On July 7, 2022 License Global magazine, published by the Global Licensing Group, examines retail sales of licensed consumer products across all sectors for the 2021 fiscal year in its recently released Top Global Licensors Report. Total revenue for licensed consumer products at retail reported by the 88 licensors featured accounts for $260.8 billion, with 40 of those brand licensors bringing in at least $1 billion individually.
License Global surveyed its readership between April and May to directionally inform the annual editorial forecast and better understand the licensed consumer product market. This section of the report titled “The Brand Owner’s Survey: Brandscape 2022/23” is a result of that survey and the data collected, unless otherwise noted by source. For the 2022 edition, this year’s top ten licensors play a substantial role in stabilizing the market, with nearly all reporting significant year-on-year growth. Notably, The Walt Disney Company holds firm to its designation as the world’s leading licensor, reporting an estimated $56.2 billion, marking a $2.2 billion in growth year-on-year. Other standout companies and notable figures include:
- Authentic Brands Group, the No. 3 Top Global Licensor, had the biggest revenue growth year-on-year, reporting a $7.9 billion gain over the fiscal year 2020.
- Significant movement from The Pokémon Company International (+$3.4 billion) and Dotdash Meredith (+$5.8 billion).
- In total, the latest Top Global Licensors Report shows an upward revenue growth for licensed consumer products at retail of +$39.6 billion from the fiscal year 2020 to 2021.
- Fashion was indicated as the leading brand category currently held by licensees (70%), followed by Entertainment (i.e., streaming and gaming) and Lifestyle categories (i.e., home and beauty) at 60%, with Corporate Brands at 50%.
“Last year was a critical time for brands and retailers across all product categories as they reassessed how to support and engage with consumers amid year two of the pandemic,” said Amanda Cioletti, Vice President, Content and Strategy at the Global Licensing Group, Informa Markets. “While challenges persist, a common – and very welcome! – theme we saw woven throughout this year’s report is the unmistakable positive shift in tone as brands adapt and recover.” Cioletti continued, “All of the returning and new brands featured in the Top Global Licensors Report held a significant role in driving retail revenue, showcasing the immense power of licensed consumer products and brand extension as proven methods to engage with consumers, even amid the most challenging of times.” Categories represented in the 2022 report span a wide cross-section of verticals, from entertainment and characters to art and design, sports, gaming, automotive, home goods, fashion and apparel, and more. Of the listed brands, seven companies are new to the Top Global Licensors Report: Bandai Namco Group, Serta Simmons Bedding, Nissan Motor Corporation, BMW Group, Turnowsky, Bromelia Produções, and DeAPlaneta Entertainment.
The Top 10 Global Licensors for 2022:
- The Walt Disney Company – $56.2B (E)
- Dotdash Meredith – $35.9B
- Authentic Brands Group – $21.7B
- WarnerMedia/Warner Bros. Consumer Products – $15B
- The Pokémon Company International – $8.5B
- Hasbro – $8.4B
- NBCUniversal/Universal Brand Development – $8.3B
- Mattel – $7.4B (E)
- Bluestar Alliance – $6.5B
- Paramount Global/Paramount Consumer Products and Experiences – $6B
Register with License Global and download the full Top Global Licensors Report 2022 here.
