By Vicki Matranga, Design Programs Coordinator
Learn how to develop and launch the right products for the right customer—with the right methods!
At the 2014 International Home + Housewares Show, the Innovation Theater in the Lakeside Center will present 20 educational programs, beginning Saturday morning and running through Tuesday morning. In these final weeks before the Show, we introduce you to the experts who will discuss critical and timely topics in our industry.
Be sure to make time in your Show schedule for FREE executive-level seminars that will help build your business—at the Innovation Theater, located in Room E350—near the entry to the Level 3 Lobby, the gateway to the Lakeside Center exhibit hall. Check www.housewares.org regularly for updates on the schedule of Show events.
License to Thrill! Wowing Consumers with Brands That They Know and Love
Sunday, March 16 9:30 – 10:20 a.m.
Jessica Blue, vice president, Licensing Expo
Steven Ekstract, Group Publisher, License Global Magazine
Lia Buffa, vice president, New Business, Food Network
Jessica Blue (pictured left) is vice president of the Licensing Expo held in Las Vegas, Nev. Previously she was event director of Brand Licensing Europe (BLE). Both events are produced by Advanstar Communications, Inc., where she has been since 2005. Prior to Advanstar, Blue spent eight years managing trade shows for the UK’s biggest show organizer, United Business Media.
Publishing executive Steven Ekstract (pictured center) held senior management positions with Premiere magazine and The Hollywood Reporter before founding License! Global magazine, the leading business publication for the global licensing business. He is also publisher of “The Art of Licensing,” LicenseTV, the License! Show Dailies and the License! Daily E Newsletter. Ekstract conceived the reference book, Licensing for Dummies, an industry trade paperback overview of the licensing business, published by John Wiley & Sons.
Lia Buffa (pictured right), vice president for new business at Food Network in New York, oversees the creation of brand extensions for the network. The new business team’s efforts have included the launch of Food Network Magazine, a line of products at Kohl’s, Food Network-branded concessions at stadiums and airports, fragranced candles and entwine, a line of wines developed in partnership with Wente Vineyards. These successes earned the “Best Corporate Brand Program” award at the 2010 International Licensing Excellence Awards. Before joining Food Network in 2006, Lia worked at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, where she served in the merchandising department and played a key role in the launch of multiple lines within the Martha Stewart Everyday portfolio at Kmart. She later worked in MSLO’s television group and created DVD and CD partnerships with Warner Home Video and Sony. Lia is also a licensed New York City tour guide and gives street art tours with her company, Saddleshoe Tours, on weekends.
What is the exciting part of your job?
Jessica: Licensing is constantly evolving and that makes it fun and exciting. We’re learning about new developments in licensing and brand extension all the time and the pop culture trends that are influencing the industry. I enjoy watching new intellectual properties become successful brands. It’s very rewarding to see the finished product in the stores and know that the conversation about that product/brand partnership started at Licensing Expo.
Lia: The most exciting part of my job is that I get to do what I do for such a powerhouse brand. Just the other day I was going through the security line at the airport and the woman behind me spotted my luggage tag and asked if I worked for Food Network and then what I did. A very enthusiastic conversation followed, during which I learned that Pioneer Woman is her idol, her kids beg her for Ina’s brownies and her red Food Network Dutch oven is her favorite thing in her kitchen. It is incredibly exciting to work for a brand that’s so ingrained in people’s lives. It is also very rewarding to work in an environment that supports creative thinking and open dialogue. Several of the businesses that have been launched in our New Business department have come out of ideas generated by our internal team that seemed perhaps far-fetched when first proposed. Many of those businesses did not come to fruition. But some did. I enjoy the process of vetting ideas and taking those forward into a product that consumers can touch, feel and experience.
What inspires your passion in your work?
Lia: Food Network’s vision is to connect everyone to the power and joy of food. It is my responsibility to make sure that what we bring our fans from a product perspective satisfies them as much as what we bring them from a media perspective—a tall order and one I take very seriously.
Twenty years ago when Food Network began, an entire channel devoted to food 24/7 seemed like a crazy idea. Today there is a proliferation of food TV and food media, led, of course, by Food Network. Food Network reaches over 100 million households on TV. Our website had 35 million unique views in November 2013 and our social footprint is over 14 million. That translates into a lot of passionate fans and consumers who are always top of mind for our team when developing and launching new product lines.
In the past few years, what has changed most in your business?
Steven: The licensing business has changed dramatically since its inception. Consumers are much more brand conscious than ever before. They want branded products that make them feel good about their purchases. Another major change is that brick and mortar retail has consolidated while online retail has exploded. The quality of products at the mass level has improved significantly which has brought new consumers to shop at Target, Kohl’s, Walmart etc. Because of the appeal of the internet and wireless devices more content than ever before is available, creating more opportunity for manufacturers and retailers to broaden their range of products.
