License Global's annual report, The Top Global Licensors, returns, showcasing the most powerful brand licensing programs at retail from 2021.
The Top Global Licensors Report ranks the performance of brands’ licensed consumer products at retail for fiscal year 2021, while highlighting the key strategies, collaborations, and extensions they leveraged to achieve positive growth. This year’s report notes a positive shift as recovery remains at the fore for all businesses as we turn the page on another pandemic year.
Statistics from the Report:
The Top Global Licensors Report 2022 shows a total revenue reported of $260.8 billion for the 88 licensors that submitted, with 40 of those brand licensors bringing in at least $1 billion at retail.
Inside this Report:
The most powerful brands based on prior-year merchandise sales and the activity that helped them to achieve that outcome
Strategy and category insights from the world’s largest brands
Brandscape, a directionally informed market survey of brand licensor activity, from License Global, that includes the product categories licensors will bank on in 2023, top performing licenses and entertainment properties and more statistics and infographics
And more!
The Top Ten Global Brand Licensing Companies:
Rank | Company | Retail Sales 2021 | Retail Sales 2020 | Last Year's Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | The Walt Disney Company | $56.2B (E) | $54B | 1 |
2 | Dotdash Meredith | $35.9B | $30.1B (formerly Meredith Corporation) | 2 |
3 | Authentic Brands Group | $21.7B | $13.8B | 3 |
4 | WarnerMedia/Warner Bros. Consumer Products | $15B | $11B | 4 |
5 | The Pokémon Company International | $8.5B | $5.1B | 8 |
6 | Hasbro | $8.4B | $7.8B | 5 |
7 | NBCUniversal/Universal Brand Development | $8.3B | $7.5B | 6 |
8 | Mattel | $7.4B (E) | $2B (E) | 22 |
9 | Bluestar Alliance | $6.5B | $4.5B | 9 |
10 | Paramount Global/Paramount Consumer Products and Experiences | $6B | $5.8B (formerly ViacomCBS) | 7 |
More About the Top Ten:
The Walt Disney Company
Rank: 1
Retail Sales 2021: $56.2B (E)
As part of
, Disney Consumer Products, Games and Publishing brings beloved brands into the daily lives of families and fans of all ages through innovative products and immersive experiences around the world. Its products and retail experiences span across the company’s iconic brands –
,
,
,
,
,
and
– and are delivered through a variety of channels including the shopDisney e-commerce platform as well as at Disney Parks, local and mass-market retailers and Disney stores globally.
As the world’s largest licensing business, Disney Consumer Products, Games and Publishing works with top brands – including Hasbro, Mattel,
,
, Jay Franco, Kimberly Clark,
and
– on world-class products across multiple categories that appeal to our global consumers.
The business is also one of the world’s largest licensors of games across platforms; and the home of Disney Publishing Worldwide, one of the world’s largest publishing brands.
Dotdash Meredith
Rank: 2
Retail Sales 2021: $35.9B
boasts licensing programs for brands like
, Southern Living, The Spruce, Coastal Living and Brides.
Home lines, organization essentials and more bring in retail sales revenue for the company. Other domestic licensed programs include
cookware, pantry ware and spice collection; Cooking Light cookware and cutlery; and
natural cleaning products and floral arrangements.
Authentic Brands Group
Rank: 3
Retail Sales 2021: $21.7B
is a leading brand development, marketing, media and entertainment company. Generating more than $21 billion in licensed retail sales in 2021, ABG’s portfolio includes more than 50 global brands and properties and is diversified across the entertainment and life-style sectors.
The company’s entertainment properties include icons
,
and
; living legends
,
, Greg Norman, Julius “Dr. J” Erving, Thalia Sodi and Neil Lane; media properties
, Sports Illustrated Swim, Sports Illustrated Studios, Studio 99; and characters Mini Marilyn, Agent King and Little Shaq.
ABG’s experiences portfolio includes Shaq’s Fun House, SI Sportsbook, SI TIX, Prospects by Sports Illustrated, Sports Illustrated Circuit Series, The Sports Illustrated Awards, Sports Illustrated’s The Party, Sports Illustrated Swim Search,
Week, Graceland.
