“Everything from the weather to the calendar helped drive more shoppers into retail stores in March,” says Frank Badillo, senior economist at Retail Forward. “There will be a letup in April, but sales should hold up better than might be expected given the ongoing recovery in spending plans by shoppers.”

Among the biggest gains: Cato Corporation (24 percent), Kohl’s (22.5 percent), Nordstrom (16.8 percent), Ross Stores (14 percent), Zumiez (13.2 percent), TJX (12 percent), Macy’s (10.8 percent), Target (10.3 percent) and JCPenney (5.4 percent). Hot Topic posted the biggest decline at -7.5 percent.

For a list of the retailers reporting and their results, click here.

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The product range includes a number of varieties, including mangoes, cranberries, cherries and blueberries. The dried fruit offering is hitting North American grocery stores and club chains now.

“Sunkist is one of the most recognized and respected fruit brands in the world, known for its quality, fresh taste and natural goodness,” says Cara Bernosky, IMC Licensing’s president and co-founder. “Sunkist dried fruit is a great opportunity to extend this global brand equity into a delicious new line of better-for-you real dried fruit for healthy snacking. We are delighted to bring together Sunkist and Titan Foods to launch this innovative new product line targeting consumers of all ages searching for a healthy on-the-go snack.”

IMC Licensing also represents Duncan Hines, Tabasco, Valvoline, General Mills, Butterball and Borghese.

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Rocket Hero has already secured more than 15 licensing deals, including Nike, Revell, Acme, Fathead, Jem Sportswear and Bioworld. An iPhone app is also in the works.

Aldrin is currently appearing as a contestant on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars.”

The Licensing International Expo will be held June 8 to 10 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. Aldrin will be at the Rocket Hero booth on the first day of the show.

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Alan Hassenfeld is the chairman of the executive committee and former chairman of the board of Hasbro, while the late Stephen Hassenfeld was chief executive officer and chairman of the board until 1989. The Hassenfeld’s initiated significant changes in partnerships through licensing, making Hasbro one of the top toy licensing partners for many entertainment and brand companies today. The toy company touts more than 250 licensees across all categories for its properties, including G.I. Joe, Transformers, Milton Bradley, Parker Brothers, Playskool and My Little Pony. In addition, Stephen Hassenfeld founded The Hasbro Children’s Foundation in 1984.

“Stephen and Alan transformed their family’s Rhode Island toy company into a global marketing powerhouse, along the way garnering Wall Street’s respect for toy companies,” says Charles Riotto, president of LIMA. “They also share LIMA’s commitment to integrity in business and to giving back to the communities and consumers who support our business. LIMA is proud to honor them as licensing industry pioneers at Licensing International Expo this June.”

The ceremony will take place on June 8 at the LIMA Opening Night Awards Party at Licensing International Expo, held at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.

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Eight-seven percent of those were budget holders or influencers in the purchasing process. Half those attending on the first day returned again on the second day. Retailers made up 15 percent of the audience.

“We found the show to be interesting and of great use in introducing us to contacts and licenses that we had not been exposed to beforehand,” says Karen Saunders, a buyer at Tesco. “We now have a number of different leads that we are able to pursue which will hopefully aid us in selling the right licenses tailored to our market.”

BLC&EE was launched in response to extensive research by Advanstar into licensing opportunities within the C&EE region.
“It was crucial for us to get the balance of this event right for the 23 countries we were serving,” says Jessica Blue, event director. “Feedback from exhibitors and visitors has demonstrated that we did, creating a solid foundation on which to build for the future. The visitors attending were serious about the business of licensing.”

“You can see that this is the beginning of something that will grow,” says Andrew Carly, head of licensing at E1 Entertainment. “It’s staggering how quickly things have grown in these markets and the show makes it clear that the opportunities are distinct for each country.”

Visitors to BLC&EE included Ars Una Studio, Avon Cosmetics, Bon Bon Buddies, Cartamundi, C&A Buying, Diane Kappa Designs, Egmont Bulgaria, Formatex, Hungarian Society of Textile, M&C Toy, Peek-A-Boo Toys B.V, Setino Hungary and Tesco.
“The quality of people who showed up was very good,” says Morten Geschwendtner, director of Kidz Entertainment/EEMC. “We have met a number of new clients.”

