The Community for Creative Licensing Professionals
Not Just Colouring In
We all work for companies built on creativity but judged on profit. Creative in, profit out with so much in-between it’s sometimes hard to connect the two. The creatives do the colouring in, the suits present it, make the deals and collect the awards.
It isn’t personal, it’s just how it is.
Another way?
Creatives from across the industry have been meeting to talk about our future. We’ve hatched an idea; what if we bring together designers, creators, creative teams and their leaders from the world of licensing and brand extension for the very first time?
We think that by joining together we can amplify our voices, shine a light on the value we create and help each other grow.
And so the Not Just Colouring In survey was born. The survey is for the whole spectrum of creatives in the licensing world, including designers, marketing experts, team leads, product developers, and creative directors. If you work at or with licensees, licensors, brands, retailers, licensing agents, or agencies, this is for you. It’s open to all levels of seniority, whether you’ve worked in the industry for 4 months or 40 years.
The NJCI survey 2024 is now closed however you can still join the gang. If you are professional working in a creative licensing role this is for you. By signing up you will receive early bird access to the full report and invites to member only events.
Our survey says …
The first annual NJCI report results are in. We’ve crunched the numbers, carried out cluster analysis and packaged up the results for you in this free downloadable resource. Key takeaways from our 2024 survey include:
Creative Autonomy: 46.3% of respondents expressed a high level of creative autonomy within their roles, indicating the industry's inherent creativity.
Recognition and Celebration: Despite their contributions, only 20% of participants felt that the licensing industry adequately celebrated their work, highlighting a need for greater recognition.
Understanding and Valuation: Nearly 1 in 3 creatives reported feeling misunderstood and undervalued by non-creative colleagues, underscoring the importance of fostering mutual understanding and appreciation within organisations.
Measurement of Impact: The majority of respondents indicated a lack of tracking, measuring, and sharing of the impact of creative efforts within their companies, emphasising the need for quantifiable evidence of creative contributions.
Frequently Asked Questions
WHAT IS NOT JUST COLOURING IN?
It’s the name of the survey and community especially designed to celebrate the contribution of creatives within licensing and brand extension.
IS THIS A SKEW THING?
The survey is a Skew thing. No-one else is asking creatives in Licensing and Brand Extension what’s important to them so we thought why not us?
HOW WILL YOU USE THE DATA?
We have produced an anonymised report from the data we’ve captured that shows general trends in sentiment across the industry. Nothing will identify individuals or companies.
WILL HR READ THIS?
We’ve made identifying questions optional where practical and we’ll never share identifying information to anyone.
CAN I JOIN THE NJCI COMMUNITY?
Absolutely - if you’re a professional working in a creative role in licensing or a graduate looking to join the industry. Please sign up to our mailing list here. As part of the community you’ll be updated on survey results, relevant news and receive invites to community events.
WHEN CAN I COMPLETE THE SURVEY?
We’ll release the survey once a year. To be notified please join our mailing list here. This will also gain you early access to the results and an invite to our annual NJCI drinks reception.
A word from Oliver, Skew's MD
“At Skew, we champion the diverse talents and contributions of creatives in the licensing industry. The NJCI survey calls upon individuals and organisations to join us in shaping the industry's future. Currently, the industry undervalues its creative professionals. Through the NJCI survey, we seek to gather evidence supporting conversations often had at trade events and project meetings. Our goal is to broaden the dialogue about the value of creatives in licensing, extending this message beyond our creative community. It's clear that the industry must improve in nurturing its creative talent. With NJCI, we aim to initiate positive change within licensing.”
