License India, India’s leading licensing solution provider, is all set to provide a licensing platform to the Diamond comic characters – Chacha Chowdhary, Pinki, Sabu, Billoo, etc. through character licensing and animation.
Diamond Comics, a pioneer in Indian Comic industry will soon enter into a related tie-up with License India. Plans for the same were unveiled on the grounds of Brand Licensing & Merchandising show 2009 in Mumbai.
As per the agreement, the famous Indian characters of Diamond Comics would now be seen in cartoons, animated films, mobile games and would also have licensed merchandise in children’s properties – clothes, toys, stationary, etc.
According to Gaurav Marya, president- License India, “Animation and character licensing industry in India has bright prospects due to its large population that accounts for a major chunk of the world’s population. Also, the vast majority of India’s USD 75-100 million in retail sales comes from licensed merchandise in children’s properties.”
The global animation market (demand perspective) was estimated at USD 59 billion in 2006 and is expected to reach USD 80 billion by 2010. In India, the animation industry value was pegged at Rs.1,595 crore (Rs 15.95 billion) in the FY 07, registering a growth of 24 per cent over the previous fiscal year, with the entertainment segment contributing nearly 68 per cent of the total market in India. Exports, mostly to US and Europe, accounted for more than 70 per cent of the revenues in 2006.
Giving his view on the tie-up Gulshan Rai, chairman and MD, Diamond Comics said, “India is a very big country and is manufacturing large number of children oriented products. In the present scenario, our characters can be used in stationary products, Bubble-gums, Candies, Ice-Creams, Shoe Industry, Cycle Industry etc. and also on school children oriented products like school bags, their T-Shirts, tattoos, transfer stickers and so on. We have heard much about Disney cartoons, Disney clothes & Disney stationary; now is the chance for the Indian comic characters to have their visibility worldwide through License India”.
A slew of players have entered the Indian markets for licensing merchandise and character franchise. Disney Consumer Products occupies the foremost position, with the characters of Mickey and Minnie alone generating 43 per cent of its revenue. Over the last three years, merchandise-licensing business in India has been growing at more than 50 per cent, and total character licensing sales in India are estimated at Rs 5 billion.
— IndiaRetailing Bureau
