TOTAL LICENSING
censed products—junior tees and
plush—at Comic-Con in July 2005,
the winning mixture of cuteness and
edge quickly drew in a devoted fan
base of tweens, teens, and fashion-
savvy young adults who appreciated
its quirkiness and offbeat humor.
Cute, dark and cuddly, Skelanimals
Leading U.S. trend retailer Hot Topic,
have been embraced by teens and
with over 700 stores, brought in a
young adults all over the world, their
line of plush, keychains and magnets
enthusiasm for this breakthrough
from licensee Toynami in Summer
brand driving triple-digit sales in-
2006 and quickly sold out. The line’s
creases each year since its U.S. intro-
performance led the retailer to com-
duction in October 2006. In 2008,
mit, in 2007, to full-scale boutiques
the brand gained a firm foothold at
showcasing junior and young men’s
home and internationally, banking
apparel, loungewear, stuffed animals
over $35m in global sales—no small
and plush backpacks, purses, totes,
feat in a sinking economy. The com-
wallets, ID cases, keychains, bag
pany is poised for further growth
charms, shoes, socks, hair accesso-
in 2009 with its aggressive plans for
ries, fragrance and cosmetics, tinned
been featured in front window dis-
expansion into new retail channels,
candies, pins and patches, posters,
plays at the prestigious department
the development of a girls’ program,
throws, magnets and
stores La Rinascente (Milan) and GUM
exciting new initiatives, and its first
stickers. With sell-
(Moscow), while maintaining a regular
animation projects.
throughs in the
presence in specialists like Forbidden
Planet (U.K.) and high street retailers
Skelanimals’ Beginnings
HMV and Virgin Megastore. Talks are
underway for a major U.K. retailer to
This breakaway hit started sim-
bring Skelanimals boutiques in-store
ply enough, as the subject of a
for 4th Quarter 2009.
self-published children’s book by
Mitchell Bernal, an accomplished
Skelanimals licensees have distrib-
animation artist whose credits in-
uted products to independent bou-
clude Beauty & The Beast, The Lion
double dig-
tiques in many more markets around
King, Lilo & Stitch, Fantasia 2000
its, the brand
the world, in countries as diverse as
and Enchanted. Mitchell came up
rose to one of the
Russia, Switzerland, Sweden, Poland,
with the novel idea of portraying the
top positions among non-music-
the Czech Republic, Venezuela, Gua-
afterlife in a humorous way, creating
based properties in Hot Topic, nearly
temala, Mexico, Brazil, Puerto Rico,
a collection of animals who met odd
tripling its business in that retailer in
Panama, Turkey, Israel, Japan, the
and untimely ends as a result of their
2008.
Philippines, India, and Dubai. In the
own silly behavior. Among them are
U.S., toys were placed at FAO Schwarz
Dax the dog, Kit the cat, ChungKee the
Similarly, Skelanimals made a splash
for Holiday 2008, and the company
panda, Jack the rabbit, Dolphie the
on the European scene with the de-
launched its first girls’ fashion line
dolphin, Diego the bat, and Maxx the
but of its prestige apparel collection
in Macy’s this spring. Despite being
bulldog, all of which are brought to
during Milan’s Fashion Week in Au-
available exclusively through these
life—figuratively speaking—through
tumn 2007. Launched exclusively
funny poems describing their woeful
through PINKO specialty shops—over
methods of demise. The Skelanimals
60 stores in Europe and Japan—the
are light-hearted, cute and cuddly,
crystal-encrusted junior fashion tops,
never ghoulish or horrifying. While ir-
cashmere sweaters, loungewear, jew-
reverent at times, they keep their pa-
elry and fashion accessories feature
rental stamp of approval by carefully
pricepoints ranging from US$50-
avoiding any offensive overtones.
$600. Supported by a full-scale media
When the brand
effort that involved television expo-
launched
sure—with well-known personalities
its first li-
wearing the clothing on popular daily
shows—as well as print
ads in trend magazines,
the collection brought in
over 3m euros (wholesale)
in just 15 months and gen-
erated tremendous buzz in
the fashion press and
blogs.
The collection has also
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