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Thank you to the Seattle Times' Coral Garnick for the feature story on Pacific Northwest company, A Crowded Coop. "Elvis, ‘Star Trek’ pet projects inspire marketing duo. When they started A Crowded Coop in 2010, Mary Olson and Brandy Tanner resolved to work only on brand marketing projects they would enjoy. The outcome has been whopping growth for their Monroe business...
Olson, 51, and Brandy Tanner, 31, went into business together in 2010, forming A Crowded Coop, a company that creates consumer products, such as backpacks, phone cases and dog leashes, with licensed brand names, photos and characters.
They resolved to work only on projects they enjoy — animals, cartoons, video games, “Star Trek” and the king of rock ’n’ roll. The team has been successful, with quadruple-digit growth over three years, most of which can be attributed to their work in pet products. They declined to disclose the company’s current revenue...
Once their noncompete agreements with BDA expired in 2011, they started snatching up licenses to make and sell branded products, starting with the rapidly growing Kirkland gaming company Valve Software.
The pet line for Dickies, a U.S. company that historically made uniforms and workwear, came next and was followed quickly by pet lines for “Star Trek” and Elvis.
After the “Star Trek” pet line came out, the women had decided not to accept any other licenses and to focus on the ones they already had.
“But when Elvis calls, you better listen,” Olson said.
The creative team is finalizing the Elvis line, which will be launched in early summer.
The designs include a blue-suede-shoe chew toy, a “Jailhouse Rock” ball-and-chain knotted rope, and classic Elvis outfits from “Viva Las Vegas” and “Blue Hawaii.” There is, of course, a poop-bag dispenser for the Elvis line. It is in the shape of an old microphone and says “TCB,” for Takin’ Care of Business — a catchphrase Elvis took on shortly before he died.
“Anytime you can weave in a poop joke, I consider it a win,” Tanner said laughing.
The company also holds pet-product licenses for Justin Boots and “Adventure Time,” as well as other nonpet pop-culture licenses for “Halo 4” and “Bravest Warriors.”"
Brandy and Mary, co-founders of A Crowded Coop based in Monroe, WA, love their dogs and horses. It's just a part of who they are. This makes their new licensing agreement with Dickies even sweeter, because it falls right into their personal passions for pets. Congratulations to the Crowded Coop team on this big news. Can't wait to see Hunter modeling the new collection come Spring.
DICKIES® SIGNS NEW PET ACCESSORY LICENSE
Fort Worth, Texas (November 1, 2012) – Dickies®, the global leader in innovative performance work wear, today announced a new licensing agreement with A Crowded Coop to manufacture, market and distribute Dickies®-branded dog and equine apparel, equipment and accessories in the US. This most recent addition to Dickies’ extensive portfolio of licensees expands the legendary work wear brand’s ability to deliver a broad spectrum of licensed goods to consumers.
Products under the pet accessory license will include durable and reinforced dog leashes, collars, harnesses, beds, toys, and vests and equine halters, blankets, and leads. This is in addition to the company’s existing stable of licensees across work wear and work-inspired lines such as men’s, women’s, juniors and kids apparel; bags, footwear, belts, socks, medical wear, headwear and sunglasses.
“We continue to sign important and strategic licenses to answer the needs and desires of our diverse, hard-working consumer base, adding companies that produce high-quality, innovative products synonymous with the Dickies® brand,” said Michael Penn, vice president of licensing for Dickies. “A Crowded Coop lives and breathes in the working dog and equine world. We look forward to incorporating the Dickies brand DNA into enhanced products for this industry.”
“We can think of no more appropriate brand for a working dog or horse than Dickies,” said Mary Olson, co-founder with Brandy Tanner of A Crowded Coop. Tanner adds, “The Dickies brand is the premier work wear brand in the world and we felt that this brand with their value, durability and heritage was a perfect fit for products intended for a worker’s main companion, and a worker in their own right.”
Design and production of Dickies-branded dog apparel and accessories will begin immediately, with marketing and distribution expected in Spring 2013. The equine collection will follow in Spring 2014.
About Williamson-Dickie Mfg. Co.
Williamson-Dickie Mfg. Co. is the world’s leading provider of authentic work apparel, specializing in innovative performance work wear since 1922. The company offers premium quality products at an unmatched value across a vast assortment of apparel, footwear, and licensed goods in more than 100 countries. Williamson-Dickie operates through wholly-owned affiliates in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe, China, Japan and the Middle East; exclusive licensees and distributors in Africa and the Asia Pacific region; and under the Dickies®, Workrite®, Kodiak® and Terra® brands. For more information, visit www.williamsondickie.com.
About A Crowded Coop
A Crowded Coop is a Pacific Northwest-based marketer and creator of consumer products released globally. Their product design satisfies consumers in the categories of apparel, accessories, toys and more. In 2010 Olson and Tanner formed A Crowded Coop which serves clients such as Valve Software with its Portal 2 game. More info is at www.crowdedcoop.com.
