American 1:25 scale four door sedan and wagon promos and kits

[bobthehobbyguy]

1 hour ago, mikos said:

Right, but is there a distinction between the two when you want to make a replica?  You get the licensing for doing a certain Cadillac model then want to make a plastic model kit of the same car as well.  Would that require a whole new licensing agreement to do a plastic model?  If not, you can spread out the licensing costs by doing different versions of the same car in different product lines like matchbox type cars, diecast and plastic model kits.

Good question.  My gut feeling is that it is not that simple. Hopefully someone in the business can provide more information on this.

[niteowl7710]

16 hours ago, mikos said:

Right, but is there a distinction between the two when you want to make a replica?  You get the licensing for doing a certain Cadillac model then want to make a plastic model kit of the same car as well.  Would that require a whole new licensing agreement to do a plastic model?  If not, you can spread out the licensing costs by doing different versions of the same car in different product lines like matchbox type cars, diecast and plastic model kits.

The short answer is no, having licensing to produce a diecast doesn't not automatically grant you the ability to produce a plastic model kit, or even a different scale diecast. Furthermore having a "master" license from one of the Big 3 - the big expensive proposition that gets you through the door to produce your first item from their catalog and allowing you to put the "Ford Approved" holograph on the box doesn't grant you automatic license to create anything else from a given manufacturer without paying additional licensing and getting an entirely separate top to bottom approval of the project. In this sense a "project" can be the entire series of kits expected from a given tool. The example would be Revell making the '71-73 Mustang kit series, you'd approach Ford for licensing approval for the Boss 351, Mach 1, and theoretical Gone in 60 Seconds and '73 Mustang as one singular project before cutting the tooling. 

In the current environment the maximum length of a "Master" license is 3 years at which point you have to renew it and of course pay for another term. Of the Big 3 GM is the only one that maintains their own in-house licensing, Stellantis uses IMG, and Ford uses an 3rd Party firm in the UK.

There is an overall "ease" in being an established customer of a licensor they get to know your staff and your products and in some cases the approvals are more of a going through the motions, and making sure all the tradedress on the box art is correct and whatnot, but you're still paying an individual licensing charge on each item.

Edited September 27, 2023 by niteowl7710

[bobthehobbyguy]

Thanks for clarifying how the licensing works. 

[GLMFAA1]

I obtained a craftsman 60 Chevy station wagon, kept the green plastic and did the interior with a darker green trim and the contrail in the interior color, lots of foil and Molotaw. Interesting how it is squashed when compared to Prieser figures

Friction toy Escalaide is another 4 door that matches Revell's version.

greg

[mikos]

On 9/27/2023 at 7:05 AM, niteowl7710 said:

The short answer is no, having licensing to produce a diecast doesn't not automatically grant you the ability to produce a plastic model kit, or even a different scale diecast. Furthermore having a "master" license from one of the Big 3 - the big expensive proposition that gets you through the door to produce your first item from their catalog and allowing you to put the "Ford Approved" holograph on the box doesn't grant you automatic license to create anything else from a given manufacturer without paying additional licensing and getting an entirely separate top to bottom approval of the project. In this sense a "project" can be the entire series of kits expected from a given tool. The example would be Revell making the '71-73 Mustang kit series, you'd approach Ford for licensing approval for the Boss 351, Mach 1, and theoretical Gone in 60 Seconds and '73 Mustang as one singular project before cutting the tooling. 

In the current environment the maximum length of a "Master" license is 3 years at which point you have to renew it and of course pay for another term. Of the Big 3 GM is the only one that maintains their own in-house licensing, Stellantis uses IMG, and Ford uses an 3rd Party firm in the UK.

There is an overall "ease" in being an established customer of a licensor they get to know your staff and your products and in some cases the approvals are more of a going through the motions, and making sure all the tradedress on the box art is correct and whatnot, but you're still paying an individual licensing charge on each item.

Thanks Niteowl!  That explains a lot.

In the Gone in 60 Seconds example, wouldn’t Revell have to pay an additional licensing fee to the H.B. Halicki estate (or whom ever owns the rights to the movie) to do a version of the movie car?

 

Edited September 28, 2023 by mikos

[1972coronet]

5 hours ago, mikos said:

Thanks Niteowl!  That explains a lot.

In the Gone in 60 Seconds example, wouldn’t Revell have to pay an additional licensing fee to the H.B. Halicki estate (or whom ever owns the rights to the movie) to do a version of the movie car?

 

I'd imagine that Halicki can go jump in a lake on that one. There's nothing unique about the 1971-come-1973 Mustang in the original (and only) Gone in 60 Seconds ! . 
So long as no names are used to sell/promote a 'generic' 1971-1973 Mustang Sportroof, then there's no trouble from H.R.'s widow.

[ChrisBcritter]

And just in case Revell is extra cautious, here you go:

[Brian Austin]

I've heard that '60 Chevy wagon kit's roof is slightly lower that it should have been.

One year I saw a box of craftsman kits at a flea market.  Unfortunately they were all so badly butchered I could find no use of them.  There were one or two green Chevy wagons.

[mikos]

27 minutes ago, Brian Austin said:

I've heard that '60 Chevy wagon kit's roof is slightly lower that it should have been.

It was, but that was the era of slide rulers even on the real thing.  It wasn’t a car that was around for almost 35 years with tons of information and pics about it.  Unfortunately, we model kit buyers got stung by the China gap syndrome.