Licensing is a Child's Business

While present in kids’ lives throughout their youth, licenses, and the means through which they engage with them, tend to change and age in and out of children as they move through their different life stages.

Kids ages 3 to 5 represented the largest age group for licensed sales based on units sold, or 30 percent. The industries that over-indexed in this age group were toys, games and puzzles; arts and crafts; and health and beauty. Children ages 6 to 8 was the second-largest group, with 23 percent share of the kids’ licensing market. On the other hand, the industries holding the highest share for this age segment were school supplies, consumer electronics and accessories and arts and crafts. 

“There is a lot of fluidity in the kids’

In Q1, licensed sales for kids amounted to $14.2 billion in consumer spending. Across all industries, clothing captured the largest share of product sales, followed by toys, games and puzzles; party supplies and costumes; and DVD/Blu-ray and digital. 

“One thing is clear: in a world where consumption keeps changing more rapidly than ever, kids love their licensed products and in particular, love to wear them,” says Marshal Cohen, chief industry advisor, The NPD Group