Published Journalist

I am happy to report that the article I was working on for License magazine was published in the most recent issue. I had to share the byline with one of the partners at Brandgenuity since he’s much more well-known in the industry, but I actually did the writing and reporting. The article will give you a decent sense of what I actually do for a living these days.

Click here to read the article or read the text below.

I guess I can add Journalist to my resume!

The Flip Side
LeapFrog leverages its licensee experience to become a successful licensor.
BY JAY ASHER AND DEBORAH KELSON, BRANDGENUITY

This fall, dozens of LeapFrog-licensed skus will hit
the shelves in half a dozen categories. But unlike
most first-time licensors, LeapFrog has an intimate
knowledge of the way licensing works—only from
the other side of the table. The Emeryville, CAbased
educational products company has
licensed-in more than 100 products in the last 10
years. Now, with the help of its New York-based
licensing agency, Brandgenuity LLC, LeapFrog is
applying the “best practices” it learned as an
inbound licensee to promote the success of its
first wave of outbound license holders.

LeapFrog has been licensing-in best-in-class licenses
for its learning products since the company’s
beginning in 1995. Since Melanie Bell-Mayeda
joined the company in 2002 as director of
licensing, she has continued to seek out popular
children’s properties that augment the learning
opportunities within LeapFrog products. Whether it
was teaching marine biology curriculum with
Disney’s Finding Nemo or introducing children to
Spanish with Nickelodeon’s Dora the Explorer,
licensed characters added another dimension to
each product. “Learning from your favorite characters
creates an engaging experience for children,”
says Bell-Mayeda. “By adding licensed characters
to our products and software libraries that also
feature our LeapFrog characters, we are able to
provide mom with the selection she needs and all
the characters her child loves.”

LeapFrog made the strategic decision to license out
its brand for the first time in 2005. LeapFrog
engaged Brandgenuity to help conceive, execute,
and manage the program. Taking a “fewer, bigger,
better” approach, LeapFrog has focused its inaugural
licensing efforts on opportunities that deliver
engaging learning experiences. Based on their
shared vision for the LeapFrog brand, the company
selected six licensees for its 2006 program:
Scholastic (books); Learning Horizons, a division of
American Greetings (educational supplements);
Sassy (infant and juvenile development products);
Cardinal Industries (games); MasterPieces
(puzzles); and Kids Headquarters (apparel).

“We’ve learned a tremendous amount from our
licensors, and we strive to be a good partner for
our licensees,” says Bell-Mayeda. As such,
LeapFrog kicked off its program with a brand
immersion at the company’s headquarters in
Emeryville, CA. Licensees worked with the marketing
and product development teams to brainstorm
new ideas for LeapFrog-branded product. In
addition to developing a standard packaging and
character style guide, LeapFrog also created a
curriculum guide based on its proprietary scope
and sequence.

LeapFrog puts learning first—a philosophy that
drives the entire company. As such, licensees are
given access to key members of LeapFrog’s
Educational Advisory Board (EAB) to aid in product
development. For example, Cardinal works with an
EAB member to add educational content to traditional
board games. With guidance from LeapFrog
and the EAB, Cardinal developed a dominoes
game with six ways to match and
learn: shapes, colors, rhyming words,
words/images, number/object association,
and traditional object matching.

LeapFrog has provided internal and
external support for the outbound
licensing program. By dedicating
space in its Toy Fair showroom for
licensed product, it made a significant
statement to retail customers and the
media about its support of the licensing
program. Books, workbooks,
apparel, games, puzzles, and infant
products were displayed prominently
among LeapFrog’s core product.

Internally, Bell-Mayeda holds regular
line reviews with the executive team,
as well as domestic and international
sales teams. By keeping them
involved, they are familiar and comfortable
with the line, enabling them
to support and promote the program
with their internal teams and retail
partners.

LeapFrog licensed product will be
available this month in retail channels
including mass merchandisers
and toy, drug, mid-tier, department,
grocery, baby, warehouse, book, and
craft stores. Looking ahead to 2007,
LeapFrog continues to seek best-inclass
licensees to create products
under the LeapFrog brand. The company
also will continue licensing-in
popular character properties for its
own technology-based educational
products. “LeapFrog is one of the
most trusted names for educational
products for children,” boasts Bell-
Mayeda. “We look forward to working
with new partners that share our
passion for education.”