June 6, 2016, New York, NY., - Beanstalk, a leading global brand extension licensing agency, today announced the addition of the representation of personality rights of legendary icons to its comprehensive range of services. The service, formally called Icon Representation, will be led by Martin Cribbs, who has joined the agency as Vice President, Brand Management. With an ever-increasing demand for content and new media platforms for advertising, there’s been an industry shift to consolidate and manage personality rights providing strategic advice and activation. Beanstalk’s singular leadership as brand stewards creates an opportunity to become the new standard bearer for excellence in this specialty area. Icon Representation will represent the personality rights of legendary icons for use in advertising, promotions, licensed products, and long-term brand associations.  The new service will provide clients trusted access to rights holders, quick turnaround of rights clearances, and transparency of fees.

In a media-saturated environment, Beanstalk recognizes the value of iconic personalities to emotionally engage consumers and communicate brand trust and choice. Allison Ames, President and CEO of Beanstalk, comments,  “Featuring a legendary icon in a campaign is a wonderful and powerful way for brands to align themselves with renowned influencers to drive their underlying brand message. Seeing an instantly recognizable face of someone who has made a deep impact on our culture makes us all pause for a moment to reflect and watch. This is a powerful vehicle for brands aiming to capture our attention with the right message. Beanstalk’s Icon Representation offers trusted business expertise to the families, estates and foundations of these beloved icons, while streamlining access for agencies and brands as they create their advertising campaigns.”

Beanstalk’s union with Cribbs will combine the company’s unparalleled reputation and Omnicom affiliation with more than 200 marketing and advertising agencies in nearly 100 countries, with Cribbs’ expertise in personality rights management.

As an executive with over 20 years in licensing, Cribbs has represented some of the most legendary icons in the world, including Albert Einstein, Mahatma Gandhi, Harvey Milk, and the Wright brothers, among many others. Prior to joining Beanstalk, he was Head of Licensing for Universal Music Group’s Bravado division, overseeing licensing for Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and Michael Jackson, among others.  He began his career in brand licensing with the Estate of Andy Warhol, building an international business with licensees in more than a dozen countries around the world.  Recognized as a thought leader in celebrity licensing, he has been interviewed by media outlets including, 60 Minutes, The New York Times, Forbes, The Los Angeles Times, The Associated Press, The Guardian, and The Independent.

About Beanstalk

Beanstalk, a global brand extension agency, works closely with our clients to unlock brand equity and create many of the world’s most recognizable products and services.  We help leading brands, celebrities, media properties, manufacturers and retailers creatively find ways to strengthen their relationship with their most important stakeholder – the consumer.

Beanstalk offers a breadth of services including brand representation, manufacturer representation, icon representation, retailer partnerships, creative services, approvals management, legal and financial services, and royalty auditing.  Blueprint – Powered by Beanstalk, our consulting division, advises clients through four key practice areas: brand extension + retail development, research + insights, design + identity, and operations + governance. Tinderbox, our digital division, works with gaming and new media properties to realize their potential in the world of consumer products.

The company is headquartered in New York, with offices in London, Miami, and Cincinnati, and affiliates throughout the world.  For more information, please visit www.beanstalk.com. Beanstalk is part of the DAS Group of Companies.

About The DAS Group of Companies

The DAS Group of Companies, a division of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) (www.omnicomgroup.com), is a global group of marketing services companies. DAS includes over 200 companies in the following marketing disciplines: specialty, PR, healthcare, CRM, events, promotional marketing, branding and research. Operating through a combination of networks and regional organizations, DAS serves international, regional, national and local clients through more than 700 offices in 71 countries.