When the joint venture of Creative Arts Agency’s licensing division and Global Brands Management Group was announced June 15, just in time to coincide with the company’s release of final year results, it did so with a simple press release, little fanfare and select media coverage.

So while partly under the radar among the general business media, the scope of the deal was huge news for the business of brand licensing–the joint venture created the world’s largest brand management company and licensing agency, as it combined with The Licensing Company and three other agencies previously acquired by GBG.

The mega deal also established a new set of initials–CAA-GBG–that will forever be etched into the minds of licensing executives around the globe.

Included in the Report: