As published in the July/August 2014 issue of LIMA Bottom Line.

What were the career moves that brought you to the licensing business?

I became involved in the licensing business by chance. And I began on the creative and product development side of the business. I had recently graduated from Pratt Institute with a Masters in Communication and I was working at a corporate identity firm in NYC.

A friend of mine said he had a friend who was working at Murjani, a manufacturer who had the “master license” for Coca-Cola Clothes. I was busy at the time (I had a full time job) but after a few weeks I finally made my way up to Murjani where I met Carol Antone, an incredible lady who was the lead designer for the women’s collection. Tommy Hilfiger was the lead designer for the men’s collection and we met and worked with him, too. But it was Carol who took me under her wing and also commissioned a ton of freelance work that my wife and I turned into a business within a few months time.

This was the 80s in NYC and it was an exciting time. Keith Haring, Andy Warhol and John Lennon were all alive and very much a part of NYC culture and Carol and her team were constantly returning from London and Paris with trends that they would have us “Coca-Cola-ize.” Carol eventually took over both men’s and women’s, and we helped her translate over 13 seasons of Coca-Cola Clothes, including just about every category imag­inable and all the packaging, merchandising support and marketing materials that went along with it. It was a crash course in all aspects of the business, selling into the trade and how to create a great lifestyle collection that leveraged a great IP but was also very wearable.

We learned so much at breakneck speed because the collection was very much in demand. Shoppers and the trade wanted it and it grew to over a billion dollars at retail. It was great to be a part of something so successful and it launched us as a business. SWATCH was the licensee for the Coca-Cola Watch collection that we designed, and we went on to work with SWATCH. Nickelodeon was being founded, and we went on to work with them, as well as many others.

It was a new world that just snowballed, and it was so much more exciting than the corporate work we had been doing. We basically fell in love with ‘product’ and the process of how brands could be ‘extended’ to make that product stronger. We added a licensing and representation division to integrate the creative and transactional sides of the business for a holistic approach that clients tell us is unique and natural.

What’s a “typical” day in your current position?

I have an incredible team working with me in charge of finance, sales, account man­agement, creative services, licensing, so I seldom have to begin a day by putting out fires. I like to start with new business development. It’s what I call my daily ‘outreach exercise’ – I reach-out to a handful of clients and try to share something with them that is helpful and insightful, or a reminder of how effective we can be as an agency.

I then move on to what is called “account planning.” It’s deciding with our team what internal resources we will use, or what external resources we will commission, to help our client craft a successful brand extension strategy. To create this strategy we look for answers and opportunities from three perspectives: the client, the market, and the shopper perspective. I know my time is well spent if I’m meeting, listening and learning from my clients and their consumers, auditing retail, or reviewing research that helps validate what we as an agency have seen and heard first hand.

The learnings from these three perspectives are then developed into a presentation that the client and the agency present at retail to secure buy-in or win more real estate for the brand. As the ‘planner’ I’m typically the one who determines the overall theme of the presentation. Is this about “comfort?” Is this about “performance?” What does the brand own? What matters most to the shopper and the trade? My team then helps articulate the look and feel of product, the consumer message, the financial size of the prize, and the marketing support behind the brand.

What’s the most challenging aspect of your job? How do you address that challenge?

The most challenging aspect of the job is balancing the cost of developing a vision for the brand to help it create retail success with the time it takes to see a return on that investment. We address that challenge by working with clients who understand that the quickest path to success is through a model that leads with creative vision informed by market insights. A client once told me, “John, if I walk into a retailer without you, I’m just a magazine; with you, I’m a brand and everything they need me to be on the shelf.”

What’s your favorite part of your job?

My first instinct is to say, “Seeing branded product that we’ve worked on in the mar­ket.” That, is a thrill that is tough to beat. It’s a great feeling to be ‘on the shelf’ and it’s a confirmation that you’ve done something right. My real answer is “The account plan­ning,” as articulated in a previous question. It’s really an honor, and a thrill, to be able to work with world-class brands to help them articulate their extendable equity and create a vision and a rationale based on insights. So, more than seeing product on shelf, it’s the problem solving – the ‘journey’ and not the ‘destination’ – that I like best.

And of course, the ‘journey’ is always more enjoyable with a team of smart people that you admire and respect.

What are the most significant trends or changes that you’ve seen in recent years?

I think it’s the rise of brand stewardship and the ownership model as evidenced by the growth of firms like Iconix, Sequential/Galaxy, Authentic Brands and others – where the management of a brand’s image is equal in importance to the transactional side of the business. It makes sense, because when you consider that in order for a transaction to take place, the consumer first needs to have a favorable impression of the brand.

What are the biggest challenges facing the licensing business in the next three years?

I think we are still challenged by the great retail consolidation that has coincided with the great recession. Fewer retail players and now fewer retail shoppers. I think the rise of private label during the recession – and a more sophisticated approach to private label branding – has also taken market share from national brands.

I would mention the growth of international markets as a challenge and an opportunity for brands that have global cache and the ability to navigate and secure partnerships in international markets.

I would not, however, mention the internet. While the internet has been very disruptive it has been more so to our clients’ core business. Think of the media and entertainment brands whose business has shifted ‘from television and print dollars to internet pennies.’ But for those of us in the brand extension business that has really created more opportunity as media brands seek alternate revenue streams they wouldn’t consider before.

And, from a retail perspective, as more business shifts online, it doesn’t mean the demise of brands but another platform for national brands with a great story to tell.

What advice would you give to students or young professionals wanting to pursue a career in licensing?

Start from ‘the outside in.’ I think prior experience at retail is great, and maybe the most relevant. Retail, be it online or on shelf, is the ultimate goal so a working knowl­edge of what makes retail tick is an advantage. I also think that a background in re­search, brand management, product development and marketing experience from a CPG company or any manufacturer is great too.

Lastly, anybody considering licensing has to be very left and right brain – strategic and intuitive – because brand extensions have to make business sense as well as connect emotionally.

Any advice for mid-career professionals looking to expand their competencies?

Re-discover what you love, focus, and network. First reconfirm why you are in the busi­ness, what your particular skill sets are, and what you are passionate about. Then, I think it pays to focus – you can be passionate and knowledgeable about only so many catego­ries or aspects of the business, so focus is key. Like they say, “You can’t boil the ocean.” Through focus you can develop expertise and an opinion on what’s missing or how to make things better. Lastly, network. This is a very giving industry with a lot of great folks who are willing to share and mentor and there are always great opportunities for learn­ing at the either Licensing EXPO, trade publications or trade events around the country.