IPG, Duck Dynasty and a Happy New Year
by December 23, 2013 12:00 am 92 views
In November, Forbes magazine reported that merchandise tied to the reality television show “Duck Dynasty” would collect $400 million in retail sales this year, making it one of the most popular brands in television history.
Products sold at Walmart are responsible for half of that.
Half.
The show follows the exploits of the Robertson family of West Monroe, La., whose top-of-the-line Duck Commander duck calls and decoys have made them all self-described “redneck millionaires.”
It airs on A&E, and a network executive offered one of 2013’s top understatements when she told Forbes, “growth has been phenomenal.”
From T-shirts to bandanas, garden gnomes to marshmallow guns, and fake beards, action figures and Chia pets — anything with the Duck Commander logo sells, and sells a lot.
The show has attracted 80 licensees, according to Forbes, churning out associated merchandise at retailers such as Walmart, Target, Kmart and Walgreens.
One of the licensees is Rogers-based headwear and apparel company Infinity Product Group, led by president and founder Doug Keller.
IPG inked a three-year deal in January with Duck Commander, an agreement expected to greatly boost sales for an already surging company.
“This will increase our sales by probably 20 percent,” Keller told the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal in February. “It’s a deal that every retailer wants to get on, whether it’s Walgreens, Walmart, Target, Kmart. It doesn’t even matter. Everybody wants Duck Commander.”
Our editorial staff thought Keller’s deal with the Duck Commander company was one of the year’s business highlights and included it among our Best & Worst of 2013, featured in this issue beginning on Page 13.
It includes a recollection of some of the people and events we told you about, a handful of unforgettable quotes, and a remembrance of the loss of several notable business personalities.
And, as it’s our final issue for 2013, I’d like to thank you and all of our readers for your interest in the Business Journal.