Top 10 collaborations of 2018: Kellogg’s scoops leader board with Funko figures

License Global compiled a list of The Top 10 Collaborations of 2018 that strategically fed consumer’s appetite to interact with their favorite brands through products.

Based on reader feedback, the extended partnership between Kellogg’s and Funko topped the leader board.

Kellogg’s licensing journey

Funko is a $500m company that turned around the vinyl toys niche to a mass pop concept. It has also forayed into the breakfast cereal sector​​ with its line of FunkO’s that feature a well-known figure like Batman, Beetlejuice and the Golden Girls.

Funko first adopted Kellogg’s iconic characters in 2017 when it memorialized Tony the Tiger as a four-inch styled POP! vinyl figure. The initial limited edition release sold out in hours.

Last year, the cereal giant continued its partnership with Funko with the introduction of POP! and vinyl figurines of Rice Krispies Snap, Crackle and Pop; Toucan Sam; and Dig’em, along with products ranging from apparel to tabletop and accessories.

Kellogg’s is no stranger to brand licensing, having tied up Froot Loops with co-creation fashion brand AwayToMars​​ in August; and with State Bicycle Co. in September to create a bike customized to ‘Whatever Froots Your Loops’; to commissioning Pink Key Licensing to design a program to exploit the company’s heritage​​ for the European market.

Golden opportunity​

According to the Steven Ekstract, brand director of global licensing group UBM, the licensing industry brought in $271.6bn in retail and related revenue in 2017, and is an excellent opportunity for producers in the F&B space “to distinguish your product from every other product out there.”​​​

It is not only a “no brainer” for major food producers like Kellogg’s, Hostess Brands,​ Perfetti van Melle​​ and Finsbury Food Group​​ but also an chance for smaller bakery and snack producers “to expand their footprint into other sectors within the F&B space, as well as completely new arenas,”​ added Amanda Cioletti, content director of License Global.

She told us getting into the business is relatively easy, but interested players are best advised to attend one of the Licensing Expos held in Las Vegas, US; London, UK; Shanghai, China; and Tokyo, Japan.

Listen to the full BakeryAndSnack Chat Podcast with Cioletti.