<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!--Generated by Squarespace Site Server v5.11.5 (http://www.squarespace.com/) on Fri, 30 Jul 2010 16:11:14 GMT--><rss xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:itunes="http://www.itunes.com/dtds/podcast-1.0.dtd" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" version="2.0"><channel><title>BLOG</title><link>http://www.smaworks.com/blog/</link><description></description><lastBuildDate>Tue, 20 Jul 2010 13:32:31 +0000</lastBuildDate><copyright></copyright><language>en-US</language><generator>Squarespace Site Server v5.11.5 (http://www.squarespace.com/)</generator><item><title>Webinar Series: Successful Program</title><dc:creator>[Your Name Here]</dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 20 Jul 2010 13:26:25 +0000</pubDate><link>http://www.smaworks.com/blog/2010/7/20/webinar-series-successful-program.html</link><guid isPermaLink="false">461527:5341800:8310084</guid><description><![CDATA[<p>Strategic Marketing Affiliates invites you to participate in the third installment of our 6-part webinar series.</p>
<p>Each webinar tackles a different topic affecting collegiate institutions and their brands.</p>
<p>The third webinar, Running a Successful Licensing Program, will be held at 2 p.m. (EST) on July 29.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Dale Carder, Executive Director of the UCM Foundation and Interim Chief Development Officer for the University of Central Missouri, will be discussing the best practices for managing, growing and maximizing the potential of a licensing program.&nbsp; Dale and UCM were awarded the 2007 ICLA Licensing Program of the Year &ndash; the award for the top licensing program in the nation.</p>
<p>To&nbsp;RSVP for&nbsp;July's webinar, Running a Successful Licensing Program, please contact Jared Harding at 317-829-5735 or <a href="mailto:Jharding@smaworks.com"><span style="color: blue;">Jharding@smaworks.com</span></a>.</p>
<p>If you feel there is someone on campus that would benefit from this presentation, we encourage you to forward this email and invite them to attend!</p>
<p>The list below identifies topics covered over the course of the series:</p>
<p><strong>Protecting Your Brand</strong><strong> </strong><strong>(May)<br /></strong>(What can you do to prevent infringement or misuse of an institution&rsquo;s marks?)</p>
<p><strong>Updating Your Marks</strong><strong> </strong><strong>(June 30)<br /></strong>(When should an institution freshen up its marks?)</p>
<p><strong>Running A Successful Licensing Program</strong><strong> </strong><strong>(July 29)<br /></strong>(What are the keys to a successful program?)</p>
<p><strong>Infringement on Your Campus</strong><strong> </strong><strong>(August)<br /></strong>(Where is infringement likely to be found?)</p>
<p><strong>Incorporating the Whole Campus</strong><strong> </strong><strong>(September)</strong><strong> <br /></strong>(How do I involve everyone?)</p>
<p><strong>Four P&rsquo;s of Licensing</strong><strong> </strong><strong>(October)<br /></strong>(Protect, Profit, Promote and Preserve)</p>
<p>Thank you for your time and we look forward to seeing you on July 29!</p>
<p>The SMA Team</p>]]></description><wfw:commentRss>http://www.smaworks.com/blog/rss-comments-entry-8310084.xml</wfw:commentRss></item><item><title>Licensing: Did You Know? Collegiate</title><dc:creator>[Your Name Here]</dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 16 Jul 2010 15:05:01 +0000</pubDate><link>http://www.smaworks.com/blog/2010/7/16/licensing-did-you-know-collegiate.html</link><guid isPermaLink="false">461527:5341800:8274953</guid><description><![CDATA[<p>The value of retail sales for Collegiate-based licensed merchandise was estimated at $3.2 billion in 2009, according to "The Licensing Letter Royalty Trends Report." That $3.2 billion accounts for 3.5% of licensed merchandise retail sales in 2009 in the U.S. and Canada. This data was derived from The Licensing Letter&rsquo;s Annual Licensing Business Survey.</p>
<p>The "Royalty Trends Report" estimates the average royalty rate for Collegiate-based licensed merchandise was 9.8% in 2009, one point higher than the overall industry average (8.8%) for licensed merchandise.</p>
<p>In further analysis of&nbsp;the data, the report goes on to&nbsp;explain that most collegiate licenses carry a royalty rate between 7.5% and 8.5%.&nbsp;Schools with larger programs, which&nbsp;command a higher (9% to 10%) rate, and&nbsp;goods commemorating national championships, such as NCAA Championships, boost the overall average royalty rate.</p>
