by ANNA KNIGHT, senior vice president of licensing, Global Licensing Group
Many parents want to share the traditions of their youth with their children. Whether they have favorite bedtime stories, games, or characters, parents want their children to feel the same joy and happiness playing and using their imaginations they felt when they were young.
The Lumistella Co., the creative organization that brought easily recognizable brands like The Elf on the Shelf to the world, is returning to Licensing Expo in person this year with a portfolio of known and loved as well as brand-new IP, all ready for licensing. Not only will The Lumistella Co. be available with their own location-based entertainment experiences, but also they are eager to share how they continue innovating in a rapidly changing landscape.
I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Christa Pitts, co-CEO of The Lumistella Co., who has been attending Licensing Expo for more than ten years. Here, Christa breaks down how licensing and attending Licensing Expo have helped the organization stay ahead of the curve when it comes to innovating, branding, making connections, and expanding on new ideas.
The Lumistella Co. will be exhibiting at Licensing Expo from May 24-26 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. Licensing Expo provides the best opportunity to secure the rights to thousands of consumer brands, entertainment icons, and more for products or stores. Click here to register for Licensing Expo for free.
Anna Knight: How do you use Licensing to continue to innovate?Â
Christa Pitts: As a company, our purpose is to create joyful family moments. We seek licensing partners who share that focus and help bring our North Pole universe to life. Whether through location-based experiences, like The Elf on the Shelf’s Magical Holiday Journey, products such as our Kellogg’s cereals where families can enjoy a welcome-back breakfast with their Scout Elf, or entertainment like our partnership with Netflix, we seek partners that can enhance consumers’ experiences with our brands. We are excited to continue innovating new stories and finding engaging ways for fans to discover the enchanted world that exists beyond The Elf on the Shelf.
AK: What trends are coming down the pipeline?Â
CP: Customers expect omni touchpoint engagement with their favorite brands. So, everything from consumer products to narrative experiences that invite repeated interaction will continue to drive this business. In addition, virtual experiences continue to emerge as opportunities to interact with our consumers in new ways. The Lumistella Co. invests in participatory experiences like Roblox to bring the consumer into our world and become active players in our story universe. Our brands are all about connection to one another, the ideals of goodwill and good cheer, and the characters that exemplify these traits. While we create enduring traditions, our brands will continue incorporating of-the-moment trends that extend and elevate connections with our characters.
AK: What drew you to return to Licensing Expo?Â
CP: It is where the business of licensing gets done! The Lumistella Co. first exhibited at Licensing Expo more than a decade ago in 2010, and we’ve returned each year since. We look forward to meeting with existing and potential partners from around the globe to discuss industry trends and explore potential activations and licensing opportunities. The Expo has always provided a welcoming venue for us to foster strong relationships and grow partnerships. Lastly, our company has grown quite a bit since the last Expo was held. For instance, we’ve rebranded to The Lumistella Co. and are excited to share all that has transpired over the past several years.
AK: What excites you about engaging with your community in person at Licensing Expo this year?Â
CP: Personal Connection. Licensing Expo signals an emergence from the pandemic and a return to more normal interactions from business and personal perspectives. Having a chance to see our partners, friends, and peers and conduct business face-to-face again is a gift. Plus, as The Lumistella Co. continues to evolve from a company primarily focused on consumer products to a house of global brands which encompasses experiences and events, the Expo is a key opportunity to identify partnerships that further our vision, mission, values, and purpose.
AK: What challenges have you faced in the absence of in-person exhibitions, and what do you hope to achieve at Licensing Expo?
CP: Originally, at Licensing Expo 2020, we had planned to announce our corporate rebrand from CCA and B, LLC to The Lumistella Co., a name that more accurately reflects the enchanted universe our world represents. The pandemic had other plans for us, though, and once things started shutting down, we needed to revisit our strategy. Fortunately, we could still pivot and elevate our new corporate brand globally, but not in the same way we had planned.Â
In terms of what we hope to achieve, we are excited to share who the company is now versus who we were in 2020. We have introduced our characters to Roblox players with The Elf on the Shelf Official Snowball Fight game, inked a partnership with Netflix as a true studio home for our content, both in the originals and licensed space, grown our brand reach into six additional international markets, and ultimately, shown how we are poised for long-term growth across multiple verticals.
Register for Licensing Expo here to schedule a meeting with The Lumistella Co. and discover their suite of licensable IPs.
