distinct style and under-the-radar status would appeal to a generation that values retro culture – making it both a smart and stylish licensing opportunity.

Adam Colp, Co-Founder, Vize
I would love to see Centurions rebooted. This show would work so well now as an updated anime or even CGI series.

The premise of the show was hero characters with mech armour saving the planet, which could be customised with different weapons and accessories. With all the current mech series on at the moment – like Transformers, Gundam or Love, Death and Robots – it would fit in nicely.

In licensing, costumes would be next level with clip-on accessories, not to mentioned rebooting the action figure line. Brings back some serious fantastic memories!

The post Talking Brands: Retro revival… Which brands are ripe for a comeback? appeared first on Brands Untapped.

Tim Collins

Hammer is still with us and there have been more recent movies of course… The Woman in Black with Daniel Radcliffe in 2012 and this year sees Dr Jekyll with Eddie Izzard released for – you guessed it – Halloween. Classic Hammer films include Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy and The Quatermass Xperiment, where actors such as Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Ingrid Pitt and Oliver Reed all found fame.

Rob Ames, Co-Founder, Triclops Studio
With falling autumn leaves comes spooky season – my favourite season. Out with back-to-school stationary and in with the blood-soaked Halloween merch!

As a lifelong horror movie fan – hooked after watching A Nightmare on Elm Street on VHS when I was way too young – 2023 has been a pretty decent year so far… From indie chiller Talk to Me to the killer robot doll M3GAN, French meta zombie comedy Final Cut to the time-traveling horror/sci-fi mash-up Totally Killer. Iconic horror franchises have also seen new blood, fresh innovation and social relevance injected into their stories. Look at Saw X, Scream 6, The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster (a modern take on Frankenstein), Evil Dead Rise, The Exorcist: Believer…

Now, I’m not really into the warped, gory, body horror stuff. For me, I’m drawn to those ‘killer’ character archetypes that command the screen, rack up the body count and make you think about your own fears, grief and death. I grew up on some of the all-time greats: Freddy Kreuger, Michael Myers, Hannibal Lector, Leatherface, Pinhead, Jason Voorhees, Chucky, Jigsaw and Ghostface to mention a few. Before these freakshows, I was schooling myself on more ‘horror lite’ movies as a kid: It, The Lost Boys, Arachnophobia, Gremlins, The People Under the Stairs, Beetlejuice, Tremors and even Robocop and Candyman – very much adult films that somehow wormed their way onto my telly! I guess it’s like today’s Stranger Things or Disney’s new – mildly frightening – Haunted Mansion movie.

One such film and IP that really appealed to me as a kid – and feels relatively untapped licensing-wise – is 1987’s The Monster Squad. It’s a ‘Goonies meets Universal Monsters’ mishmash where a young group of monster fanatics attempt to save their hometown from Count Dracula and his evil horde. It’s now a cult, if forgotten, classic, bombing when it launched at the cinema. It’s a great movie, a mix of scary and funny, and at the time I couldn’t understand why there wasn’t a kick-ass toy line and other merch to support it.

I think, some years later, Playmates tried to encapsulate its vibe when they launched Monster Force in 1997. Again, it didn’t do so well but given ‘kid horror’ is now a streaming staple as well as a steady, upward-trending genre at the box office, a new take on The Monster Squad could be cool, timely and drive the resurrection of retro movie merch and new opportunities.

If it was me at the helm, I’d switch out the now-dated monsters from the film and replace them with more commentary, made-up, internet-worth, Creepypasta characters. Hit me up Hollywood!

Stephanie Griggs, Founder & Creative Director, Studio Griggs
I have to say that I am fairly easily scared, so I’m not a hardcore horror fan – but what instantly came to mind for me on this one is David Lynch’s cult classic, Twin Peaks. Some would say it’s in the genre of psychological thriller – but undoubtedly horror is one of the main tropes of the series, along with surrealist drama, dark humour and incredible cinematography. Killer Bob is one of the greatest villains of all time, and his M.O is terrifying.

