Takeaway: Fanatics and UMG Bravado are on a collision course. The “great merch race” will be won by the agencies that value licensing agreements, trademarked products, and long-term partnerships. As “wearable intellectual property” continues to fuel online retail growth for artists, publishers, and everything-in-between, it will be the agencies that develop high-visibility / high sales rosters that will be acquired in the end.
WeWork (now: “We Company”) receives the mind share of real estate interest by tech and retail media. With over 7,900 employees and over 11,000,00 square feet under management, this is practical. But we’re beginning to see the tip of the iceberg for brands, real estate, and activation. By the end of 2019, two brands will be operating luxury hotel experiences. One is a luxury gym and retailer, the other is a digitally vertical native brand (DNVB). Both are moving consumers through the funnel with an age-old model that’s newer to brand sales. It will be everywhere before we know it.
If you grew up in the right part of town in the 80’s and 90’s, you may have remembered those “Rent-a-Center” stores. You knew that if you drove past one of those, you may not have been on the right side of town. You’d see window decals that advertised their six-month, same as cash deals. If you were lucky, these storefronts would allow you to use your pending tax return as credit for the rental agreement. Rent-a-Center’s are peppered across America, often in places that few people in this community would frequent. With nearly 35% of the market and 2,970 stores, Rent-a-Center (RAC) has undoubtedly shaped America’s perception of the access economy. And until recently, the perception around access hasn’t been positive.
