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A new Marley Mania is set to be unleashed by a sweeping merchandising deal concluded this week between the children of reggae singer Bob Marley and a Chicago-based private equity firm, Hilco Consumer Capital.
It may seem an unlikely alliance of mellow and mercantile but together they are launching a joint venture called House of Marley. And joint has nothing to do with spliffs and reefers.
It is not as if we don't already see the usual tat featuring the famous man's face and dreadlocks - the T-shirts, posters and baseball caps. But for the most part, they are bootleg goods, manufactured without the family's permission and with none of the proceeds going to the Marley estate. Hence the partnership with Hilco.
"As one of the world's most popular brands and images that is regularly counterfeited, the formalisation of approved and official Bob Marley merchandise will be supported with strong brand guidelines, managed by an internal Bob Marley brand team," said Hilco managing director Reyaz A Kassamali. Hilco specialises in acquiring and rehabilitating brand names.
Tackling the counterfeiters will be one of the venture's first priorities, but not the only one. Sales of bootlegged Marley products are estimated to be worth roughly US$600 million ($1.1 billion) a year worldwide. Hilco hopes that it can build a legitimate Marley licensing operation that will be capable of generating US$1 billion annually.
The timing of the new venture is no accident. Marley, who died aged 36 of brain cancer in 1981, was a devoted follower of the Rastafarian religion and would have turned 65 early next year. The family and its new partners are hoping to capitalise on the anniversary with a series of new products and events.
And this marketing scheme won't just be about repromoting the singer's hits. Some of the work will be focused on expanding existing Marley brands. Mostly clothing lines, they include One Love, Bob Marley, Catch A Fire, Three Little Birds and Tuff Gong - the name of the record label launched by Marley and his group, The Wailers.
"We want our legacy and our name to be firm in the world," said designer Rohan Marley, 36.
But the family has big ideas for lending the singer's voice, image and lyrics to a range of new products and services largely by way of a network of licensing agreements with the newly-formed venture, taking 5 to 10 per cent royalties on sales. Get ready for Marley-themed video games, snowboards, headphones, stationery, beer, computer equipment and, one day maybe, even hotels.
Two new products are already close to being introduced to the market. The family has been developing an organic coffee farm in Jamaica and expects the first beans to be on sale before the end of February. It is also close to introducing a new brand of Jamaica light beer to be called, simply, Marley Lager.
It is arguable whether Bob Marley remains as magnetic today as he once was. But Hilco CEO James Salter seems to be in no doubt that his name - and his music - still reverberates around the globe. "The Marleys stand for something," he said. "Peace and love."
"Dad's legacy continues to grow," concurs daughter Cedella Marley. "The things that dad spoke about are still the things that we all need to fix and work on. The message is still about hope and peace and all of us coming together. That's what makes him special. All of us can relate to him."
Marley clan
* Bob Marley officially had 13 children: three with wife Rita, two adopted from her previous relationships, and eight with other partners. However, only nine are listed on his website.
* Ziggy Marley: Formed the band the Melody Makers which blended R&B, rock and reggae.
* Stephen Marley: Grammy-winning producer, singer, songwriter and instrumentalist who also played in the Melody Makers.
* Damian Marley: Began his music career in 1996 and won a Grammy in 2002 for his album Halfway Tree.
* Julian Marley: Since cutting his first demo tape at the age of 5, he has released two solo albums.
* Cedella Marley: Toured the world as part of the Melody Makers.
* Ky-Mani Marley: Musician; the only child Bob had with table tennis champion Anita Belnavis.
* Stephanie Marley: Currently overseeing the construction and development of the family's first resort project, Marley Resort and Spa, in the Bahamas.
* Rohan Marley: Runs the clothing arm of the Marley family's business.
* Karen Marley: Bob's second daughter, born in England in 1973. Now a designer in Los Angeles.
- INDEPENDENT
