Alec Baldwin and Words With Friends - Innocent Victim or IPO Shill?

Belle — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 06:14:08 +0100

When an addiction to social gaming turns into a product endorsement: the case of Alec Baldwin getting thrown off a plane due to Words with Friends.

Here we go again - a celebrity's actions go overboard and he is actually thrown off a plane. If you haven't Read More...

The Forgotten Holiday - The Branding of (or lack of) Thanksgiving

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 06:31:46 +0100

CONSOR feels bad for Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving tends to get lost between the fantasy of Halloween and the abundance of Christmas. Who could blame retailers - there is only so much time companies can devote to advertising campaigns. But some brands can capitalize on the lack of attention given to Thanksgiving.

CONSOR has commented in the past about the value of celebrity endorsements, because that's what we do--Brand and Celebrity valuation. But how do you measure the value of unpaid "celebrity" endorsements? Sometimes we can quantify the value, but in any case it's sure to be a benefit, especially if the endorsement is from the presRead More...

CONSOR Predicted Demise of 25% Rule

Belle — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 12:59:55 +0100

Chairman Weston Anson Has Historically Called Rule Into Question

Quoting from Wes Anson’s most recent book, IP Valuation and Management (published by The ABA, 2010):

The 25 percent rule. This “rule” states that an appropriate royalty rate is established by allocating 25 percent of profit as a royalty. The questions this rule raises are obvious and fallRead More...

The Value of a Facebook Post – The Common Man Endorsement

Belle — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 07:00:00 +0100

What's Constant: Change

Ahhh... yesterday. As much as we yearn for the good old days, life is constantly changing. Changes in our consumer culture will always translate to change in business methods. Knowing that change is constant, and staying flexible with methods to market products, is what will establish a long and fruitful shelf life.

Constancy of Change: There Will Never Be A Yesterday Again (Part V)

Belle — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 22:57:32 +0100

Branding and Licensing Trends

The business of selling is an increasingly fluid method, and keeping up with trends can be difficult to master. Especially when the shelf life of inventory gets smaller and smaller, timing becomes everything. Through our own recent research and case work, CONSOR sees the following trends in branding and licensing.

&nbsRead More...

Constancy of Change: There Will Never Be A Yesterday Again (Part III)

Belle — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 10:52:30 +0100

Social Media Sells Anything

We have become a society demanding instant gratification, thanks to the accessibility of the Internet and the popularity of Facebook and Twitter. The following social media avenues have become instant methods of brand promotion.

Constancy of Change: There Will Never Be A Yesterday Again (Part II)

Belle — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 15:44:12 +0100

The New Reality of Retail Continued

How do you make your product known? Brand promotion and turning what your company sells into a household name are the key.

Household Names

How do you get your brands to become household names, like Disney or Nickelodeon? It takes persistence.

Constancy of Change: There Will Never Be A Yesterday Again (Part I)

Belle — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 16:22:10 +0100

What's Constant: CHANGE

Ahhh...yesterday. As much as we yearn for the good old days, life is constantly changing. Changes in our consumer culture will always translate to change in business methods. Knowing that change is constant, and staying flexible with methods to market products, is what will establish a long and fruitful shelf life.

Cheers to the Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton

Belle — Tue, 03 May 2011 15:56:41 +0100

CONSOR asks - Who Benefits from the Royalties of the Royal Family Brand?

A royal wedding...ahhh...so wonderful...so much celebration...so much happiness...so much shopping! The amount of royal wedding merchandise and Will & Kate souvenirs is amazing. If so inclined, one can decorate thRead More...

World Intellectual Property Day Demands International Standards Be Set

Belle — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 11:51:05 +0100

The Convention Establishing the World Intellectual Property Organization was first held on April 26, 1970. Since then, the global community has seen the exponential growth of the importance of intellectual property. WIPO started World Intellectual Property Day in 2000 to help “raise awareness of how patents, copyright, trademarks and design impact on daily life” and “to celeRead More...

The Branding of Earth Day

Belle — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 14:37:18 +0100

Consor Wants to Know: Is It Making a Difference?

April 22 marks the annual celebration that we have come to know as Earth Day. In 1970, the first Earth Day was founded by U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson to inform the public about environmental issues.

The Many Faces and Uses of Miss Boop

Belle — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 16:55:02 +0100

CONSOR Asks Some Tough Questions About A Functional Betty Boop – What Does A Recent Court Decision Mean to Licensing?

The image of Betty Boop conjures up a sense of nostalgia. Created by Max Fleischer in the 1930s, theRead More...

New IP Committee in Congress

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 14:49:18 +0100

Patent Reform, Satellite Radio and Other IP Hot Topics Leads to Revitalized House Subcommittee

Chaired by U.S. Representative Robert Goodlatte, R-VA, the newly reinstated House Subcommittee will focus on intellectual property, copyrights, information technology and antitrust matters under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (“DMCA”). Formerly titled the HRead More...

Marilyn Monroe Rights of Publicity Sold - Was the Price Right?

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 13:21:20 +0100

Marilyn Monroe’s estate has agreed to sell the rights to the iconic celebrity to Authentic Brands Group LLC and NECA Inc. for a reported $30 million. The valuation was based upon a six times revenue multiple, derived from an estimate of roughly $5 million in annual revenues. The purchasers, with plans to grow the revenue streams, have already indicated expansion of Monroe into handbags, shoeRead More...

The Enormous Revenue of College Basketball...But Who Shares the Wealth?

Belle — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 13:06:48 +0100

The Sweet 16 are making their way to the Elite Eight, and then Final Four hits The Road to Cleveland!

Consor may have just violated some of the NCAA’s trademark rights by repeating all those commonly used tournament terms. It’s just March Madness really – Read More...

Can Celebrity Endorsements Help with Japan's Disaster Relief Efforts? Consor Wants to See Who ...

Belle — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:24:05 +0100

Celebrity endorsements have been effective in recent decades to help with various natural and manmade disasters. Businesses normally use celebrities to promote brand awareness. We see celebrity ads all the time – Oprah Winfrey for Progressive, Jason Alexander promoting Jenny Craig, as well as Peyton Manning and Justin Timberlake teaming up for Sony.

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