BLE Puts Simpson's $8B Merchandise Top of the Charts

Research just published by Brand Licensing Europe has revealed that after 20 years and 450 episodes, "The Simpsons" is the most successfully licensed television show of all time.

Officially the longest-running primetime comedy in TV history, The Simpsons has more than 400 official licensees and worldwide retail sales topping $8 billion. The BLE survey asked global licensing professionals to rate a range of film and television shows and characters in terms of licensing success, including the ability to generate a successful revenue stream through the sale of licensed merchandise from clothing to toys, games, books and films. The Simpsons took 31 percent of the vote, followed by Sesame Street at 26 percent and Looney Tunes at 10 percent.

Harry Potter was voted the most powerful licensed film character of all time, with 20.8 percent of the vote, narrowly edging out Star Wars hero Luke Skywalker at 20.6 percent and Superman at 20.1 percent.

The power of the more recently launched property Twilight was evident; vampire Edward Cullen took more than 32 percent of the vote as the most profitable film character of 2010, followed by Buzz Lightyear at 27 percent and Harry Potter at 18 percent.

The survey also asked which TV show would be most likely to offer the best licensing opportunities should it be revived again. The Muppet Show came out on top with nearly 35 percent of respondents putting it ahead of Star Trek at 24 percent and Friends at 7 percent.

The survey also helps answer the question, who is the ultimate super hero—with 33 percent, Spider-Man netted the title of most valuable super hero of all time, ahead of Superman at 31 percent with the caped crusader Batman at 29 percent.

And finally, Lost, despite finishing in 2010 after six seasons, is not lost forever. The drama was voted the TV program with the most potential for further licensing growth, taking nearly 30 percent of the vote, ahead of New Jersey-based mob drama The Sopranos at 16 percent and Baywatch at 12 percent.

The survey boasts feedback from a diverse global panel of heavyweight licensing brands across many different sectors, from newspapers to film, digital and technology brands through to sportswear, retail and FMCG, gaming, automotive, toys and fashion, plus an interesting sample of global media organizations.

"The licensing power of film and television is phenomenal, so it's not surprising to see The Simpsons top the survey given the bold and clever nature of their licensing program," says Jessica Blue, event director of Brand Licensing Europe 2010. "Brand Licensing Europe attracts more than 230 exhibitors and 5,000 attendees annually, making it the No. 1 place for brands to explore opportunities and develop new avenues for extension and commercial revenue."

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Buzz Lightyear to the rescue as 'Toy Story 3' sets box-office record

By Jonathan Brown

Eleven years since Toy Story 2 broke cinematic convention by proving to be a better film than its original, British audiences must endure the best part of another month before catching the third instalment in the adventures of Woody, Buzz Lightyear and the rest of the toy cupboard.

But in the United States, where studios had a series of flops in May and the worst Memorial Day attendances in 15 years, Pixar's long-awaited new release hit the screens last weekend and has become the pioneering animator's fastest ever grossing film.

Movie Seats That Rock and Roll

By Simon Avery Globe and Mail Update

For moviegoers who are just getting used to the idea of 3-D experiences, there is another technology that is trying - quite literally - to shake up the theatre industry again.

It's called motion entertainment, and through some sophisticated software and robotics developed by a Canadian firm, it's delivering an even more realistic experience to audiences across North America.

D-Box Technologies Inc. has created a system that tilts, jolts and sways a cinema seat to the sounds and images coming from the big screen.

Several events have boosted the Montreal-based company's credibility in the past 24 months. D-Box has reduced the cost of making its equipment and improved the performance, making the technology more attractive to theatre owners. Since beginning commercial rollout a year ago, the firm has signed on 26 theatres in North America and one in Japan. Each cinema adds a small number of robotic seats equipped with D-Box technology, normally in the middle of their theatre. The rollout to date translates into more than 600 seats.

But winning over cinema owners is only part of the challenge, says Claude McMaster, president and chief executive officer. D-Box has also partnered with almost all the major production studios, giving the company access to action blockbusters in advance of their releases so that engineers can program D-Box motion technology into the movies. Eight of the top nine production studios are working with the company, and D-Box continues to try to win over the holdout, Paramount Studios, he says.