Lia: I think what has changed in the world in general is what has impacted us the most—people are incredibly connected and expect immediate relevancy. Diners are photographing their meals to share with friends before they even taste what is in front of them. Viewers are engaged in tweeting about their favorite shows. Customers are posting online reviews to share their product opinions with others.
People want to engage with their favorite brands and express their experience with products via social media. Because of such consumer instincts, we can get a sense of who our customers are and what they are doing with our products. In partnership with Kohl’s, we recently ran a sweepstakes inviting people to share via the hashtag #cookwithkohl’s to tell about what they made in their kitchen and the response was overwhelming. When you have a brand with tens of thousands of online recipes and millions of visitors, that data can tell you is truly incredible. Just ask our friends over at WIRED magazine.
As a brand engaged in selling products, we are now living in an age where we cannot rely solely on black and white sales data to seek direction and feedback on our products. We have a (relatively) newfound ability to broadly engage with millions of people with an intimacy that did not exist just five years ago before platforms like Instagram and Pinterest were part of the daily vernacular.
Why did you choose to speak at the International Home + Housewares Show?
Jessica: We formed a new collaboration between Licensing and License Global and the International Home + Housewares Show. When brand owners who exhibit at Licensing Expo attend the International Home + Housewares Show, they will be inspired by the latest consumer trends and product development in dining, design, décor and kitchenware. For brands looking to extend their presence in the home, they can then attend Licensing Expo and meet the manufacturers and retailers who can bring that plan to life. This will allow us to cross-promote our respective events via direct marketing, editorial opportunities and co-hosted seminars.
Lia: I have had the privilege to speak at conferences and events and I always find it satisfying to share with others. More importantly, I find for every speaking engagement I do, I walk away learning from the questions the audience asks and making industry connections that often lead to new business opportunities.
Tell us what you will be speaking about and how and this topic is important for Show audiences.
Steven: We will be giving an overview of how licensing works and some of the different ways to do it. All retailers and manufacturers should be aware of how licensing can grow/change their business. We will also give some case studies of licensing programs and how they have worked in the real world.
Lia: I will be talking about how Food Network approaches brand licensing. A brief overview of our licensing program as a whole and then some specifics about how we approach our licensing program with Kohl’s. I will be speaking from the perspective of Food Network and touching upon why Kohl’s is a great partner for us and what makes what we do with them unique and ownable in today’s marketplace.
For all three of you, this is your first time presenting at our Theater. What do you look forward to from speaking at the Innovation Theater?
Jessica: We are delighted to have the chance to communicate the power of licensing and how it can help new retailers and manufacturers increase and expand their business.
What do you see as consumers’ biggest concerns regarding housewares products?
Steven: Consumers always want something different and new and licensing can help create differentiation.
Lia: Consumers are most concerned about believing that the products they purchase will deliver value. Whether they are buying a $500 espresso machine or a $5 spatula, they want to know that they are investing their dollars wisely. With so many seemingly similar products available at comparable price points, customers tend to choose brands they have a connection with. That could be because they saw their mother using that brand’s products or, in our case, because the product comes to them from their favorite TV brand or personality. In the end, whatever product they choose, their satisfaction will come from whether they feel that what they invested in meets or exceeds their expectations.
What are some of today’s trends or issues that new product development professionals and/or retailers face in the housewares market?
Jessica: Retailers want exclusives and want to be able to sell something new and different. Product development professionals are under pressure to innovate to stay current.
Lia: The biggest challenge for brands in housewares face is the same struggle consumers have: there is a proliferation of products in the marketplace with very similar attributes and price points. It is very hard to stand out and move a customer to choose your product over the competition. Retailers need to think about inspiring their customers so that when people invest in a new set of pots and pans they believe they’re buying a solution that is going to answer the question we ask ourselves every day: “what’s for dinner?” vs. just buying a generic cookware set.
Thank you, Jessica, Steven and Lia, for giving us a preview of your presentation about the power of licensing brands. You three combine provide offer first-rate, insider information. We look forward to learning from your trio on Sunday, March 16 at 9:30 a.m. in the Innovation Theater.
Learn more about licensing by contacting:
Jessica Blue
Vice President, Licensing Expo
Direct: +1 310 857 7558
Cell: +1 310 903 1796
Steven Ekstract
Lia Buffa
Vice President, New Business
Food Network
75 Ninth Avenue, 2nd Floor
New York, NY 10011
