4 Ways PLM Streamlines Licensing Teams for Greater Innovation, Sustainability and Efficiency

Creativity thrives on seamless collaboration — but siloed data and cumbersome communication tools can stifle the creative process. This can be especially challenging in licensing where teams must navigate large-scale quantities of design and brand data. Centric PLM™ streamlines workflows by centralizing all licensing-related data on a single, cloud-based platform.

• Real-time, visual-first design sharing: Creative teams work within their preferred design tools while sharing ideas and updates internally and with agility.
• Simplified approvals: Licensors and licensees approve designs, packaging and product concepts faster through the platform, so nothing gets lost in the shuffle.
• Accelerated prototyping: Centric PLM improves prototyping with a centralized view of design requirements that ensures everyone works from the most up-to-date information. This reduces errors and the need to rework designs, which can hold up production.

“We work with every major entertainment company in the world. We have over 100 designers that are creating art and assets for many different product types. The large file size of all art goes right into the Centric system to keep us on track.” – VP of Growth at Bioworld Merchandising.

Sustainability has become an essential element of licensing agreements and brand strategy as consumer demand for sustainable products grows and companies advance sustainable and ethical production initiatives. Centric PLM embeds sustainability-minded processes into every stage of the product lifecycle, from materials sourcing to packaging.

• Track sustainable materials with tools that can manage, monitor and verify sustainable material sourcing and ethical production practices.
• Reduce prototyping waste through greater data accuracy and centralized communication and lower the number of physical sample iteration.
• Simplify compliance through centralized and automated tracking of regulatory requirements and documentation of supplier certifications.
• Support sustainable packaging with integrated benchmarks and alerts, such as required recycled material percentages.

“Centric has an easily configurable system that suits our needs. Seeing how all the information on our raw materials, sustainability and finished products could be in one place and speak to each other was a real ‘aha’ moment.”  – Product Manager at The Reformation

Licensing teams juggle multiple tasks — tracking deadlines, managing global partnerships, organizing massive volumes of internal and external design files and keeping up with changing brand guidelines. Centric PLM reduces complexity with a unified source of data and visual cross-team collaboration that increases project clarity. By eliminating manual data management and delivering visual insights, the platform empowers teams to:

• Stay on top of deadlines and production schedules with automated alerts about key licensing milestones, approvals and product launch timelines.
• Quickly identify potential delays and bottlenecks to problem-solve proactively, minimize production setbacks and capture trending licensing opportunities when demand is highest.

“The beauty of Centric PLM is that we have a view of product categories, properties and customers that we are working with. We have visibility to what needs the extra attention or push to move it through and where we need to make a decision.” –VP of Growth at Bioworld Merchandising.

Packaging is more than just a container for product delivery to the consumer — it’s a high-visibility touchpoint that reinforces brands. A unified PLM platform supports consistency and compliance so that packaging design across product categories aligns with complex licensing agreements and brand guidelines.

• Centralized access to guidelines: Teams access the latest packaging requirements, reducing the risk of errors or missed details.
• Seamless collaboration: Designers, licensors and licensees review packaging concepts in a shared space, minimizing miscommunication and approval delays.
• Sustainable packaging: Centric PLM empowers brands to incorporate eco-friendly materials and processes into packaging, aligning with consumer demand while adhering to licensing agreements.

Licensing teams are at the center of branded product growth and innovation. Take a deeper dive into centralized data and collaboration tools to keep widespread teams and complex workflows on track.

Find out how to accelerate go-to-market goals and propel licensing success in the new eBook: License to Thrive