LIMA ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF THE 19TH ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL LICENSING EXCELLENCE AWARDS
Spider-Man the Movie Climbs to The Top as Overall Best License of the Year
(NEW YORK, NY) June 12, 2003 - Spider-Man the Movie (The Columbia Pictures Theatrical Release) took top honors as the 2002 Overall Best License of the Year at the 19th Annual LIMA Gala & Awards Ceremony for the International Licensing Industry Merchandisers' Association (LIMA). The Awards Ceremony, honoring the best and the brightest in the multi-billion dollar worldwide licensing industry was held last evening at the Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers in New York City.
Spider-Man the Movie (The Columbia Pictures Theatrical Release), its licensees and agents combined captured a total of five awards. The first time in the history of the LIMA Awards program that one property garnered so much recognition. In addition to the Overall License of the Year, the property was awarded Entertainment License of the Year and the International License of the Year. Activision, Inc. won Entertainment Licensee of the Year (Hard Goods) for the Spider-Man the Movie video game and Columbia Pictures took home Promotion of the Year for its Spider-Man the Movie Multi-Partner Promotional Program with Carl's Jr., Hardees, Cingular Wireless, Dr. Pepper, Hershey's, Kellogg's and Reebok.
With products ranging from a video game to the Spider-Man Dual Action Web Blaster, Spider-Man Merchandising, L.P., the 50/50 limited partnership comprised of Marvel Enterprises, Inc. and Sony Pictures Consumer Products, Inc., has helped to recharge the film sector of the licensing industry. It provided an example of how one property can appeal to different demographics, according to Charles Riotto, president of LIMA. "The fact that Spider-Man the Movie (The Columbia Pictures Theatrical Release) had a part in five different awards is truly a testament to the strength of the property and the licensing program," he notes. "It helped account for the 3.9% increase in Character based licensing revenue we saw last year."
The LIMA International Licensing Excellence Awards includes eight major categories, honoring licenses from the worlds of Art, Characters, Corporate, Entertainment, Sports/Special Events, Retail, Promotions and International, as well as the Overall Best License of the Year and a Merit award. In keeping with the increasing globalness of the licensing industry, LIMA presented awards for the International License of the Year and the International Licensing Agency of the Year.
In the Character category, Disguise, Inc. took home the award for Licensee of the Year (Soft Goods) for its Spider-Man Classic line of costumes. The Hard Goods award in this category went to Play Along, Inc. for Care Bears plush. Clifford the Big Red Dog by Scholastic Entertainment was awarded License of the Year.
Briefly Stated, Inc. received the Entertainment Licensee of the Year Award (Soft Goods) for SpongeBob SquarePants with men's & boys' underwear, sleepwear & ties and women's & girls' sleepwear & daywear. Hot Topic won the Retailer of the Year Award for its SpongeBob SquarePants program.
2/ LIMA International Licensing Excellence Awards
Jeep by Daimler Chrysler, represented by the Joester Loria Group took the top prize in the Corporate category as License of the Year. The Singing Machine Co., Inc. won the Licensee of the Year Award (Hard Goods) for the MTV branded karaoke machine. The Soft Goods award went to Marcolin USA, Inc. for CoverGirl eyewear & sunglasses.
In the Sports/Special Events category, the National Basketball Association (NBA) was awarded the honor of License of the Year. Mitchell & Ness received the award for Licensee of the Year for its NBA Hardwood Classics Retro Jerseys.
Rounding out the awards were: Mary Englebreit for the Art License of the Year Award; the International Licensing Agency of the Year award went to Copyright Promotions Licensing Group for its 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan program. In addition, a special Merit Award for Licensing Creativity went to the Licensing Group, Ltd for the "Terminator 2" program. Spanning 11 years, the program continues to be a success. The International Licensing Excellence Awards are selected by the more than 1,000 members of LIMA and receive a coveted three-dimensional, etched-glass trophy, featuring the LIMA logo.
In addition to the awards presentation, Beverly Cannady, creator of the Mattel licensing department, and Lois Sloane, a leading proponent in the development of licensing and marketing classic film archives, were inducted into the Murray Altchuler Licensing Industry Hall of Fame at the 'Dance, Celebrate, Laugh and Network' themed Gala.
For the 10th consecutive year, LIMA donated a portion of the Awards Gala ticket sales to The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, LIMA's charity of choice. The Camp, founded by Paul Newman, is a nonprofit residential summer camp where children with cancer or other serious blood diseases do not have to sit on the sidelines; they can go and do! Over 1,000 children from seven to 15 years old come each year, at no charge, from the United States and abroad.
2002 Award Winners:
* 2002 Overall Best License Of The Year - Spider-Man The Movie (The Columbia Pictures Theatrical Release)
* 2002 Best Art License Of The Year - Mary Engelbreit
* 2002 Best Character License Of The Year - Clifford The Big Red Dog By Scholastic Entertainment
* 2002 Best Character Licensee Of The Year (Hard Goods) - Play Along, Inc. For Care Bears
* 2002 Best Character Licensee Of The Year (Soft Goods) - Disguise, Inc. For Spider-Man Classic
* 2002 Best Corporate License Of The Year - Jeep By Daimler Chrysler/The Joester Loria Group
* 2002 Best Corporate Licensee Of The Year (Hard Goods) - The Singing Machine Co., Inc. For Mtv
* 2002 Best Corporate Licensee Of The Year (Soft Goods) - Marcolin USA, Inc. For Covergirl
* 2002 Best Entertainment License Of The Year - Spider-Man The Movie (The Columbia Pictures Theatrical Release)
* 2002 Best Entertainment Licensee Of The Year (Hard Goods) - Activision, Inc. For Spider-Man The Movie
* 2002 Best Entertainment Licensee Of The Year (Soft Goods) - Briefly Stated, Inc. For SpongeBob SquarePants
* 2002 Best Sports/Special Events License Of The Year - National Basketball Association (NBA)
* 2002 Best Sports/Special Events Licensee Of The Year - Mitchell & Ness For NBA
* 2002 Best Retailer Of The Year - Hot Topic For SpongeBob SquarePants
* 2002 Best Promotion Of The Year - Spider-Man The Movie Multi-Partner Promotional Program - Columbia Pictures
* 2002 Best International License Of The Year - Spider-Man The Movie (The Columbia Pictures Theatrical Release)
* 2002 Best International Licensing Agency Of The Year - Copyright Promotions Licensing Group For 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan
* 2002 Merit Award For Licensing Creativity - The Licensing Group Ltd.
3/ LIMA International Licensing Excellence Awards
Founded in 1985, LIMA is the worldwide trade organization for the licensing industry. LIMA's main purpose is to work together with licensors and licensees for the advancement of professionalism in licensing through research, regional and national seminars and events as well as publications. With members in 25 countries, and offices in New York, London, Munich and Tokyo, members enjoy access to a wide variety of activities, information and benefits. LIMA is a proud sponsor of the annual Licensing International Show (New York), Brand Licensing (London) and Licensing Asia (Tokyo). In addition, LIMA now offers a Certificate in Licensing Studies (CLS) program, the only educational program designed to prepare licensing professionals to succeed in the ever-changing licensing industry. For more information please visit www.licensing.org . |
