Omnimedia wants to pump up licensing programs  

By Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 9/20/2007 12:06:00 PM

New York – Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia will work to ensure its licensing partnerships with Macy’s, Costco and others “live up to their promises and that we drive these into big businesses that create increasing revenue for the company year over year,” ceo Susan Lyne told attendees at yesterday’s Goldman Sachs Communacopia XVI Conference.

“This is not just about launching but building businesses,” she added.

Specifically with Macy’s, which officially launched its Martha Stewart Collection branded line two weeks ago, MSLO hopes to able to capture “in reasonably short order” about 10% of Macy’s $4 billion home business. “And hopefully we can grow it from there and hopefully grow their business for them.”

In other retail efforts, MSLO is developing a second e-commerce site, poised to be “much more community based and has a wiki element to it. We have only begun to scratch the surface of what is possible for us in the digital realm.”

Wiki is a server software that allows visitors to create and edit Web page content, the most well-known example being Wikipedia, the cyber encyclopedia to which anyone can contribute information.

Separately, MSLO announced today that it will team with 1-800-FLOWERS.COM to create an exclusive, new co-branded floral, plant and gift basket program. Martha Stewart for 1-800-FLOWERS.COM will launch in spring 2008.

MSLO's existing flower business, marthastewartflowers.com, is expected to continue providing consumers flowers direct from growers' farms through the Valentine's selling period.