A few select specialty retailers are capitalizing on the solid reputations their brands have built over time and aiming to
expand their distribution beyond their own doors into department stores or other retail channels. Why are retailers incorporating
licensing into their business plans?
"In the case of The Sharper Image, we can expand our brand into upscale retail channels and continue to reach our current
consumers in new ways, as well as reach new consumers that are aware of our brand, but might not live near a Sharper Image
retail location," says John W. Spotts, senior vice president of brand licensing for The Sharper Image. "These new consumers
in particular will, with trust and satisfaction gained from their purchase, seek out and visit stores when they are in the
vicinity of one."
An innovative, design-driven collection of luggage, computer cases, and related travel accessories will hit retail next year
as the result of a multiyear licensing agreement between The Sharper Image Corp. and The EnE Group. The agreement, which represents
one of five licenses that The Sharper Image currently has in place, will also debut camera cases, business cases, and backpacks.
"Travel has always been one of the stores' strongest categories," says Spotts. "More people than ever travel now, whether
it's for business or recreation. The products have been crafted to improve the experience of these travelers." The new luggage/travel bag collection will clearly differentiate as well as solidify The Sharper Image brand—blending quality
travel needs while fully incorporating the latest in today's technology. "It will offer unprecedented functionality that we
believe is not available today in most mainstream luggage brand offerings," declares Spotts.
Specially designed to reflect the retailer's key brand attributes, which tout quality and innovation, the travel collection
aims to appeal to a much larger consumer base that demands a less stressful travel experience. It also aims to attract and
satisfy the needs of the experienced business traveler who can use the luggage while traveling with his or her family in tow.
The travel collection's core audience will mirror the retailer's audience, but the travel collection will undoubtedly cross
over into the leisure sector.
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A team of outside designers along with an engineering team took the helm of the line's engineering and construction. According
to Spotts, the team studied business and leisure travel from every angle, and concluded that the marketplace lacked true and
reliable functionality. "The team documented the business and leisure traveler experience," says Spotts, who adds that every
stage was observed and studied—from the initial packing stage to arriving at the airport, passing through the metal detectors,
slipping into a seat on the plane, and unpacking.
Available next year in both the United States and Canada, the travel line will be distributed through The Sharper Image stores,
selected upscale department stores, specialty travel stores, and high-end name-brand electronics retailers. With plans to
expand The Sharper Image retail presence internationally, licenses and categories will have the opportunity to expand with
the brand.
The licensing division, which is less than a year old, currently consists of Spotts and Chris Hegerfeld, who is the director
of brand licensing. The retailer, which has identified 12 major strategic product groups comprising nearly 100 categories,
aims to complement its core consumer's interests and contribute to its goal of "making life better and more enjoyable" for
its consumers. Key categories of interest include electronics, kitchen and home, outdoor living, and computers. As of press
time, several deals were in various stages of completion.
