If it feels like you’ve been seeing Peanuts characters all over the place lately — it’s probably because you have.
According to The Wall Street Journal, a global merchandise strategy built on collaborations has given Snoopy and the gang new life.
… started in the ‘90s, including collaborations with high-fashion brands down to fast-fashion powerhouse H&M.
Today, brands continue to slang merch across a wide range of price points. Some items on offer include:
Through its collaborations, Peanuts generated $152.2m in royalty revenue in 2021.
A deal with Apple TV+ is set to bring Peanuts’ original specials to new audiences and fuel new titles with the characters.
If history is any indication, this could kick off a new wave of collaborations. In 2015, the brand launched partnerships with Vans, Gap, and Gucci with the release of The Peanuts Movie.
… What would Charles Schulz, Peanuts’ legendary creator, think of its global merchandise empire?
Some fans don’t think it aligns with the spirit of his comics — pointing to the anti-commercialism message of the brand’s iconic TV special, A Charlie Brown Christmas.
On the other hand, some estimates peg Schulz’s personal earnings during his lifetime at $1B+. He wasn’t exactly anti-business.
Either way, we’re fairly confident he’d have the same response: “good grief.”