ABG also has a number of food and beverage and fashion and lifestyle brands.
WarnerMedia/Warner Bros. Consumer Products
Rank: 4
Retail Sales 2021: $15B
Global Brands and Experiences encompasses Warner Bros. Consumer Products,
, Warner Bros. Themed Entertainment and the company’s Franchise Development business units.
The company leverages the creative power of Warner Bros.,
, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, DC and more across the breadth of the company's biggest franchises like
,
,
,
,
,
,
, etc.
The Pokémon Company International
Rank: 5
Retail Sales 2021: $8.5B
In 2021, The Pokémon Company International celebrated 25 years of
across the franchise’s entertainment portfolio of video games, apps, the Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG), animation and merchandise.
Stemming from the brand’s massive 25th anniversary celebration and global campaign, TPCi’s licensing and retail programs experienced significant growth across gaming, toys, apparel and accessories, designer collaborations, tech gear, home décor and more.
Hasbro
Rank: 6
Retail Sales 2021: $8.4B
is a global play and entertainment company committed to making the world a better place for all children, fans and families. Hasbro delivers immersive brand experiences for global audiences through consumer products, including toys and games; entertainment through eOne, its independent studio; and gaming, led by the team at
, an award-winning developer of tabletop and digital games best known for fantasy franchises
and
.
The company's portfolio of approximately 1,500 brands includes Magic: The Gathering,
,
,
,
,
, Baby Alive,
,
,
,
and premier partner brands.
NBCUniversal/Universal Brand Development
Rank: 7
Retail Sales 2021: $8.3B
In 2021,
Universal Brand Development (UBD)
continued its alignment and collaboration within the Universal Parks & Resorts (UPR) division – creating significant bench strength as UBD is one of only two media companies that have global theme parks – enabling the division to deepen direct-to-consumer connections with innovative physical and digital products and experiences 365-days-a-year.
With fandom driving the momentum, UBD’s global brands such as Illumination’s
, Universal Pictures’
and
,
and vault properties from the studio’s 100-year-plus history continue to develop into bigger, broader franchises with expanding eco-systems.
Mattel
Rank: 8
Retail Sales 2021: $7.4B
top licensed properties include
,
,
and
. Mattel is a leading global toy company and owner of one of the strongest catalogs of children’s and family entertainment franchises in the world. Mattel creates innovative products and experiences that inspire, entertain and develop children through play.
The company engages consumers through its portfolio of iconic brands, including Barbie, Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price,
, Thomas & Friends,
,
,
and MEGA, as well as other popular intellectual properties that it owns or licenses in partnership with global entertainment companies. Offerings include film and television content, gaming and digital experiences, music and live events.
Bluestar Alliance
Rank: 9
Retail Sales 2021: $6.5B
The Bluestar Alliance portfolio includes some of the world’s most recognizable brands, including
,
, Elie Tahari,
, Tahari ASL,
,
,
, Catherine Malandrino, Kensie, Kensie Girl, English Laundry, Joan Vass and Limited Too.
Distribution is both international and domestic with revenue being derived from an extensive and comprehensive lifestyle licensing strategy that includes all classifications of product.
Key drivers are sportswear, dresses, active, swimwear, denim, footwear, handbags, accessories, fragrance, eyewear, electronics and home, among others. Each brand is supported by ongoing marketing, social and digital media initiatives to increase brand awareness and market share penetration.
Paramount Global/Paramount Consumer Products and Experiences
Rank: 10
Retail Sales 2021: $6B
Paramount Consumer Products and Experiences
oversees all licensing and merchandising for Paramount Global, a leading media and entertainment company that creates premium content and experiences for audiences worldwide. Licensing programs span across apparel, toys, books, digital and location-based experiences for its properties, such as beloved preschool brands
,
l and
, classic Nickelodeon brands,
,
,
, the
franchise as well as pop culture hits including “Yellowstone” and “Emily in Paris,” among many others.
