FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 9, 2008

 

CONTACT:
Cara Bernosky, President
IMC Licensing
502.589.7655
cbernosky@imclicensing.com

 

 

 

 

IMC Licensing Keeps Turning Brands into Great New Consumer Products
 

 

LOUISVILLE, KY - IMC Licensing, the nation's leading licensing agency specializing in consumer product brands, announced today that it has had another record year, exceeding agency expectations by adding new clients to its roster and delivering a host of distinctive new licensed products to the marketplace. 

Portfolio of Respected Brands

IMC Licensing has worked for more than a decade with some of America’s largest companies and their brand portfolios including brands such as ALTOIDS and LIFE SAVERS for the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company as well as JELL-O, KOOL-AID, Oscar Mayer, A.1., OREO and others for Kraft Foods.  In addition, IMC Licensing has worked with other powerhouse brands including Louisville Slugger, TABASCO, Manischewitz and Remington Arms.

IMC Licensing is pleased to be growing its portfolio of top-tier clients including the recent addition of Lenox Group Inc., a market leader in fine quality tabletop, collectible and giftware products, with the goal of expanding the brand into categories for everyday living, home entertainment and gift-giving occasions.  As the new exclusive licensing agency for Valvoline, the global leader in the marketing, distribution and production of quality branded automotive products and services, IMC Licensing is developing great new products to leverage the brand’s reach with the Do-It-Yourself automotive enthusiast.

Additionally, IMC Licensing is continuing to expand its dominance in the food and beverage sector through its work with many new clients.  Whether through its work with General Mills on the WHEATIES brand or its recent appointment by Chiquita Brands International to expand the Chiquita and Fresh Express brands into adjacent food categories or a tasty new client like Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, no other licensing agency represents more food and beverage brands than IMC Licensing.

According to Cara Bernosky, IMC Licensing president and co-founder, “We are delighted to have had the privilege of working with such an incredible group of brands over the years as part of our growing portfolio of clients.  Our mission is to turn brands into great new consumer products.  With the roster of clients we currently represent, that mission is all the more exciting and within our reach.”

Turning Brands into Great New Consumer Products

Building on the continued success of other great new consumer products that IMC Licensing has already created like LIFE SAVERS Frozen Popsicles and A.1. Steak Beef Jerky, the company has recently launched a variety of new consumer products in the marketplace with many more now under development: The Reebok KOOL-AID Collection, a complete collection of footwear and apparel, incorporates the bright colors of KOOL-AID flavor favorites like grape, cherry, orange, lemon-lime and strawberry and has generated a tremendous amount of buzz and relevance among its core urban demographic; Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ Flavored Beef Jerky, a line of BBQ flavored beef jerky, leverages Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ Sauce award-winning flavor equities; and Planters Peanut Oil, now available in consumer-friendly, economical sizes including 64oz, 1 gallon, 3 gallon and 4.5 gallon sizes.   

IMC Licensing also developed a program for Pure Fishing’s Berkley and Gulp brands with licensee Outdoor Recreation Group, and the program has successfully gained distribution into Cabela’s and other outdoor retailers. Licensed products for the Cub Cadet brand have also gained traction at retail.  The Cub Cadet  lawn care accessories by licensee Brinly Hardy have distribution at Home Depot and through the Cub Cadet dealer network, and the Cub Cadet ride-on toy tractor by licensee Peg Perego is available at Toys “R“ Us. 

Well-Respected Industry Thought-Leaders

IMC Licensing continues to be THE industry thought-leader in consumer product licensing with continued participation and leadership at prominent trade shows, forums and events.  Its senior staff has been active as speakers and participants for multiple industry conferences and publications.  Within the past year, Stephen Reily, CEO and co-founder, moderated a panel at Licensing University 2007 on "A New Look at Corporate Brand Licensing,” and Bruce Bridges, vice president of Licensing, will moderate a panel at Licensing Univeristy 2008 on “Protecting Licensors from Product Safety Concerns & Recalls.”  IMC Licensing continues its reputation as the experts in food and beverage licensing with Mr. Reily presenting an overview of “Trends in the Food Licensing Industry” at the 2007 Private Label Trade Show and Ms. Bernosky to moderate a panel on “Opportunities in Food & Beverage Licensing” at Licensing University 2008.  Additionally, both Mr. Reily and Ms. Bernosky have been published on the subject of food and beverage licensing in publications including BRANDWEEK, brandchannel.com, among others. 

According to Ms. Bernosky, “We at IMC Licensing are driven by a vision that licensing will earn a respected place among the best brand-building, marketing practices and we know that to demand this respect, we must earn it.  White papers, articles and presentations help us achieve this vision as well as keep on top of industry trends and insights and in turn create great new consumer products for our clients’ brands.”

 

ABOUT IMC LICENSING

IMC Licensing is the nation’s leading licensing agency specializing in consumer product brands. IMC Licensing turns brands into great new consumer products that delight consumers and expand the long-term value of our clients’ iconic trademarks.

IMC Licensing represents Kraft Foods, Valvoline, TABASCO and Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. among others. For more information, please visit www.imclicensing.com.

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