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TOTAL Art Licensing
Intercontinental Licensing at 40+
The story of Intercontinental Licensing in many tion to join Intercontinental, and now lives in
ways is intertwined with the life story and his beloved Philippines. He covers Eastern Asia.
dreams of its founder, George L. Medina. Ramon Go, proficient in three Chinese dialects,
Forty-one years after its founding, its original who has, aside from his headquarters functions,
founder still runs this world-wide company as personally built Chinese-speaking territories
its President and CEO. Today the company has into a powerbase. Latin America, Australia and
twenty-two executives and members around Japan are served for Intercontinental by promi-
the world. It features some well known art li- nent licensing agents.
censes. “Yes!”, remembers George, “I could not have
Its biggest success is the Fish-Eye Pet Photog- imagined all this when I ran away from the Na-
raphy Series Hanadeka Club™, created and zis in 1938 age sixteen years with nothing but
started by famous Japanese photographer Yoneo my ability to understand five European languag-
Morita. Hanadeka Club™ has now some one es. When I served in the US Army for three
hundred-twenty active licensees in a full gamut WWII years and when I tried my hand in a ten
of product lines and territories including gift year stint at greeting card publishing and after
books in sixteen languages. failure, having however learned reproduction
There is the inspirational classic Dear God
Dali’s well-known icons, like the melting clock
rights, I started anew in 1966 to build a new
Kids™. The series asks deep questions about
or the famous Dali crown, onto high quality lux-
business from scratch. I circled the globe some
the meaning of God and life, but does so with a
ury goods that are affordable nonetheless.
forty times in long trips to see, to meet, and
light touch that has motivated parents and chil-
And of course, there are the more than one hun-
to develop a worldwide customer base. From
dren for over twenty years. It is featured with
dred and twenty other freelance artists who are
its books and products in more than four thou-
under exclusive contract with Intercontinental
sand retail outlets, both chain and independent,
for marketing, and from whose new series 5 to
in the USA. Dear God Kids™ was created by
8 new licensing concepts yearly are born. They
Anne Fitzgerald of Ireland out of her personal
are packaged and presented to provide fresh
sense of mission when she first met up with
ideas and growth for Intercontinental’s custom-
Intercontinental those many years ago. It has
ers in paper goods, gifts, home decorative, table
been updated in dress and design often to suit
top, scholastics, books and more.
the times and make it more pertinent.
Intercontinental’s slogan, “WHERE THERE IS
There is Buzz™, a leading license of extreme
SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE,” expresses
sports for men, boys, and teens – with five hun-
the company’s philosophy says Ramon Go, VP of
dred pictures to choose from.
Sales, and Jerra Parfitt, Creative Director - who
There is a forty year partnership with Simon
is always on the lookout for new talent and new
Elvin Ltd., England’s largest greeting card pub-
series. Service is our motto, say Manager Khalida
lisher (third in size around the world), whose
Khan and Licensing Manager Candice Donald-
thousands of new yearly designs are licensed
son. Customer satisfaction drives our growth,
then on, slowly success came along; my love of
and marketed everywhere by Intercontinental
states Customer Service Manager, Charlotte
designs sustained me, and by trial and error we
since the start-up of both companies.
Wright.
changed policies, computer systems, and design
There is Auca de Dali™ - bringing Salvador
The New York team is
series and here we are now – established and
supported and guided
respected in our chosen niche field. Our exis-
by Intercontinental’s ex-
tence and success are proof of that!”
perienced group of Re-
He explains: “Art licensing is different from
gional Managers, almost
character, brand, or entertainment licensing;
all of whom have been
its volumes are smaller but much safer and it
in their territories for
addresses a more impulse-driven and indepen-
one or more decades:
dent-choice customer away from the hoopla
Marco Barberis in Italy
and hype and costs of “the big name” series - it
and France, Sandra Keay
also tends to be more durable.”
who runs the UK office,
Both Intercontinental and George Medina have
Jack Kurowski for Russia
prevailed for a long time. Longevity and love
and Eastern Europe, Petra
for your work certainly helps, says George who
Weinstein for Germany,
still can be found in his office six hours each day
Klaus Wolff - who left a
and attends international trade fairs around the
sales manager position
world greeting old buddies, or their children and
at a competing organiza-
successors, in his eighty-sixth year.
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