El Ocho: "TV still makes the difference when boosting a license" | Key4Communications |

After 10 years of hard work, El Ocho Licencias y Promociones professionals define the company as dynamic firm where you learn something new about the licensing business every day. In this 10th anniversary, the agency in charge of the rights in Spain and Portugal of brands such as The Lunnis, Pocoyo, and Peppa Pig aims “to choose the best partners to produce quality products at the point of sale and meet the needs of all parties: licensors, licensees, retailers and final consumers," in words of Eva Rubira, General Director, and Pilar Fernández-Vega, Licensing Director.

Which could be the most important moments in this 10 years of history?
At the agency we could highlight many important moments over the last 10 years, but there are three dates that coincide with three major brands that have been particularly important for us, not only for El Ocho but also for many Spanish companies in the industry: The Lunnis, from RTVE (2003); Pocoyo, from Zinkia (2006), and Peppa Pig, from Entertainment One (2010).

Which are the most important properties for the company in 2013 and 2014?
All brands in our catalogue are our big for us: animated series such as Peppa Pig, Ben & Holly, Jelly Jamm, and The Sheep Shaun; art and design brands like Kimmidoll, Flamenco, Color me mine, VMB, Dolores Promesas; sports brands such as Repsol, toy brands like Nancy, mobile apps as Bugsted, editorial properties such as Mafalda, and television shows like Canal Cocina as well as classics such as Fournier .

Each brand has its specific programme, some are being just started, others are more mature, but all have their specific focus and continuity.

Do you think that licences from virtual worlds will increase their presence? Or films and television series will remain the main sources of properties?
It would be logical to think so, considering how they are evolving year after year. An example of this in our catalogue is Bugsted, which comes from a mobile app and will be launched in 2014.

Still, from our point of view, TV and especially Clan, still makes the difference when boosting a license

The distribution has a key role in the success of a license. How do you foster relationships with retailers?
Every day we learn more about this difficult business. And an important and hard to grasp part is retail. Each day we try to get closer and pass on our concerns, contributions, ideas, protests… In short, everything we think it can help a brand to grow and, therefore, will result in sales.

A quick way to learn how to improve is to step into the shoes of the other party and rather than criticizing, thinking what points could be improved and, of course, trying to do so.