I do think Twin Peaks has licensing legs all year round, and over the years the brand has successfully expanded into merchandise and publishing, particularly to coincide with the show’s return in 2017. Merch that came out at this point mostly leant into the nostalgia of the Twin Peaks opening sequence and tropes of characters like Agent Cooper and Audrey Horne. It covered categories including health and beauty, skateboards, apparel, cosplay and gifting.

What seems to be relatively untapped though – especially for Halloween – would be the unleashing of the unnerving, creepy and downright psychologically twisted aspects of the series into merchandise… Maybe a focus on 90s nostalgia, in combination with the Black Lodge – the alternate plane of reality, accessible through the woods of Twin Peaks and filled with malevolent spirits. I can see slogans like ‘No-one is innocent in a town like Twin Peaks…’ or the cryptic ‘Fire walk with me’ on product, implying the pervasive sense of darkness and foreboding that hangs over the narrative and makes it so memorable.

Separately, the soundtrack is one of my all-time favourites for evoking an atmospheric mood. Transcending horror, it’s both soothing and deeply unsettling, creating a sense of unease and suspense. It would certainly make fans stop in their tracks whenever they heard it – and would be the perfect marketing audio, inside or outside of the Halloween period!

Twin Peaks helped pave the way for shows like Stranger Things, which has of course had major success in all year-round licensing. By focusing on mood over meaning and the journey over the destination, this genre has strong appeal – and the appetite from cult fans is surely there.

Thinking about it, I might use Twin Peaks as my Halloween theme this year. I’ll blast the soundtrack, invest in an excellent wig and perfect my manic Killer Bob face as I open the door to unsuspecting trick or treaters…

Sophie Bloomfield, Creative Director, SBC
The horror category is relatively untapped currently and there are so many great opportunities to be had! A big part of SBC is looking for great commercial trends and the correlating IP to match them. With the spread of Emo/Goth/Grunge and 2000s trends, it’s the perfect time to mine dormant or nostalgic brands.

Twilight – although not classically gruesome horror! – is perfect for licensing at the moment. It’s trending well on TikTok and the aesthetic fits all the horror/grunge trends.

Another great property to tap would be Emily the Strange. She originally appeared on the scene in the form of a comic book created by Rob Reger. This IP is already remerging into the US market via Dolls Kill, but this would be a great brand for Europe too, especially in the fashion specialist retailers.

My last choice would be the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina by Archie comics. I was lucky enough to work on this IP when I headed up Creative Services at WildBrain CPLG. Archie comics in general has a wealth of untapped IP and incredible artwork. Pretty much everything you see in their classic comic books is there to be mined. The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina the Teenage Witch comic is much darker then the classic 90s TV version, which means it’s more in line with the trends we’re seeing now. Plus, the popularity of the Netflix live action version – and she has a cat, and cats always sell well! – means it’s a great IP for all year-round spooky times.

Deirdre Cross, General Manager of Emerging Brands, Funko Games & Mondo, Funko
At Prospero Hall, we’ve long been fans of horror films – and spooky licenses in general. In recent years, we’ve worked with the incredible Funko licensing team to secure several untapped licenses. In 2020, we released our Disney Haunted Mansion: Call of the Spirits game which is designed for families to play. We have been pleased to see that this property is a 365 opportunity for consumers to purchase and play, not just during “spooky season”.

In May of this year, we released our new Scream Game. This product is complex from a licensing perspective, as it required us to obtain rights from both Paramount, for the film, to use the name and the story, and from Fun World for use of the “Ghost Face” mask. We believe we’re experiencing the benefit of a lot of pent-up demand due to this complexity at retail as fans are coming out for our game in a major way!

Carl Rush, Creative Director, Crush Creative
Halloween all year? Hell yeah!

I’m not particularly fond of making sweeping trend forecasts, unless we focus on the specific brand or property, taking into account various factors like industry and market trends, the target audience, and the brand’s core values. Ensuring that style consistently aligns with the brand is paramount, right? Well, yes, typically, but when it comes to Halloween, horror, and all things gothic, maybe this is one trend that universally fits all…

So, I decided to put this theory to the test with some of our Crush clients. Let’s give it a shot, shall we?

