Luck of the Eilish for BrownTrout Publishers at NSS

BrownTrout's forthcoming Billie Eilish product on display at NSS

“When it comes to licensing, it’s all about timing,” observed Gray Peterson, sales/marketing VP at BrownTrout Publishers, and in terms of timing for licensing, BrownTrout definitely hit the jackpot.

“Sixty days ago we signed Billie Eilish--and then she swept the Grammys!” Peterson said, gazing down at the counter display of forthcoming Eilish product at the BrownTrout exhibitor’s booth at this week’s National Stationery Show (NSS) at New York’s Javits Center.

“We went to print a week ago and will be in the marketplace in another 60 days.”

Eilish joins BTS and Blackpink in BrownTrout’s late-breaking licensed pop star product, adding to such other major company licensees as Taylor Swift, Bob Marley and Michael Jackson.

“It’s all dated product: planners, calendars, journals—and all image-driven,” said Peterson. In Eilish’s case, “Billie’s very hands-on. She’s given us her images and lyrics, and has personally approved everything we’re doing.”

Such involvement is most unusual, said Peterson.

“It happens when a young artist gets into the business and tries to stay on top of everything,” he explained. As for whether or not he himself is a Billie Eilish fan, he said: “I’ve heard her music and enjoy it. But we have a licensing agent who’s got the pulse of everything that’s hot.”

BrownTrout is set to issue a press release regarding the forthcoming Eilish product next week, “but we really don’t need to,” said Peterson. “It’s all in-store driven—and she’s such a hot topic in the world.”

Indeed, a young buyer for Diamond Comic Distributors had just walked by his Eilish display, saw it, and said, simply, “Done! It’s in our line.”