Snoopy and Charlie Brown Sold Out - 175 Million Peanuts

Charles Schulz the creator of Peanuts and the lovable Charlie Brown and his dog Snoopy has managed to make waves across the branding and advertising world despite being dead.

Forgive the blunt language, I love the cartoon classic, I even contribute to the 2 billion a year in retail sales the trade mark and brand pump out on an annual basis (not for me my pops can not get enough of them {teachers}).







The brass tax of the deal boils down to the following:

• The Charles Schulz Family and EW Scrips have sold the lovable bunch for 175 million dollars.
• The Buyers of Peanuts is a firm known as Iconix Brand Group..Iconix Brand Group will only have a 80% share and the schulz family will keep a 20% stake plus some royalties.
• The Iconix Brand Group is saying that they expect 75 million a year in royalties. This would thus seem like a pretty good deal. In three years they should actually profit from the deal.
• The deal however gets better they are also getting Dilbert and Fancy Nancy in the deal. Not sure on all the details or implications but that can't hurt.

Well I can't say I am surprised by the news. Don't get me wrong two years ago I would have been flabbergasted but it seems that selling off quality Brand names is the trend. This is apparently a symptom of financial hardship and economic crisis.

If you are not familiar with the new trend deal making involving the selling of brands for reasonably cheap prices then you may want to read up on the Marvel Comics Sale to Disney. Another great one that was for sale but no one purchased was the DOW Jones Industrial Average. I still can't believe they were considering that though really the buyer would have lost out because the index was for sale not the name but how do you reverse brand something like that?