LIMA Reveals Annual Licensing Award Winners

Coinciding with last week’s Licensing International Expo, the International Licensing Industry Merchandisers’ Association (LIMA) announced its annual awards for licensing excellence at a presentation at the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay. Top honors went to Nelvana Enterprises and Cartoon Network Enterprises’ Bakugan property, which nabbed the title of 2008 Overall Best Licensed Program of the Year.

“This year’s awards take on special significance given the tough competition in virtually every category and the economic challenges we continue to face around the world,” LIMA president Charles Riotto noted. Hello Kitty by Sanrio Inc. won for best character brand program, with Briefly Stated lauded as top character licensee for its Disney sleepwear and daywear collections in the soft goods category. Twilight was a standout in the film/television entertainment category, while the Beijing Olympic Games were recognized in the sports category. For a full list of winners, click here.

LIMA also inducted Gregory J. Battersby, co-founder of Grimes & Battersby LLC, into The Murray Altchuler Licensing Industry Hall of Fame. A longtime leader in the field of intellectual property law, Battersby has authored more than 25 books on licensing and drafted thousands of license agreements in the product development, patent, trademark and merchandising fields.

LIMA also announced that for the sixth consecutive year, it selected the Children’s Brain Tumor Foundation (CBTF) as its charity of choice. All proceeds from sales of a special tribute book honoring Battersby and the evening’s nominees were donated to the CBTF, which works to improve the treatment, quality of life, and long-term outlook for children with brain and spinal cord tumors. Visit www.licensing.org.

In This Issue: Preschool properties that translate into consumer products success Retailers reveal the power of accessories The sports licensing report Plus: Character-based apparel Coming Next Month: Keepsake gifts that appeal to contemporary and traditional consumers Communion wear trends Recession-busting tips from veteran retailers Plus: Versatile special occasion wear