• McDonald’s Black Meal: Swap out the golden arches for a gothic ornate gateway.
• Gothic Pokémon: An eerie and macabre collection of toys.
• SpongeBob Black SquarePants: Mission accomplished!
• F1 Fright Night: A night race amidst gothic architecture, complete with matching merchandise.
• Budweiser Goes Bump In The Night: It just clicks!

Honestly, I believe I could make gothism work for any brand, especially with the growing popularity of goth clothing across various fashion styles, from Techno Goths to Catwalk Goths and even Cowboy Goths. Shows like Wednesday, Stranger Things (with its Hellfire Club), and recent films like The Nun (for which we just finished some licensing assets) demonstrate that our appetite for all things gothic knows no bounds.

Brands like Killstar have partnered with numerous IPs, and even high fashion labels like Vampires Wife have collaborated with H&M. The consumer demand is there year-round, without a doubt.

Embrace your inner bat!

Charlie Day, President, The Sharpe Company
As a Brit-born licensing guy who’s lived and worked in California for decades, Halloween is one of those tentpole/anchor seasonal merch events – and horror has always been a massive part of the Halloween experience here.

For adults over many decades, a major part of Halloween fun has been going to The Rocky Horror Show, dressing up and participating in that event. The brand has huge pull for Americans – it’s a cultural force here and it’s so far been relatively untapped as a licensing opportunity.

Rocky Horror is an immersive event experience that is a convergence of Rock N Roll music, hugely memorable sing along songs, and cosplay – while at the same time having a really strong culturally appropriate message. When Rocky Horror launched 50 years ago, it was the first time a lot of people went to a theatre and felt they could express themselves freely – whether they were transgender, queer, straight or whatever… And they felt safe doing so.

Plus, it’s a generational thing that has rolled forward. We see as many college theatrical productions now as we did previously – literally hundreds – and the movie shows at hundreds of movie theatres every Halloween. It’s the longest running theatrical movie release ever. Those events – and the fact that the music is just so memorable – have kept the Rocky Horror Show embedded in public consciousness over the decades.

Now, the newest of platforms for social expression – TikTok – has been embraced by fans so they can express, share, and exhibit their Rocky Horror’ness with younger fans are using it to share their love of the brand. Last time I looked there were over 600 million views/searches for Rocky Horror on the platform – and the numbers are growing fast.

Rocky Horror has now caught the imagination of US licensees as it has so far been relatively untapped as a property. With its long history and devoted fandom, Rocky Horror sits comfortably as an evergreen property – and horror is hot here! So, although tongue-in-cheek, Rocky Horror Show’s horror credentials are also a key draw for licensees.

One major US retailer said to me at Licensing Expo: “Horror now is not just Halloween…. Horror is 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for us.”

To tap into that convergence, I’m keen to see how the comic book series currently being developed by Dark Horse is going to take the story of Rocky Horror into the next realm and on to the next adventure. It’s going to be fascinating to see how the fans respond to it. It will expand the universe of Rocky Horror through what is ostensibly a traditional medium – books and storytelling – that will keep and build the Rocky Horror Story year long.

It’s a truly timeless time warp!

Chris Taday, Director, Licensing Link
Halloween has become increasingly significant in the UK seasonal calendar over the last decade. Retailers and brands focus primarily on products that have a scare-fest theme. Popular themes include bats, mummies, and Dracula, with blood, eyeballs and pumpkins often overlaid. The target age group determines the extent of the interest in Halloween and horror. Halloween is still considered a seasonal program for families and children in the UK, starting shortly after the ‘back-to-school’ period.

That said, one of the growing trends in the entertainment industry is the use of horror film franchises in year-round location-based entertainment. The SAW franchise has translated well into interactive experiences like escape rooms due to its intense and suspenseful nature. Other horror franchises like The Conjuring, Insidious and Squid Game have also been adapted into haunted house attractions and escape rooms that are now all-year-round activities instead of just seasonal ones.

