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Kevin Hart Licenses His Name To Authentic Brands
Takin’ it to the bank // Image by Kait Cunniff with DALL-E
Actor, producer, and entrepreneur Kevin Hart has sold the IP licensing rights to his name to Authentic Brands Group.
The Big Picture: These days, few things are quite as lucrative as name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals — but they’ve usually been reserved for pro athletes. By inking an agreement with Hart, Authentic Brands may be providing a blueprint for how entertainment superstars can further monetize their global star power… so long as they’re cool with seeing their face on everything.
The Fine Print: Reebok, Sports Illustrated, Juicy Couture… Kevin Hart?
Under the deal, ABG will acquire the rights to Kevin’s name, which will be co-managed by both the company and Hart himself.
In exchange, Hart will become a shareholder in ABG, which brought in $32 billion in retail sales last year.
The Kevin Hart brand will expand across consumer products, digital platforms, and live experiences.
Final Deal: ABG already has deals with former sports stars like Shaquille O’Neal and David Beckham, as well as the estates of Marilyn Monroe and Muhammad Ali, but Hart represents something new — a licensing deal with someone still in the prime of their career. While Hart could theoretically expand his image solely through his own company, HartBeat, it appears he’s chosen to lean on ABG’s footprint to turn his name into a bona fide brand… without having to foot the bill.
The Future: Hart Hotels? Hart Automotive? Hart Headwear? It could all happen.
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Today’s email was written by David Vendrell.
Edited, Polled, and Copy-edited by Kait Cunniff.
Published by Darline Salazar.