<p>The SMA Team</p>]]></description><wfw:commentRss>http://www.smaworks.com/blog/rss-comments-entry-8274953.xml</wfw:commentRss></item><item><title>Licensing: Did You Know? Industry</title><dc:creator>[Your Name Here]</dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 29 Jun 2010 12:24:24 +0000</pubDate><link>http://www.smaworks.com/blog/2010/6/29/licensing-did-you-know-industry.html</link><guid isPermaLink="false">461527:5341800:8131110</guid><description><![CDATA[<p>According to &ldquo;The Licensing Letter Royalty Trends Report,&rdquo; the average industry-wide royalty rate for the consumer products licensing business in the U.S. and Canada in 2009 was 8.8%.&nbsp; This data was derived from The Licensing Letter&rsquo;s Annual Licensing Business Survey.</p>
<p>The 8.8% average industry-wide royalty rate is up slightly from the average for the prior three years (8.7%) and the running average since 2000 (8.65%).</p>
<p>The SMA Team</p>]]></description><wfw:commentRss>http://www.smaworks.com/blog/rss-comments-entry-8131110.xml</wfw:commentRss></item><item><title>Licensing: Did You Know? Trends</title><dc:creator>[Your Name Here]</dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 17 Jun 2010 17:50:21 +0000</pubDate><link>http://www.smaworks.com/blog/2010/6/17/licensing-did-you-know-trends.html</link><guid isPermaLink="false">461527:5341800:8014733</guid><description><![CDATA[<p>Royalty rates for licensed merchandise have been consistent in the last 10 years. From 2000 to 2009, the average royalty rate moved slightly from 8.5% to 8.8%, according to <em>The Licensing Letter</em> Royalty Trends Report.</p>
<p>The average royalty rates for Sports-licensed properties rose from 8.4% in 2000 to 10.1% in 2009, according to the same report. Since they started tracking Collegiate-licensed properties in 2008, the average royalty rate has been steady at 9.8%. These statistics are based on data collected from&nbsp;<em>The Licensing Letter's</em> Annual Licensing Business Survey.</p>
<p>Here are trends for additional property types since 2000, according to The Royalty Trends Report:</p>
<ul>
<li>Entertainment (10.4% in 2000 to 9.8% in 2009)</li>
<li>Traditional Toys/Games (8.6% in 2000 to 10.1% in 2009)</li>
<li>Videogames/Interactive (8.6% in 2008 to 8.8% in 2009)</li>
</ul>
<p>The SMA Team</p>]]></description><wfw:commentRss>http://www.smaworks.com/blog/rss-comments-entry-8014733.xml</wfw:commentRss></item><item><title>Webinar Series: Updating Your Marks</title><dc:creator>[Your Name Here]</dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 10 Jun 2010 21:34:07 +0000</pubDate><link>http://www.smaworks.com/blog/2010/6/10/webinar-series-updating-your-marks.html</link><guid isPermaLink="false">461527:5341800:7945138</guid><description><![CDATA[<p>Strategic Marketing Affiliates invites you to participate in the second installment of our 6-part webinar series.</p>
<p>Each webinar tackles a different topic affecting collegiate institutions and their brands.</p>
<p>The second webinar, Updating Your Marks, will be held at 2 p.m. (EST) on June 30.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Brad Bishop, co-founder of Torch Creative, will be discussing the importance of updating your marks, the correct timing to do so and will be hosting a Q&amp;A session.&nbsp;&nbsp; Brad has designed logos for the National Basketball Association (NBA), National Hockey League (NHL) and collegiate institutions of all sizes.</p>
<p>If you feel there is someone on campus that would benefit from this presentation, we encourage you to forward this&nbsp;invitation and&nbsp;encourage them to attend!</p>
<p>RSVP for the event by sending an email to Jared Harding at <a href="mailto:jharding@smaworks.com">jharding@smaworks.com</a>.</p>
<p>The list below identifies topics to be covered over the course of the series:</p>
<p><strong>Protecting Your Brand </strong><strong>(May)</strong><strong></strong></p>
<p>(What can you do to prevent infringement or misuse of an institution&rsquo;s marks?)</p>
<p><strong>Updating Your Marks </strong><strong>(June 30)</strong><strong></strong></p>
<p>(When should an institution freshen up its marks?)</p>
<p><strong>Running A Successful Licensing Program </strong><strong>(July)</strong><strong></strong></p>
<p>(What are the keys to a successful program?)</p>
<p><strong>Infringement on Your Campus </strong><strong>(August)</strong><strong></strong></p>
<p>(Where is infringement likely to be found?)&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Incorporating the Whole Campus </strong><strong>(September) </strong><strong></strong></p>
<p>(How do I involve everyone?)</p>
<p><strong>Four P&rsquo;s of Licensing </strong><strong>(October)</strong><strong></strong></p>