“I am very impressed by the entire professionalism of the show and for it bringing together so many licensing executives from the wider licensing community,” says Hakan Durdag, chief executive officer of European Licensing Company.

Advanstar will announce future plans for the event shortly.

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The Licensing University runs from June 6 to 9 and includes a free keynote session held on June 8, the opening of Licensing International Expo in Las Vegas. The conference program will kick off with a pre-show state-of-retail session and tour led by Carol Speickerman, a Bentonville, Ariz.-based retail consultant. Program highlights will include getting a brand ready for licensing, retail strategies beyond the top 10, new property introductions, using demographic trends to grow licensing business and deal structures in the interactive gaming and mobile world.

“Licensing University 2010 is our most diverse conference program to date, with many sessions focusing on emerging trends and business opportunities that the licensing community needs to understand in order to grow and thrive,” says Charles Riotto, president of LIMA. “Whether you’re new to licensing or a veteran licensee or licensor, retailer or manufacturer, there are sessions tailored to your needs, many of which are eligible for credit under our Certificate of Licensing Studies program.”

For a complete session listing of Licensing University 2010, visit university.licensingexpo.com. Contact Christina Attardo for more information at cattardo@licensing.org or call 646-744-3741.

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At this month’s event, more than 100,000 net square feet of new floor space was added—a 16 percent increase over last year, bringing total square footage to 750,000. MAGIC brought in 1,200 new exhibitors and first-time buyer registration was up more than 9 percent. International presence was strong, too, with a 13 percent increase in overseas buyer registration. In addition, MAGIC launched two new shows, Workroom and FN Platform.

“Trade shows have not been immune to the economic climate,” says Joe Loggia, chief executive officer of Advanstar Communications, parent company of MAGIC. “The MAGIC Marketplace is an important event for the apparel industry and it’s encouraging that it’s showing signs of growth—in the number and size of the exhibits, as well as a significant increase in people registered to attend from all over the world.”

For information about MAGIC Marketplace, which takes place every February and August in Las Vegas, visit www.magiconline.com.

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Advanstar Global Licensing Group reports that several exhibitors have increased their stand sizes to accommodate more meetings and product displays after 2009’s 13.5 percent increase in show attendance. These include Mattel Brands Consumer Products, The Licensing Company, Start Licensing, Walker Books, LEGO, Classic Media and Mondo TV.

More than 130 exhibitors have now signed up to exhibit in 2010, making it the fastest-selling Brand Licensing Europe show to date, with the show’s overall size up 40 percent compared with this time last year.

“Ever since the doors closed on last year’s show we have been inundated with bookings and we anticipate Olympia Grand Hall’s ground floor will soon sell out,” says Jessica Blue, event director of Brand Licensing Europe. “This is fantastic news but we will still work hard to ensure this year’s show delivers on its promise to both visitors and exhibitors. We will continue to listen to the needs of the licensing community and ensure that 2010 is the best year yet.”

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“We encourage you to take advantage of this free opportunity to learn first hand about the exciting new developments for the show,” says Georgiann Decenzo, executive vice president of Advanstar Communications. “Our show team will also be available to answer any questions you may have.”

Decenzo says a preview of the exhibitor floor plan will be available.

The New York Show Preview will be held at the Roosevelt Hotel (Broadway Suite) located at 45 East 45th St. from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. A continental breakfast will be served.

The other two meetings will be held as follows:

• Los Angeles meeting will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 24, at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza, from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30a.m.
• London meeting will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 24, at The Chesterfield Mayfair Hotel from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
  To RSVP, contact Lindsey Jones at lindsey.jones@advanstar.com. International Expo will be held June 8-10 at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Convention Center in Las Vegas.

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While a majority of key exhibitors are returning to the exhibit floor, Licensing International Expo reports that it has also been successful in attracting new companies and building on the many accomplishments of last year’s event.
Among the new companies at this year’s expo are: Saban, Avenue LA, Sea World (Busch Entertainment), Sony Computer Entertainment and Vermont Teddy Bear.

“We are very pleased with the amount of repeat business we are bringing back to the show floor,” says Liz Crawford, show director of Licensing International Expo. “The majority of our exhibitors are returning bigger and better than ever, and we are seeing a very strong uptick in new companies reserving space. The show is shaping up very nicely.”

Several new features have also been added to this year’s Expo, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary.