The Conjuring is a well-known franchise in the US, with Warner Bros selling a comprehensive range of merchandise on its website compared to a much more limited range in the UK. The series of films created by James Wan includes not only the main Conjuring films, but also spin-offs like Annabelle and The Nun. These have garnered a large fan base and become a notable presence internationally.

The Conjuring franchise lends itself to consumer products such as figures, collectables, apparel, and games featuring creepy and iconic characters, such as the Warrens and other evil spirits. Foreign horror properties, especially those from Asian countries such as Japan and Korea, have recently gained significant popularity too.

It is essential to understand that the development of horror products depends on the target age group. It’s potentially challenging to market horror-themed items outside of the Halloween season for children and families. Parents are more cautious about purchasing these items. However, the interest in horror-themed items is increasing for adults visiting location-based entertainment, cosplay and other collectable merchandise.

The post Talking Brands: Which untapped horror brands deserve a bite at licensing? appeared first on Brands Untapped.

Triclops Studio is an award-winning design agency and invention studio whose expertise span front-end toy and game concept development, future thinking, character creation, IP story and world building, as well as strategy and brand architecture.

Based in East London, the think tank specialists work with a whole host of toy and entertainment clients, ranging from the likes of Hasbro, Mattel, LEGO, Moose Toys, and Spin Master to brand owners like Disney, BBC, Nickelodeon, and Aardman to name a few.

In their session, Rob and Luc will showcase examples of how they ‘squeeze the juice’ out of brands to generate fresh thinking and innovative product ideas.

The Brand Design Conference takes place on Monday, September 19th at ExCeL London – the day before the start of BLE 2022. The event is dedicated to exploring creativity and design thinking around brand extensions.

To buy a ticket to this year’s Brand Design Conference, head to: https://branddesignconference.co.uk/tickets/brand-design-conference-2022/.

The post Triclops Studio’s Rob Ames and Luc Hudson to share their ‘Squeezing the Juice’ approach to brand innovation at Brand Design Conference appeared first on Brands Untapped.

Back in March, the Cadbury Crème Egg celebrated its 50th anniversary with a limited-edition beer courtesy of Goose Island Beer Company.

The Golden Goo-Beer-Lee Creme Stout was a blend of malted barley, oats, wheat and milk sugar, as well as cacao nibs and vanilla beans, and it sold out in minutes.

“The flavours of a stout are already quite complementary to the Creme Egg, but I wanted to make sure when you crack open the beer you knew immediately what the inspiration was and really big up the chocolate and creaminess of the beer – while keeping it super drinkable,” said Goose Island Master Brewer, Andrew Walton.

It seems authenticity is key when bringing brands into beer, and especially when dealing with food brands. A good example is Marmite’s recent foray into booze with Camden Town Brewery.

To create the limited-edition Camden Marmite Ale, Camden started with a combination of pilsner, Munich, Perle hops and smoked Rauch malt. The brewers then added Marmite, resulting in a smoky, Marmite-infused ale.

“We worked really closely with the Marmite team throughout the brewing process,” Ashleigh Amos, Head of Brand Experience and Partnerships at Camden Town Brewery, told us.

“The last thing we wanted to do was create a Marmite beer that didn’t even taste of Marmite! So, we added real Marmite to make sure that yeasty flavour was punchy enough for all our Marmite – and beer – lovers!”

Away from food brands, the iconic board game Catan recently launched a range of beers with Champion Brewing Company.

Without a flavour to tie into beer, instead each launch reflects a different terrain within the game, like the Field Harvest Wheat Ale.

Following all this boozy activity, we asked Triclops Studio’s Rob Ames and Luc Hudson, Beams International’s Emma Coote and Tomato Source’s Emma Beeson for their suggestions as to what other brands are perfect for a beer collab.

Rob Ames & Luc Hudson, Co-Founders, Triclops Studio

It feels like it’s been a while since we’ve sat in a pub so we had to cast our minds back a little for this one!

