Total Licensing Winter 2007 - (Page 73)

Warning : session_start : The session id contains invalid characters, valid characters are only a-z, A-Z and 0-9 in /mnt/data/www.nxtbook.com/fx/config_1.3/global.php on line 9 Warning : session_start : Cannot send session cache limiter - headers already sent output started at /mnt/data/www.nxtbook.com/fx/config_1.3/global.php:9 in /mnt/data/www.nxtbook.com/fx/config_1.3/global.php on line 9 Warning : Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by output started at /mnt/data/www.nxtbook.com/fx/config_1.3/global.php:9 in /mnt/data/www.nxtbook.com/fx/config_1.3/global.php on line 10 TOTAL LICENSING A perspective on the licensing industry in In this introduction to our French feature, Nathalie Nathalie Chouraqui, Director of Kazachok explains how France is the Europe’s second largest territory for licensed goods in Europe with a population headcount similar to that of the UK, but is a territory with a very different complexion. “As we all know, thanks to the information supplied by EPM Communications, the size of the French Retail Market for Licensed Merchandise was $5.25 billion in 2004 compared with the $5.95 billion of the UK Market. France has a long tradition of its own distinct culture, built up over the centuries, the French are proud of their heritage in literature, science, the arts, their wine and cuisine. In contrast to the United Kingdom and the US, there exists a very strong literary culture which has nurtured a whole industry based upon the “Bande Dessinée” or graphic novel. Asterix, Tintin, Lucky Luke, the Smurfs are just some of the characters with which every French speaking person has grown up. These have become, over the years properties which have developed beyond their original roots in publishing into licensing programmes, movies and animated TV series. Some programmes, such as the Smurfs have reached out to a global audience, having a universal appeal beyond their Francophone roots. Another major influence on the French market which has fundamentally shaped the licensing industry has been the long-term influence of Japanese animation and manga. Over thirty years ago programmes such as Goldorak, Candy, Capitaine Flamme and Albator, all Japanese in origin, were the stars of animated series on French Television and helped to shape the fledgling licensed merchandise market with products based upon these popular programmes. Today this trend can still be seen with series such as Dragonball Z and Pokemon, as well as an increasing trend through the medium of the net to watch cult series from Japan such as Naruto which are not yet available on television. These elements combined with a hands-on financial aid and cultural support from the French Government twenty years ago under the direction of the then Minister of Culture, Jack Lang, helped enormously in the development of the animation industry. Originally focussing on series of local interest and thereby perpetuating French culture, today French Animation is a significant and well respected industry which has somewhat turned the table on its Anglo-Saxon confreres by producing programmes which have had a considerable success in the Anglo-Saxon world such as Code Lyoko, Funky Cops and Totally Spies, to name but three. France, despite what may be perceived to be the hegemony of Anglo-Saxon entertainment, has succeeded in retaining its own identity by the very fact of its strong cultural roots, a government which has always encouraged the right to be different and a licensing and entertainment which is not shy to show its difference. At the same time, programmes from around the world run hand in hand with local productions; all of which adds up to a market place which is rich in its diversity and which allows the consumer to choose from a broad and culturally varied offer. In the case of France and the French speaking territories the phenomenon of “globalistion” has not had such a deep impact upon the market as in the Anglo-Saxon World. The past few years have seen the emergence, in all categories of goods and services of the uniformity of the offer. This is true of licensing amongst other industries as more and more manufacturing is being concentrated in China especially.The demands of the market to rationalise the product offer in order to gain even more economies of scale as well as global players, be they Retailers or Entertainment companies who are bound to this philosophy have tended to homogenise the global product offer. Despite this convergence, France will remain a market of choice for the discerning consumer, one of which one will always be capable and proud of saying Vive la différence!” 73  Warning : Unknown : The session id contains invalid characters, valid characters are only a-z, A-Z and 0-9 in Unknown on line 0 Warning : Unknown : Failed to write session data files . Please verify that the current setting of session.save_path is correct /var/lib/php/session in Unknown on line 0

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Total Licensing Winter 2007

Total Licensing Winter 2007

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