The Art of Licensing - June 2008 - (Page 24) Art Licensing 101 Art consultant Jeanette Smith, owner of marketing, licensing, and publishing company J’net Smith Marketing, provides basic information for artists who are looking to break into the art licensing business. The licensing industry is dependent on the art of classic properties as well as that of emerging talent. Since artists who are new to the licensing industry often have many questions on getting started, License! Global spoke with Jeanette Smith, owner of J’net Smith Inc., a marketing, licensing, and publishing company, for some guidance for emerging artists. Smith, who is also referred to as an “art coach,” has more than 20 years experience in the licensing and publishing industries. As the former vice president of licensing at United Media, she played a major role in building the Dilbert brand into a global corporate icon. Smith also represents, consults, and coaches hundreds of licensed artists, including Tara Reed and Becky Denny. In her role as coach and consultant, Smith works closely with many manufacturers (licensees) and artists, which enables her to bring valuable insight on how to get started. Smith is also a partner with Tom Wilson, internationally syndicated Ziggy cartoonist and president of Character Matters, LLC, a character-based marketing and licensing company. She brings her strategic marketing expertise to character development and branding projects for renowned clients such as Father Flanagan’s Girls and Boys Town—a privately funded organization for severely at-risk children. She also lends her talents to the Animaticus Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving, teaching, and evolving the art form of 2D animation in a digital world, as one of its original board members. Today, Smith enjoys frequent speaking engagements, which have included the SEA (Self Employment for Artists) Conferences, LIMA’s Licensing University, and the Graphic Artists Guild. Here, Smith, along with a handful of other key industry insiders she spoke with, answers some of the most common questions that artists ask when they are looking to move into licensing. Q & A with Jeanette Smith Q. How do I find manufacturers/licensees that will consider my art? can complement the manufacturer’s collections. Using the Internet to A. First, artists need to decide exactly what product categories are the best fit for their art and designs. Since many artists have creative that works well on a wide variety of products, they need to narrow it down and choose between one and three categories to focus on. The four best places to find potential manufacturers are: licensing industry and product industry trade publications, retailers, trade shows, and the Internet. Artists who are looking to license their work should also read all the relevant trade industry publications to see which manufacturers are currently signing deals with artists. Also, License! Global highlights “The Top 100 Global Licensees” each November. It’s a terrific way to find the best manufacturers. Artists should also shop at retailers for ideal products and then research the manufacturers online. If the manufacturer’s name isn’t readily available on the product, as is common practice with many private label programs, they should look for an RN# (five-digit number) on the products. Artists should enter the RN# at this Web site link, https://rn.ftc.gov/pls/TextileRN/wrnquery$.startup, to disclose the manufacturer’s information. They should also visit trade shows in their targeted categories, such as the National Stationery Show, Surtex, or the International Home & Housewares Show, to find companies, view their collections, and determine how their art Q. What do manufacturers want most from artists? A. Of course, there are many things that manufacturers look for—from being “on trend” to creating well-targeted mock-ups. Dana Grignano, licensing manager for Current, a paper goods company, states it concisely: “Research my company and send me relevant art.” It is absolutely imperative for artists to research the manufacturers’ existing product lines, current licenses, and collections prior to contacting them. Artists should also ask themselves if the potential licensee already licenses work from artists. It’s much easier to sell your art to a manufacturer who already works with individual artists and designers. Also, find out if the manufacturer licenses your particular style of art. If the manufacturer is conservative, it probably won’t change its strategy to accommodate a more modern or impressionistic style. If the manufacturer does license work from artists, and carries your “style” of work, ask yourself if you are a complement to its existing portfolio— offering a new take, trend, topic, or theme. It’s unlikely that the manufacturer will license art that directly competes with one of its currently successful artists. And lastly, ask yourself if the manufacturer carries research companies and review product lines and licensors, and then evaluating if your art is a fit, is also a good idea. Q A 24 THE ART OF LICENSING Summer 2008 https://rn.ftc.gov/pls/TextileRN/wrnquery$.startup
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