Authentic Brands Beats Out Warner Bros. and Mattel in List of Largest Global Licensors
It’s the been year of Barbie everything.
Since the first on-set photos emerged last summer of Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling in their matching costumes for the “Barbie” movie, Mattel’s product teams have been in overdrive, inking collaborations with brands across the consumer landscape. There have been pink-hued collections with Zara, Kendra Scott and Fossil, as well as Vans, Crocs, Superga, Aldo and many more.
More from Footwear News
But in a new report from License Global of the Top 20 Global Licensors, Mattel only holds the No. 8 spot, with 2022 annual retail sales of $8 billion when it comes to licensed products and experiences (according to estimates provided by the company).
The top spot on the list belongs to The Walt Disney Co., with $61.7 billion in annual retail sales. The entertainment company’s power standing is unsurprising, given the scope of its holdings, which now include Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm, ESPN, 20th Century Studios and National Geographic.
According to License Global, Disney showed the most substantial growth in 2022, with a $5.5 billion increase in retail sales from licensed consumer products from the prior year. And Mattel had the most significant growth over time, jumping from $2 billion in retail sales of licensed goods in 2019 to $8 billion in 2022. (And after its “Barbie” juggernaut, its 2023 total will surely see big gains.)
Overall, License Global said entertainment continues to drive the highest revenue for the licensing industry. For instance, the top 10 list was dominated by names like Warner Bros. Discovery in the No. 4 spot (with $15.8 billion in sales), Hasbro as No. 6 (with $11.5 billion in sales) and NBC Universal as No. 7 (with $10.5 billion).
But two fashion/retail powerhouses also scored top spots.
Authentic Brands Group, which this week added Rockport to its portfolio, came in at No. 3 in the ranking with $24.1 billion in annual retail sales from licensed products, according to the company.
The New York-based firm has been behind many of the fashion industry’s biggest deals in recent years. Some of its latest footwear acquisitions have included Hunter Boots, Vince, Ted Baker and Reebok. And in March, it made a binding offer to buy Boardriders, the parent company of Quiksilver, Billabong, Roxy, DC Shoes and others. Both the Boardriders and Rockport deals are expected to close next month.
And in the No. 10 spot on the ranking was WHP Global, the parent company of Toys “R” Us, Express, Bonobos, Anne Klein, Isaac Mizrahi, Lotto and others. It’s 2022 sales from licensed products totaled $6.75 billion.
Best of Footwear News
Sign up for FN's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
