Beanstalk Has a Giant Year!

June 13, 2011, Las Vegas, NV., Mandalay Bay Convention Center, Booth 5063, - Beanstalk, a leading global brand licensing agency and consultancy, celebrated its past 12 months of success and innovation today at the 2011 Licensing International Expo. Riding the momentum created by joining forces with Nancy Bailey & Associates, the addition of several major brands to its world-class client roster, and the launch of its innovative business unit, Beanstalk TransAct™, 2011 is quickly shaping up to be one of Beanstalk’s best years ever. In January, Beanstalk began the year by dramatically changing the brand licensing agency landscape when it announced that Nancy Bailey & Associates, one of the industry’s most successful corporate licensing firms, would become a division of Beanstalk following an acquisition by Omnicom’s Diversified Agency Services, Beanstalk’s parent company.

After decades of separately developing innovating licensing programs while maintaining a healthy rivalry, industry pioneers Michael Stone and Nancy Bailey joined together, allowing their organizations to combine talents, expertise and relationships to better serve both agencies’ Fortune 100 clients. Since the formation of the relationship, Beanstalk and Nancy Bailey & Associates, which both previously represented a number of Procter & Gamble brands, have been able to successfully consolidate the agencies’ P&G representation into one, fully integrated global team across the U.S., Europe and Asia.

In keeping with its history of innovation, in May 2011, Beanstalk publicly launched TransAct™, a revolutionary tracking and reporting system that allows brands to achieve the maximum return from their licensing programs. Every year, millions of dollars in royalty fees are forfeited by brand licensors due to inaccurate reporting of their licensing programs. For the first time ever, the TransAct™ platform fully integrates a licensor’s legal, contract administration, royalty management, product approvals trafficking, financial reporting and auditing functions to facilitate the most accurate licensing program reporting. Since its creation, TransAct™ has delivered 8-15 percent incremental annual revenue to its clients.

“It has been a remarkable year for Beanstalk,” said Michael Stone, CEO of Beanstalk. “The potential for our agency and our client partners is now greater than ever. We have smartly invested in our talent, our core capabilities, our geographical reach and our technologies, and we are looking forward to recognizing the returns on those investments in our client programs.”

Over the last 12 months, the business transformation did not distract Beanstalk from new client growth; in fact it had the opposite effect. Beanstalk and Nancy Bailey & Associates added several exciting brands to its already impressive client roster, including Aquascutum, Chiquita, David Tutera, DIY Network Fresh Express, Jaeger, McCormick & Company’s Old Bay® Seasoning, Rosa Mexicano, Selena Gomez Dream Out Loud (Europe), and the Vargas Estate, as well expanding Beanstalk’s relationship with Stanley Black & Decker. In addition, Beanstalk launched several groundbreaking brand extensions for existing clients including the much anticipated launch of NUANCE by Salma Hayek, a line of over 100 health and beauty products, at CVS/pharmacy stores this coming August.

New Brands Joining Beanstalk:

Aquascutum: Aquascutum, the iconic British heritage brand, pegged Beanstalk to develop the brand’s international licensing program. Beanstalk will be securing best-in-class licensing partners across a range of luxury lifestyle categories including fragrance, eyewear, watches, luggage and childrenswear.

Chiquita and Fresh Express: Nancy Bailey & Associates was selected by Chiquita Brands to extend both the Chiquita and Fresh Express brands into new food and non-food and categories in the U.S. and Canada. Nancy Bailey & Associates will help Chiquita extend its flavor profile and value-added ingredients, as well as its iconic logo, the Miss Chiquita brand character, and its vintage artwork into multiple product categories.

David Tutera: The world-class lifestyle and wedding authority, David Tutura, selected Beanstalk to develop and execute the 2011 launch of a comprehensive licensed bridal product line, introducing a line of gowns and bridesmaid dresses, jewelry, floral arrangements, stationery and more. In addition, Beanstalk now manages Mr. Tutera’s entertainment career and business ventures through its 360-degree personal management services under the guidance of Beanstalk Managing Director, Dan Levin, in the agency’s Los Angeles offices.

DIY Network: Following Beanstalk’s successful execution of a brand licensing program for Scripps Network’s HGTV, DIY Network, the go-to destination for rip-up, knock-out home improvement television, selected Beanstalk to lead the development of a comprehensive line of home-improvement and landscaping products. The product line will be consistent with DIY’s mission to motivate consumers to tackle home improvement projects, by translating the network’s trusted, expert voice to superior tools and materials at affordable prices.

Dream Out Loud by Selena Gomez: Beanstalk has been appointed as the European licensing agency for teen sensation Selena Gomez’s clothing line, “Dream Out Loud.” A breakthrough teen idol and international sensation, Selena Gomez has amassed over 14 million Facebook followers and has been the cover girl for numerous teen magazines. Dream Out Loud by Selena Gomez captures the star’s fun, free-spirited and relaxed lifestyle with touches of Hollywood glamour. Already a huge success in the US, the line sells at over 1,000 Kmart stores. Beanstalk is looking to partner with European apparel licensees to expand the Dream Out Loud by Selena Gomez brand internationally.

Jaeger: British luxury fashion brand, Jaeger, and Beanstalk will develop the brand’s international licensing program. Beanstalk will be securing premium licensing partners across a range of lifestyle categories including fragrance, sunglasses, footwear, childrenswear and homewares.

