Branding Strategy Insider helps marketing oriented leaders and professionals like you build strong brands. To that end we’re happy to answer your marketing questions. Today we hear from Kim, a senior global brand manager in Los Angeles, California who writes…

“I’m frustrated with our brand licensing agency. The situation is the agency is not optimizing our program. The categories chosen are not reinforcing the brand’s positioning. The licensees are not fully exploiting their approved channels, limiting the distribution of the licensed product and the licensed products are not reflecting the brand’s attributes causing overall sales growth to languish and potentially damage the brand’s equity. We are considering bringing the brand licensing program in house and discontinue agency relationships altogether, but first I want to understand the key factors needed to ensure a successful transition.”

Thanks for your question Kim.  Before making a switch you should have a good understanding of the following:

• The pros and cons of managing a program in-house versus outsourcing to an agency
• The players needed on a brand licensing team and their roles & responsibilities
• The internal and external organizations that interact with the brand licensing function and what their roles & responsibilities are
• The brand licensing process and how is it optimized within an organization
• The area within the organization where the brand licensing function should reside and what resources are needed to build a best-in-class program
• How to ramp up a brand licensing program and what would need to be accomplished in the first 90 days

There are good brand licensing agencies and consultants Kim, talk to other agencies and you’ll see what I mean.

Thanks for your question, we wish you much success with your brand licensing program.

For brand owners interested in brand licensing start here.

Have a question related to branding? Just Ask The Blake Project

Sponsored by: The Brand Licensing Workshop

Join us at The Un-Conference: 360° of Brand Strategy for a Changing World
Featuring John Sculley May 16-17, 2013 in San Diego, California
A unique, competitive-learning workshop limited to 100 participants
As in the marketplace — some will win, some will lose, All will learn