Leading Brand Licensing Agency and Consultancy Announces a New Client Win and Programme Initiatives at Hong Kong International Licensing Show 2010

January 11-13, 2010, Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre, Booth 3GD1012., — The Beanstalk Group, the leading brand licensing agency and consultancy, today celebrated a successful 2009 with a year of achievements and growth, announcing the addition of a new international client, and major innovative partnerships and brand extensions for its existing roster of world-class corporate and celebrity clients. Building upon this momentum, Beanstalk expanded its global reach in 2009 with the opening of a Hong Kong office, under the direction of Josephine Law, to extend Beanstalk’s current client roster across key Asian markets.

Other global achievements in 2009 included signing strategic commercial representation agreements with a partner in India and two partners in Latin America.

“I am extremely proud of Beanstalk’s accomplishments in 2009,” said Ciarán Coyle, Managing Director, International, for The Beanstalk Group. “In this challenging economic environment, Beanstalk has shown continued commitment to its clients by extending its reach into Asia with the opening of our Hong Kong office. Beanstalk is fortunate to have a roster of outstanding brands for which demand is consistently strong and which continues to attract opportunities to extend their licensing programmes in new markets, including Asia.”

2009 client wins for The Beanstalk Group include:

Janet Reger, the queen of luxury lingerie The Janet Reger brand has a unique place in the international world of luxury lingerie, synonymous with elegant fabrics and evocative designs. The Janet Reger licensing programme reflects the core values of luxury and romanticism to create an ultra-feminine and indulgent lifestyle brand. Beanstalk is looking to license the core lingerie line in Asia as well as extend the Janet Reger mark into health and beauty, loungewear, plus-size lingerie and resort wear.

Brand growth initiatives from The Beanstalk Group:

Licensing in numerous non-core categories has enabled Jaguar, the authentic British luxury brand, to achieve lifestyle status internationally. Eurolink, Jaguar’s leather goods licensee based in China, officially opened its first Jaguar flagship store in Shanghai in April, 2009. Located at the Balian-Shimao International Plaza, the luxurious retail space showcases the Jaguar leather goods collection and features a range of briefcases and weekend bags. Made from the finest leather, the Jaguar leather goods collection appeals to both business and casual travelers. The store also features other Jaguar lifestyle products including apparel, fragrance, writing instruments and eyewear, beautifully displayed alongside the leather goods collection. Eurolink has opened over 50 Jaguar stand-alone retail spaces, shop-in-shops and concession stores across China in the past year. In September 2009, Eyewear licensee Menrad launched the 2010 Jaguar eyewear collection at the key European eyewear trade fair, Silmo. The new collection interprets design cues from Jaguar’s latest vehicle, the new XJ, and consists of both sunglass and ophthalmic eyewear. The range will be sold internationally through high- end opticians. Fragrance partner Jaguar Fragrances launched ‘Prestige Spirit’ at the TFWA Exhibition in Cannes in October 2009. Jaguar Prestige Spirit is available as an Eau de Toilette Natural Spray in 100 ml and 50 ml bottles. In addition, Jaguar Fragrances launched Jaguar ‘Vision’, a new scent for men, inspired by the evocative modern design language of Jaguar’s cars. The scent of Jaguar Vision is exciting, seductive and complex and will be available for Spring 2010 in selected perfumeries and department stores worldwide.

The Land Rover licensing programme supports the brand’s vision to be the world’s leading brand at inspiring, creating and delivering a spirit of adventure. Japanese bike licensee partner Belief has recently added Korea to their grant, and is enjoying strong sales with folding bikes and road bikes that perfectly capture the unique spirit of the brand. In the eyewear category, international eyewear licensee Logo Group recently launched its latest collection of Range Rover eyewear, both sunglasses and ophthalmic. Range Rover eyewear is inspired by the vehicles and features masculine designs that are enhanced with high-quality materials, including sustainable precious wood and leather trims.

The Ford global licensing programme celebrates the brand’s unique heritage and builds upon the consumer’s emotional connection with the brand and its vehicles.

The programme in Asia is currently established in die-cast and interactive. Beanstalk is looking to build upon the brand’s lifestyle element and emotional connection with consumers in-line with the successful programmes in the US and Europe, and has recently appointed Pyramid as a global poster licensee. Pyramid will be producing a range of posters using images of both current and iconic retro vehicles which will be sold at leading retailers across the region.

Beanstalk continues to successfully build the Paris Hilton lifestyle brand in new geographies and categories. The licensing programme capitalises on Paris’ global appeal by extending her brand attributes into products that reflect her fun-loving, fashion-forward, glamorous lifestyle. The brand enjoys significant success in the US and Europe and now consists of 10 licensees globally, producing branded fragrances, apparel and accessories.

In 2009, Beanstalk announced an innovative collaboration between Vespa and adidas Originals with the introduction of the first global adidas Originals Vespa collection. This collaboration represents the first major step towards developing Vespa into a leading global lifestyle brand. The collection of footwear and apparel sold under the adidas Originals label, captures classic Vespa scooter details and delivers a true spirit of nostalgia. The range features distinct footwear highlights, such as the 1950s-inspired Vespa Gran Lusso sneaker, and is complimented by a range of classic polo shirts, t-shirts and jackets, available in adidas Originals stores and select leading retailers worldwide. Global sales of the collection have far exceeded expectations and there are plans afoot to grow the range to include womenswear.

“We anticipate a very busy three days at the Hong Kong International Licensing Show 2010. In these challenging economic times, more and more brand owners have started to recognise the benefits of licensing as a revenue-generating marketing tool that also protects the trademark and creates new occasions for consumers to experience the brand,” Coyle concluded.

To learn more about The Beanstalk Group, or its clients, visit The Beanstalk Group at the Hong Kong International Licensing Show 2010, Booth No. 3GD1012.

Ciarán Coyle is a panel speaker at two licensing conferences, ‘Behind the Scenes of Brand Licensing’ on Monday, 11 January at 17:10h, and ‘Licensing Basics (What the Experts Say)’ on Tuesday, 12 January at 10:00h.