‘Licensing 2001’, a major showbiz

‘Licensing 2001‘, a major showbiz merchandise and trade show, is kicking off today at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York. In a preview article, The Hollywood Reporter writes:

Warner Bros.’ “Harry Potter” remains a supernatural force to be reckoned with despite some early sniping about weakness in product sales. In fact, some of the very limited licensing categories at this stage for the J.K. Rowling-penned franchise have done quite well. So far, product has been tied to the books themselves; product specifically tied to the film will launch in the fall, aided by the growing drumbeat of awareness from Warners and worldwide promotional partner Coca-Cola. Like “Rings,” “Harry Potter” benefits from the huge built-in awareness of blockbuster book sales and strong online interest in the film.

Erm… “very limited licensing categories at this stage”??