McCormick’s Old Bay: Beanstalk and its division, Nancy Bailey & Associates, were selected as the licensing agency of record for McCormick & Company’s Old Bay® Seasoning Brand. The agency has been tasked with leveraging the Old Bay Seasoning experience into both food and non-food categories to reinforce the brand’s vision of becoming the definitive seafood flavoring brand in the U.S. Beanstalk is working to extend the brand into various categories including fresh and frozen meals, sauces and marinades, as well as housewares, kitchen supplies and apparel. Products are targeted to launch in 2012 at mass retailers, grocery, drug, convenience and club stores.

Rosa Mexicano: Beanstalk was appointed the exclusive licensing agency for Rosa Mexicano restaurants. With ten locations in New York, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Los Angeles, Miami, New Jersey, and Atlanta, and additional locations slated to open this year, Rosa Mexicano is known for redefining flavorful and authentic upscale Mexican cuisine. Beanstalk will help bring the brand’s unique flavors to American homes in categories such as frozen meals, appetizers, salsas, marinades, sauces, chips and snacks, alcoholic beverages/mixes, and frozen novelty.

Stanley Black & Decker: Beanstalk renewed and expanded its relationship with Stanley Black & Decker, to continue as the global agency for Stanley, as well as for additional Stanley Black & Decker brands, including Black & Decker, DeWalt and Porter Cable.

The Vargas Estate: Beanstalk has formed a partnership with the Estate of Alberto Vargas, the famous Peruvian artist known for creating the “Vargas Girl.” First published during WWII, the “Vargas Girl” epitomized romantic imagery of the day and catapulted the artist to worldwide fame. The iconic images remain popular, and Beanstalk is looking to secure global apparel and accessories licensees.

Client Brand Extensions:

Beanstalk partnered with Salma Hayek to launch NUANCE by Salma Hayek, a beauty collection including skincare, hair care, body and cosmetic items, sold exclusively at CVS/pharmacy. The comprehensive line of health and beauty solutions builds upon the global appeal of the Hollywood icon and actress and reaches women of all ethnicities. The line was announced in the May 6th issue of WWD and will be available in all 7,200+ CVS/pharmacy stores this August. Beanstalk will continue efforts on behalf of Ms. Hayek to expand her beauty line outside of the U.S.

HGTV, the country’s leading home and lifestyle television network, is expanding its collection of licensed products with the launch of the HGTV HOME™ brand and three new product lines in the paint, flooring and bedding categories. In coordination with HGTV, Sherwin-Williams is launching HGTV HOME by Sherwin-Williams, a line of interior paint and painting supplies, available in 3,000 Sherwin-Williams stores. Also in June, Shaw Industries is launching the exclusive HGTV HOME-Flooring by Shaw in select retail outlets, and the HGTV HOME fashion bedding collection, in partnership with Victoria Classics, which will become available at retail nationwide. HGTV HOME products are designed to be both functional and stylish, providing consumers with the right blend of form and innovation, while showcasing a variety of stylish and innovative offerings within the targeted categories.

Leveraging Airheads’ unique flavor profiles, Beanstalk was able to secure two new partnerships with the Jel Sert Company and Unilever. In its first foray into the beverage category, Airheads paired its iconic Watermelon and Blue Raspberry flavors with Jel Sert’s colorful, squeezable packaging to offer a similarly irreverent brand experience as the Airheads candy. Using a unique formulation, Unilever translated the candy’s signature tangy flavor profile into Popsicle® Airheads® ice pops. Popsicle® Airheads® ice pops feature all the flavors of Airheads® candy bars including the famous White Mystery, in addition to other limited-time flavors. Unilever has created multi-pack assortments that can be enjoyed at home, and single-serve Popsicle® Airheads® ice pops to be sold in freezers across all retail channels and on ice cream trucks throughout the U.S.

Nancy Bailey & Associates secured a co-branded partnership between its client, Coppertone, America’s number one suncare brand, and Sesame Workshop. Under the new partnership, Coppertone and Sesame Workshop are helping protect children from harmful UV rays and educate parents on the importance of sun protection. The new licensing program includes children’s t-shirts from Children’s Apparel Network and children’s headwear from InnoVision Headwear. Both product lines will come with UPF 50+ protection, and feature recognizable and adored Sesame Street characters, as well as Coppertone branding to communicate the products’ superior UV protection.

In March 2011, Beanstalk partnered its client, Emmy Award-winning television host, best-selling author and design expert, Christopher Lowell, with high quality manufacturer Fayette-Renaissance, to introduce a line of branded bedding and bath products inspired and designed by Christopher Lowell. The partnership produced a product line including fashion bath towels, bedding, sheets, throws, blankets, window treatments, decorative pillows and beach towels.

About Beanstalk Beanstalk, a global brand licensing agency and consultancy, extends brands through the strategic and creative development of licensed products. The company works with blue-chip brands and other high-profile clients to leverage licensing as a strategic tool to enhance brand awareness, increase consumer touch-points, and generate revenue. Beanstalk also works with manufacturers to help identify and acquire compelling brands and properties to help them gain competitive advantage in the marketplace.

Beanstalk is the licensing agency of record for over 50 world-class brands. The agency has developed thousands of brand extensions in every major product category, resulting in nearly $2.3 billion in retail sales in 2010 alone. Headquartered in New York, Beanstalk’s global reach includes offices in London, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Miami, and Hong Kong, and affiliates throughout the world. For more information, please visit www.beanstalk.com.

Beanstalk is a part of Omnicom Group Inc. Diversified Agency Services (NYSE: OMC). Omnicom (www.omnicomgroup.com) is a leading global marketing and corporate communications company.