Our Work
Put simply, we take intellectual property, whether that is a television series, character, talent, brand or organisation and look at it in the same way consumer goods companies look at their products – as a brand. We are particularly interested in the brand’s potential to “stretch” into new product areas. These can take many guises from books, food, clothing, toys and games and giftware, to theatre, exhibitions, property and promotions. If a brand has that potential, we help its owner to find the right partner organisations to realise it and monetise it.
Our Purpose
At Metrostar we think of what we do as ‘brand nutrition’; developing new products and creating new experiences which enrich the core brand. Done well, it creates a fitter, happier and healthier brand. Done poorly it creates a rather tired, fat and unappealing one. After all, you are what you eat! So we resist talk of ‘cashing in’ and ‘milking’. We help to create new products which enliven and enhance brands – and through that, we generate new revenues.
Our Uniqueness
Every agency is different in its culture and approach. Here are some of the things which define us :
Agile, with a relatively small portfolio of brands, our senior team are able to work on every client. Client servicing is a priority and we’re happy to report that we have never lost a client to another agent in 18 years of trading. Something we are hugely proud of.
Beautiful products sell, so we help our clients to create incredible assets. Their style guides are some of the best in licensing and their licensees’ products are often nominated for awards. In 18 years, they have received over 50 nominations.
Relationships are key to us. Our buyer connections help us to deliver a high number of direct to retail deals and retail exclusives and our international agency network enables us to execute campaigns across the World. Our licensees are precious and supportive. We have worked with many and known many more for our entire licensing lives. Our incredible clients trust us with their most valuable assets, their brands – for which, thank you! And finally and importantly, the design and marketing agencies they use make stars of us all.
“The talent and incredible people in licensing make it an amazing industry to work in but it’s the careful planning, rigorous prospecting and astute negotiation which make it profitable. Something we never lose sight of at Metrostar.”
Claire Potter
Our Founder, Claire Potter
Claire’s background is in brand management. After completing her law degree, Claire joined Unilever’s graduate training scheme with Brooke Bond Foods where she worked on soup, tea and mushy peas before leading the team which launched Chicken Tonight cooking sauce in the UK. She held senior marketing positions with Golden Wonder and Ladbrokes before joining BBC Worldwide as UK Marketing Director. Whilst there she worked on TV brands such as Teletubbies, Top Gear, Only Fools and Horses, Walking with Dinosaurs and Gardeners’ World. Excited by the challenge of the internet, Claire left the BBC to join the Guardian Media Group as Marketing & Product Development Director for their recruitment web site, Workthing. In 2003, Claire had a baby boy. In 2004, she gave birth to Metrostar and has never looked back.
Claire’s passion for brands and consumer insight underpins Metrostar’s planning processes.