The Licensing Show -- The Power of the Brand is Sizzling

We tramped around the billions of square acres devoted to the Licensing Show at the Javits Center yesterday. Full disclosure -- we were supervising the presence we've created for our client, The Edison Innovation Foundation (www.thomasedison.org), the estate, image, and license of Thomas Edison. But beyond that, here is a museum/bazaar of brands, sizzling brands. Images that come fully -- or not so fully -- formed, ready to, for a price, align, bless, ignite your product brand or show. For most mere mortals, it takes gazillions of dollars and dozens of years to build a brand. But here, for the right number, you can put that into overdrive. Buy (or rent) Elvis, Batman, Marilyn, Pink Floyd, Woodstock, Paris Hilton -- they're all here. All talking. Ali? No problem. The other stunning thing, certain brands are so cool, or powerful, they even use their brand to boost other brands. The "King," that creepy plastic mascot of Burger King was there peddling attitude. The mind boggles as to the possible alignments. Running Shoes? Hospitals? Spas? Well, it's all there. And the bottom line, these brands have value, have been built, have been honed. It takes time, money, and talent (ask Elvis's people, or Ali's.) But in our too much information world, this clarity of mind and image, this promise, appears to worth more than ever.