By Mark Seavy

There was a spotlight on global properties at the recent LicensingCon LATAM in São Paulo, Brazil but executives at the event also described a strong push by regional IPs as Brazilian retailers adjust to new competition.

YouTube personalities and streaming services continued to gain ground at the event. For example, Netflix shared a booth at the tradeshow with its agency Redibra. Additionally, the location-based entertainment (LBE), health and beauty, and food and beverage categories were also in demand.

When it comes to the classic global properties taking advantage of nostalgia, Paramount, Universal, Warner Bros., Hasbro, Mattel, Beanstalk, Iconix International, and Authentic Brands Group were among the 46 exhibitors at the event (up from 42 last year). But regional properties like El Chavo Del Ocho also attracted attendees.

El Chavo del Ocho—which debuted as a TV series in 1973 in Mexico and was launched in Brazil in 1984 as the Portuguese dub Chaves—has experienced a revival following the settlement last year of a legal dispute between the estate of the show’s creator Roberto Gómez Bolaños (Grupo Chespirito) and producer TelevisaUnivision. The show, which is represented by the Lotus Global Marketing in Brazil, gained renewed interest from “El Chavo: The Exhibition” touring exhibit that launched in Mexico City, Mexico in 2020. It has also been featured on Brazilian versions of Carton Network, returned to Netflix on August 11, and is reported to be poised for a revival with TelevisaUnivision in 2026.

Streamers like Netflix also had a strong presence at the tradeshow. Redibra promoted licensing for Wednesday, Squid Games, and K-Pop Demon Hunters, the latter having seen a surge in popularity in Brazil. The hit animated film has spurred DTRs at South American retailers Lojas Renner (332 stores), Lojas Riachuelo (302), and C&A Modas (330 stores), which are increasingly adopting a “clustered” approach to merchandising, said David Diesendruck, CEO at Redibra.

Under this strategy, retailers stock items in smaller quantities (10,000 – 15,000 units compared to 50,000 – 100,000 units) and tailor them to specific regions such as southern Brazil, where streaming is popular. This allows for a faster turnaround for licensed properties that gain popularity. Products hit shelves within three to four weeks (compared to several months previously), Diesendruck said. With this faster production cycle, the retailers better compete with online retailers like Shein, which made a push in Brazil last year. The strategy was effectively deployed earlier this year when Lady Gaga had a one-day free concert in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil that attracted 2.5 million people.

“Retailers had to be faster than before and increase their assortment because it is all about addressing music, gaming, and other communities because it is very hard to find a silver bullet IP,” Diesendruck said. “Most of the time it is one specific IP for each community. That is where the cluster strategy works because it can address more communities and you can manage the risk.”

In addition to streaming properties, YouTube personalities made a splash at LicensingCon. LBE was also a major topic as the category continues to gain traction in Brazil.

YouTube stars Luccas Neto (53.3 million subscribers), Maria Clara Melo de Amaral and her brother Joao Pedro (“Maria Clara e JP,” 49 million), and Enaldo Lopes de Oliveira (“Enaldinho,” 43.5 million) all attended the show and have fielded toy licensing programs targeting their preschool audiences. Neto is represented by Redibra, while Ziggle Licensing and Destra handle licensing for Maria Clara e JP and Enaldinho, respectively.

On the LBE side, the 3,459-acre Beto Carrero World in Penha, Santa Catarina, Brazil had executives at the show seeking to build out its licensed attractions. The park, which opened in 1991, expanded into licensing through a venture with DreamWorks Animation and Universal Studios in 2012 and added a Madagascar area two years later. Since then, Beto has opened several licensed attractions including Hot Wheels Epic Show earlier this year and Nerf Mania in 2023 under agreements with Mattel and Hasbro, respectively. 4Act Entertainment, meanwhile, will open the 53,819-square-foot Vila dos Smurfs Park in Sao Paulo, Brazil this fall, marking the third such Smurfs-themed park globally. It will feature 17 attractions and three themed sections.

Sports in the spotlight at LicensingCon included the Kings League, a new seven-a-side soccer organization formed in 2022 by former FC Barcelona player Gerard Piqué that includes a dozen Latin American teams playing on a 60-yard field versus the standard 110 yards, as well as the National Basketball Association (NBA).

The NBA has more than 20 branded stores and a consumer products office in Brazil that handles licensing for a league that includes Brazilian players Gui Santos (Golden State Warriors) and Tristan da Silva (Orlando Magic). The National Football League (NFL) is also seeking inroads in the region with a game featuring the San Diego Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs set for September 5 in Sao Paulo. The league also reached an agreement with Sportv Globo to provide free-to-air broadcast coverage of games this fall.