Our original idea was to mash bar snack flavours with beer (Scampi Fries Stout anyone?) however, we saw that KP have already launched a Peanut-flavoured beer with a London brewery.

The last thing you’d want to do is drink a beer that is absolutely revolting (that hasn’t stopped us in the past) but we’re hoping that our ideas would actually taste quite nice….

Rob: Being a biscuit connoisseur, the idea of mixing Fox’s Biscuits flavours with beer seems a good blend. For example, Fox’s Ginger Crunch Cream beer or Bourbon, Custard Cream… It feels like the butteriness of biscuits is there in beer anyway.

It’s such a tradition at Christmas to get a Fox’s selection box, you could just mirror that and get a Christmas beer party-pack where you get all the favourite flavours. You could get a sample biscuit with every can – maybe something like those teacups with a biscuit shelf… Perhaps you pull the ring pull and the whole top of the can peels away so you can dunk your biscuit.

Luc: I’m a big fan of Kriek, the Belgian fruit beer, and was thinking about fruity products which could compliment the beer flavour. Muller Fruit Corner would be an interesting cross over, especially if the fruit puree element was a shot of liqueur which you could either choose to sink as a ‘bomb’ into the creamy beer or mix it in – echoing the various ways that people enjoy their Fruit Corner yogurt experience.

Alternatively, the bottle could be one of those old school pop bottles with a marble separating the two segments so you can see the fruit flavoured ‘shot’ in the top and swirl to mix the two components together (they still use them in Japan for soda).

Fox’s and/or Muller can just drop us a line to discuss the royalty deals!

Emma Coote, Group Brands & Licensing Director, Beams International

There’s some great character-led licensed beer in market and I know some of it sells exceptionally well, but I also think food and beverage licensing is strongest where there’s a genuine ‘reason to believe’ in the product. So that’s why I would lean towards a brand where, like Marmite, the proposition includes a flavour collaboration that genuinely works – and ideally adds a new dimension to the category.

As one of those people who spends half the day wondering if it’s too late for coffee and the other half wondering if it’s too early for alcohol, I’ve always been a big fan of those products that combine the two. You won’t see me much happier than when I’ve got an espresso martini in my hand!

Several coffee beers have emerged over the last few years but have by all accounts been a little ‘hit and miss’, and from what I’ve seen have been almost exclusively led by the beer brand.

I love the concept of ‘craft beer meets craft coffee’, so it would be great to see a coffee brand enter the beer space with a really authentic product; one that’s more about the coffee than the beer.

As certain pockets of the beer industry have had a pretty bad rap this year on matters such as workers’ welfare (and the coffee industry also has its own set of major issues in this regard), it would be amazing to see this product developed by a brand that puts ethics first. I think Pact Coffee would be a great candidate.

So my proposal would be a Pact Coffee Cold Brew IPA – and you can sign me up to be on the tasting panel!

Emma Beeson, Co-Founder, Tomato Source
So we all like a Friday night beer, and if you throw in a good film to boot, it’s a classic combination, isn’t it?

With the return of big films to the cinema screens I asked our team what they were looking forward to most – and with a resounding, emphatic yay (apart from James Bond) it’s Jurassic World: Dominion.

It just wouldn’t be right to see our 007 throwing a Martini out of the window, but we could have some fun with a Jurassic Park-inspired Barbasol Beer on a Friday night.

Remember the modified shaving cream can that Dennis Nedry used to smuggle the dinosaur embryos? Bring back the nostalgia with an awesome shaped Barbasol Beer Cryo-Can can with a see-through strip showing off a thirst quenching, amber beer.

And what else do we associate with Jurassic Park and an amber colour – yup, you guessed it – a mosquito! Atop the cane used by John Hammond.

Throw a widget into the can, shaped in a mosquito and there you have it – (probably) the most dangerous beer in the world to take a swig of. Now that would be a close shave! (and a great collector or instant win campaign!)

The post Talking Brands: Marmite and Catan have launched beer collaborations… Which other brands should take a swig? appeared first on Brands Untapped.