<p>(Protect, Profit, Promote and Preserve)<span id="_marker">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span>Thank you for your time and we look forward to seeing you on June 30!</span></p>
<p><span>The SMA Team</span></p>]]></description><wfw:commentRss>http://www.smaworks.com/blog/rss-comments-entry-7945138.xml</wfw:commentRss></item><item><title>Licensing: Did You Know? Royalties</title><dc:creator>[Your Name Here]</dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 07 Jun 2010 20:00:00 +0000</pubDate><link>http://www.smaworks.com/blog/2010/6/7/licensing-did-you-know-royalties.html</link><guid isPermaLink="false">461527:5341800:7900281</guid><description><![CDATA[<p>The royalty rate is a percentage of the merchandise sales that is paid by the licensee for the rights to use the licensor's marks on its product.</p>
<p>Typically, in the collegiate licensing industry, royalties are based on the wholesale price of licensed merchandise. Average royalty rates vary depending on the industry, whether it is collegiate, arts and entertainment, toys, sports, videogames and software or one of many others.</p>
<p>In the coming weeks, we will identify royalty terminology and trends for these industries and more. Stay tuned!</p>
<p>The SMA Team</p>]]></description><wfw:commentRss>http://www.smaworks.com/blog/rss-comments-entry-7900281.xml</wfw:commentRss></item><item><title>SMA Welcomes Six New Clients</title><dc:creator>[Your Name Here]</dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 02 Jun 2010 20:13:51 +0000</pubDate><link>http://www.smaworks.com/blog/2010/6/2/sma-welcomes-six-new-clients.html</link><guid isPermaLink="false">461527:5341800:7848766</guid><description><![CDATA[<p>SMA is proud to announce that the following&nbsp;collegiate institutions&nbsp;have joined our team&nbsp;during&nbsp;the&nbsp;second quarter of 2010:</p>
<ul>
<li>Castleton&nbsp;State College (Castleton, Vermont)</li>
<li>Harford Community College (Bel Air, Maryland)</li>
<li>Le Moyne College (Syracuse, New York)</li>
<li>Rider University (Lawrenceville, New Jersey)</li>
<li>University of Chicago (Chicago, Illinois)</li>
<li>Upper Iowa University (Fayette, Iowa)</li>
</ul>
<p>Welcome aboard! We look forward to working with you!</p>
<p>The SMA Team</p>]]></description><wfw:commentRss>http://www.smaworks.com/blog/rss-comments-entry-7848766.xml</wfw:commentRss></item><item><title>GHSA/SMA Launch Retail Program</title><dc:creator>[Your Name Here]</dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 19 May 2010 19:13:27 +0000</pubDate><link>http://www.smaworks.com/blog/2010/5/19/ghsasma-launch-retail-program.html</link><guid isPermaLink="false">461527:5341800:7726080</guid><description><![CDATA[<p><span class="full-image-float-right ssNonEditable"><span><img src="http://smaworks.squarespace.com/storage/GHSA%20Retail%20Licensing%20Hangtag.png?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1274297040500" alt="" /></span></span>The <a href="http://www.ghsa.net/">Georgia High School Association</a> and <a href="http://www.smaworks.com">Strategic Marketing Affiliates</a> announce the launch of a retail-licensing program that will produce quality, high school apparel and products for statewide store locations. The new licensing initiative is similar to existing collegiate programs with high schools receiving annual royalty payments from local sales. Products designated by official GHSA hangtags will begin appearing in <a href="http://www.walmart.com/">Walmarts</a>, <a href="http://www.walgreens.com/">Walgreens</a> and <a href="http://www.cvs.com/CVSApp/user/home/home.jsp">CVS</a> pharmacies in late June.</p>
<p>The GHSA became the first high school association in the country to start a licensing program in July 2005 with Strategic Marketing Affiliates. Currently the GHSA and SMA have over 15 licensees.</p>
<p>"High school athletics continues to be an important bridge between a school and its community. Developing school pride also develops community pride,&rdquo; said Dr. Ralph Swearngin, Executive Director of the GHSA. &ldquo;This linkage can be enhanced by merchandise that bears the school name and/or logo. Therefore, the GHSA is pleased to be a part of the process to bring this kind of merchandise to the communities of our schools."</p>
<p>&ldquo;SMA is excited to have the opportunity to expand its licensing partnership with the Georgia High School Association,&rdquo; said Tony Johnson, Sr. Vice President of SMA. &ldquo;This expansion gives the Association the ability to offer SMA&rsquo;s services and licensing expertise, which will eventually lead to greater brand presence and awareness for participating high schools in their respective communities.&rdquo;</p>
