Blockbuster movies helping boost licensing industry

After a bruising 2001, the licensing industry is counting on a better year, encouraged by strong sales this spring of merchandise tied to hot movies like “Spider-Man” and the latest “Star Wars” episode, as well as the prospect of more blockbuster films to come.

Still, caution rules.

“The emphasis is on building already established brands,” said Chris Byrne, a New York-based independent toy consultant. “There are very few new properties out there. The market is really saturated.”

This conservative approach, which began early last year, was evident last week during the annual licensing trade show, above. After several years of modest gains in U.S. retail sales, the licensing industry took a hit last year, bruised by economic uncertainty and the lack of hot movie properties until late in the year. That’s when “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” and “Monsters Inc.” arrived in theaters.

Overtime: Early-bird workers’ efforts seem to get overlooked

Despite the popular maxim, the early bird doesn’t always get the worm.

Workplace early birds who prefer to put in their overtime hours before the start of the work day don’t get the same recognition for their efforts as those who work later into the evening after most people have left the office, according to Management Recruiters International.

MRI, a Cleveland-based search and recruitment firm, polled office workers and their managers to find out which people received recognition for putting in extra time at the office.

“Despite the fact that putting in the extra time whether it be in the early hours of the morning or late at night potentially leads to greater productivity, workplace early birds do not reap the same rewards, promotions or acknowledgments for their efforts,” said MRI president and CEO Allen Salikof.

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