“With the various new features that have been added to the show floor, including the International Lounge, Fashion Avenue Bar & Café, Brand Showcase and the live art gallery, the expo will be packed with non-stop ways to network and learn,” says Crawford.

Among the key exhibitors returning this year: Disney Consumer Products, Cartoon Network, BBC, DreamWorks, Hasbro, Mattel, Sony, CBS Consumer Products, United Media, Fox, Warner Bros., Paramount, Joester Loria, Beanstalk, Rainbow, Marvel, 4Kids, Fremantle, Skechers, American Greetings and LucasFilms.

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Research expert Milos Ryba, retail analyst at Planet Retail will give an overview of the retail landscape in the Central and Eastern Europe region, including current trends and future predictions.

Licensee Cartamundi’s Adam Solyom will give advice on how to choose the right license and work efficiently with local brand owners and agents.

Christian Fortmann, European trademark attorney for 24IP Law Group will examine the legal and technical aspects vital to successful contract negotiation, and Kelvyn Gardner, managing director of LIMA U.K., will walk through the basics of licensing.

Licensing Academy attendance is free for all visitors. Visitor registration is free for manufacturers, sales promotion professionals and retailers at www.brandlicensing-budapest.com. Licensors (character and brand owners) and their agents not exhibiting in the show will be charged an entrance fee of €90.

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Newly signed exhibitors include European Licensing Company, Turner CN Enterprises, LazyTown and Fitzroy Media, bringing together more than 100 TV, film and book characters, corporate brands and images available for licensing.

The event will now be held at The Corinthia Grand Hotel Royal, the finest luxury hotel in the heart of Budapest city center. Retailers and consumer goods manufacturers wanting to boost their products’ appeal will be able to network with the region’s most active owners of brands and trademarks on a scale never experienced before within the region.

Properties that will be marketed at BLCEE include Iron Man, Spider-man, Waybuloo, Ben 10, Powerpuff Girls, Fifi and the Flowertots, Lego, Peppa Pig, Twilight Saga: New Moon, Harry Potter, Looney Tunes and many more.

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Among the biggest gains: TJX (8 percent), Ross (8 percent), American Eagle (7 percent), Walgreens (3.9 percent), Kohl’s (3.3 percent) and Nordstrom (2.2 percent).

Among the biggest declines: Saks (-26.1 percent), Abercrombie & Fitch (-17 percent), Children’s Place (-13 percent), Stage Stores (-12.5 percent), and Hot Topic (-11.7 percent).

Target’s November same-store sales declined 1.5 percent, JCPenney’s declined 5.9 percent and Macy’s declined 6.1 percent.

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The national holiday shopping data showed sales at $10.66 billion on Black Friday and $6.107 billion on Black Saturday. ShopperTrak also reported the West as the leader in retail sales with a 4.7 percent increase over last year, followed by the Midwest at 1.3 percent and the South at 0.6 percent. The Northeast saw a decline in Black Friday sales at 4.9 percent.

“Although spending slowed compared to Friday, it seems shoppers responded to discounted items on Saturday leading to a moderate increase,” says Bill Martin, co-founder of ShopperTrak. “Our data suggests it’s possible consumers are aware retailers have less inventory this year, driving them to spend early in the season as some merchandise might not be available later in the year. While this two-day total is slightly encouraging, it’s understood these first two days alone don’t equal a profitable season and retailers will most likely continue employing the best methods to drive traffic and boost sales over the next few weeks.”

Black Friday 2008 posted a 3 percent increase in retail sales compared to the same period in 2007.

In other Black Friday news, the NPD Group released results from its Anatomy of Black Friday 2009 survey. NPD found that the No. 1 reason why consumers came out to shop on Nov. 27 was because they saw an item they wanted advertised as on sale (35 percent), followed by a retailer was having a big sale (22 percent) and curiosity (20 percent). The top three most shopped at retail markets were mass merchants (73 percent), national chains (59 percent) and electronics specialty stores (41 percent), respectively. Data also showed more women were shopping that day at 38 percent, compared to men at 32 percent. The top two responses from those who didn’t hit stores on Black Friday said they had no money (27 percent) or were not shopping yet (25 percent).

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For boys, the top picks are video games, Hasbro’s Transformers, Lego, cars (generic), Nintendo Wii, trucks (generic), Cartoon Network’s Bakugan, Mattel’s Hot Wheels, Nintendo DS and Fisher-Price toys. Video games lead for a consecutive second year on the list, while Bakugan joins for the first time.