<p>For the complete release, please visit the following link: <a href="http://www.ghsa.net/ghsa-announces-retail-licensing-program-benefit-schools">GHSA Announces Retail Licensing Program to Benefit Schools</a></p>
<p>The SMA Team</p>]]></description><wfw:commentRss>http://www.smaworks.com/blog/rss-comments-entry-7726080.xml</wfw:commentRss></item><item><title>Collegiate Licensing Webinar Series</title><dc:creator>[Your Name Here]</dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 10 May 2010 21:31:54 +0000</pubDate><link>http://www.smaworks.com/blog/2010/5/10/collegiate-licensing-webinar-series.html</link><guid isPermaLink="false">461527:5341800:7632907</guid><description><![CDATA[<p>Strategic Marketing Affiliates invites you to participate in a series of webinars designed to help shape and cultivate your brand.&nbsp; The series will run over the course of six months and will feature one webinar per month.</p>
<p>Each webinar will tackle a different topic affecting collegiate institutions and their brands.</p>
<p>The first webinar, Protecting Your Brand, will be held&nbsp;at 2 p.m. (EST) on May 21. To register for the webinar, please send a request to <a href="mailto:questions@smaworks.com">questions@smaworks.com</a>.</p>
<p>The list below identifies the topics that will be covered over the course of the series:</p>
<p><strong>Protecting Your Brand </strong><strong>(May)<br /></strong>(What can you do to prevent infringement or misuse of an institution&rsquo;s marks?)&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Touching Up Your Marks </strong><strong>(June)<br /></strong>(When should an institution freshen up its marks?)</p>
<p><strong>Running A Successful Licensing Program </strong><strong>(July)<br /></strong>(What are the keys to a successful program?)</p>
<p><strong>Infringement on Your Campus </strong><strong>(August)<br /></strong>(Where is infringement likely to be found?)</p>
<p><strong>Incorporating the Whole Campus </strong><strong>(September)<br /></strong>(How do I involve everyone?)</p>
<p><strong>Four P&rsquo;s of Licensing </strong><strong>(October)<br /></strong>(Protect, Profit, Promote and Preserve)&nbsp;</p>
<p>If you have any questions or concerns regarding these topics or the series, please contact Jared Harding at 317-829-5735 or <a href="mailto:Jharding@smaworks.com">Jharding@smaworks.com</a>.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Thank you for your time and we look forward to seeing you on May 21!</p>
<p>The SMA Team</p>]]></description><wfw:commentRss>http://www.smaworks.com/blog/rss-comments-entry-7632907.xml</wfw:commentRss></item><item><title>New Clients Join SMA Team</title><dc:creator>[Your Name Here]</dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 16 Apr 2010 20:41:53 +0000</pubDate><link>http://www.smaworks.com/blog/2010/4/16/new-clients-join-sma-team.html</link><guid isPermaLink="false">461527:5341800:7363217</guid><description><![CDATA[<p>SMA is proud to announce that the following&nbsp;collegiate institutions&nbsp;have joined our team in the first quarter of 2010:</p>
<ul>
<li>Bridgewater State College (Bridgewater, Massachusetts)</li>
<li>California State University, Dominguez Hills (Dominguez Hills, California)</li>
<li>Cincinnati State Technical and Community College (Cincinnati, Ohio)</li>
<li>Fitchburg State College (Fitchburg, Massachusetts)</li>
<li>Framingham State College (Framingham, Massachusetts)</li>
<li>Lone Star Conference (Richardson, Texas)</li>
<li>Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (North Adams, Massachusetts)</li>
<li>Massachusetts Maritime Academy (Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts)</li>
<li>Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference (Westfield, Massachusetts)</li>
<li>Montana Tech of the University of Montana (Butte, Montana)</li>
<li>Rollins College (Winter Park, Florida)</li>
<li>Salem State College (Salem, Massachusetts)</li>
<li>Southwest Baptist University (Bolivar, Missouri)</li>
<li>St. Lawrence University (Canton, New York)</li>
<li>State College of Florida (Sarasota, Florida)</li>
<li>University of South Carolina at Aiken (Aiken, South Carolina)</li>
<li>University of South Carolina at Beaufort (Beaufort, South Carolina)</li>
<li>University of South Carolina Upstate (Spartanburg, South Carolina)</li>
<li>University of Virginia's College at Wise (Wise, Virginia)</li>
<li>Westfield State College (Westfield, Massachusetts)</li>
<li>Westminster College (Salt Lake City, Utah)</li>
<li>Worcester State College (Worcester, Massachusetts)</li>
</ul>
<p>Welcome aboard! We look forward to working with you!</p>
<p>The SMA Team</p>]]></description><wfw:commentRss>http://www.smaworks.com/blog/rss-comments-entry-7363217.xml</wfw:commentRss></item></channel></rss>