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Saban/Fox's `big kid,' Elie Dekel, keeps reinventing Power Rangers while getting Digimon rolling. By TI-IL, Staf,,,,,@Omc,-St le
Elie Dekel will readily cop to being a big kid, a trait that's likely served him well during his nine years at Saban Entertainment, the kid TV braintrust behind such hits as Power Rangers and the freshly percolatin Digimon: Digital Monsters. Fourteen months ago, Dekel took over Saban/Fox Family Worldwide @ newly formed in-house consumer products division, Los Angeles, which pulled licensing and merchandising, promotions, retail business development and home video under one banner Since then, the number of licensees has tripled (now upwards of 200) and revenue has quadrupled. Dekel, who recently was promoted to president-consumer products and promotions, said Job One has been streamlining the process of taking a TV property into consumer goods. That lean and mean posture sets the stage for the division, going forward, to explore location-based entertainment, more directto-video product and new high-tech twists on licensed merchandise. It's all about further cementing the Saban/Fox Kids brands off air, says Dekel, reflecting a commonly held marketers 'goal of capturing kid consciousness. Dekel outlined some of these directions last week in an interview with Brandweek entertainment editor T.L. Stanley.
Brandweek: Entertainment licensing has taken its hits recently. How is that affecting retailers and how you do business with them?
Elie Dekel: We're at a time when even the most touted, anticipated properties have underwhelmed and underperformed. It clearly gives everybody a sense of insecurity and frustration. It's created a very interesting dynamic in the marketplace, with some definite downside.
But it's not been all negative-there have been some very positive developments to come from it, too. There's always a desire, a hope, an intent to find the next hot thing. Properties come and go-some are fortunate enough to stand the test of time-but the treasure hunt continues. Retail still has an open mind-perhaps they're more cynical-but they still are looking for excitement. I think the marketplace changes have actually helped the business because they've forced the retailer, the licensor and the licensee to work more closely together, and that's been a good thing for us all. In...