“Since retailers place holiday orders long before the hot toys emerge, some new additions to the list this year are already hard to find,” says Tracy Mullin, president and chief executive officer of NRF. “With companies offering great prices on toys this year, shoppers may want to act fast if they have one of these items on their shopping lists.”

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“We know this season’s Black Friday will be more promotional than ever and that our customers will be expecting outstanding value,” says Mike Boylson, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for JCPenney’s. “Our Black Friday sale will feature aggressive promotions, making certain that customers—whether checking off a Christmas wish list, stocking up on items for entertaining at home or purchasing winter apparel essentials—are sure to find an exciting selection of merchandise with an exceptional level of style and quality, all at the sharpest price points of the season.”

JCPenney’s “Turkey Tailgate” campaign will be supported with a television spot and wake-up calls, where consumers can sign up at www.jcp.com/wakeup to receive a recorded reminder from Cindy Crawford, Kimora Lee Simmons or band members from Rascal Flatts.

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“We’re raising the bar on Black Friday savings opportunities by expanding our store hours, offering the most sought-after toys in-stock when parents want them, and—of course—delivering outstanding values on items to fit any budget,” says Jerry Storch, chairman and chief executive officer of Toys”R”Us. “There’s only one Toys”R”Us! We are and will remain focused on providing gift-givers more reasons to shop with Toys”R”Us, offering 220 doorbusters on Black Friday, thousands of dollars in savings on many of the hottest toys and more ways to save with “R” Rewards all season long.”

A sampling of licensed toy deals include buy-one-get-two-free on all Batman Dark Knight 6-inch action figures, 65 percent off Sleeping Beauty styling head vanity, $50 savings on Harley Davidson rocker ride-on, 60 percent off Star Wars Clone Trooper Blaster game, 50 percent off Bakugan BakuBowl and 60 percent off Transformers Bumper Battlers.

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“M&S is one of the world’s great brands and I am very pleased to be given the opportunity to lead the company forward at this exciting stage,” says Bolland. “I am greatly looking forward to working closely with Stuart and the M&S team.”

Rose will continue as part-time chairman of M&S to ensure a smooth transition. As previously announced, Rose will leave M&S by July 2011. Bolland joined Morrisons in September 2006 as chief executive officer. Prior to that, he was chief operating officer and executive board member at Heineken NV based in the Netherlands. Bolland is also currently a non-executive director of Manpower in the U.S.

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“Our new partnership with Coveroo brings the celebration of Hello Kitty’s 35th to the cell phones of fans around the world,” says Janet Hsu, president of Sanrio Global Consumer Products. “The launch collection celebrating Hello Kitty’s 35th anniversary is sure to be a hit among our fans.”

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In other European retail news, Victoria’s Secret has unveiled plans to expand into strategic markets, including the U.K., as part of an international expansion drive over the next few years. This will include an online operation for Europe. Its owner Limited Brands is also looking for a “best in continent” franchise partner to launch the cosmetics chain Bath and Body Works. Retail research house Verdict values the U.K. women’s underwear market at £3.4 billion ($5.6 billion) a year.

And, finally, the first venture from former Woolworths’ exec Andy Latham, called Alworths, has opened in Didcot in Oxfordshire, stocking everything from toys to garden equipment, and pick-and-mix sweets.

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Samuels will manage production on the L.A.-based studio’s creative projects. She most recently served as senior vice president at CBS Television Distribution Group, where she worked on shows such as “Rachel Ray,” “The Doctors,” “Entertainment Tonight” and “The Insider.” Samuels’ former roles have also included senior broadcast producer at NBC, among others.

“Kathy comes to Hasbro Studios with a solid track record as a top producer and has been closely involved with some of television’s most successful and enduring franchises,” says Stephen J. Davis, Hasbro Studios’ president. “The studio is establishing itself as a home for great talent—and Kathy’s vision and creativity complements the talented group of professionals we have been putting in place here.”

Hasbro Studios plans to create worldwide programming across all platforms based on its popular brands, including Romper Room, Trivial Pursuit, Scrabble, Cranium, My Little Pony, G.I. Joe, Game of Life, Tonka and Transformers. The studio will also produce programming from third-party content creators. Many of the programs will air on the upcoming Hasbro-Discovery joint venture TV network (fall 2010), as well as other channels.

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