Page 12 - Toy&Hobby Magazine Aug-Oct 2020

ROUNDTABLE
LICENSING IN 2020
Talking business
Joining the roundtable is ViacomCBS VP Consumer Products APAC Claire O’Connor, Merchantwise Licensing GM licensing Kerryn McCormack and Disney VP & GM of Consumer Products & Retail Australia/New Zealand Meagan Sanders.
How has COVID-19 impacted your business and the wider licensing industry?
CLAIRE: The lockdown period certainly impacted the consumer products industry since consumer shopping patterns were completely disrupted.
As a company, we always want to serve our audience so we have been extremely committed to getting creative so that we can deliver products that work for their lifestyles.
We have worked with our fantastic licensees to create a broader range of CPG products including SpongeBob SquarePants and PAW Patrol hand sanitisers. We also developed digital character shows with Showtime so kids can still see their favourite characters from the safety of their homes.
KERRYN: Like all businesses, the licensing industry has been affected by COVID-19.
Location based entertainment such as character appearances, shows, and theme parks is perhaps the worst affected segment.
Film properties are challenging,
with shifting release dates delaying
or cancelling slated retail programs which had been lined up for those
cinema releases.
The other critical impact it has had on the licensing industry
– both here in Australia and across the world is the challenge of getting toys into market.
With many products manufactured in China, there have been inevitable delays with the manufacturing process
but also of course, with the products being delivered into warehouses and ultimately
into retailers.
12 TOY & HOBBY RETAILER AUGUST / SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2020