As the licensing community prepares for Licensing Expo 2025, it is time for our annual recap of the past 12 months. Despite the challenges, it's been a rewarding year both professionally and personally.
Soon it will be five years since KOPA started representing Global Merchandising Services in Latin America (mainly Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru), and we can honestly say that together we’ve been able to successfully introduce our client’s iconic rock bands to the market, enhancing fan engagement, while setting high standards in brand extension and retail excellence.
Nomination
This year's recap begins with great news. A new nomination! KOAJ and Iron Maiden have been nominated for the Best Retailer for Entertainment Brands category at the Licensing International Excellence Awards 2025.
Designed to coincide with Iron Maiden's return to Colombia after a 13-year hiatus, KOAJ, the renowned Colombian fashion brand, launched in November 2024 an official apparel collection inspired by the legendary British band.
The collection was designed to offer fans an official and exclusive option, ensuring they can enjoy original, stylish, high-quality products at a fair price. Inspired by the band's career and discography, it captured Iron Maiden's essence in every detail.
Featuring 11 exclusive pieces, it included t-shirts and sweatshirts with special finishes, such as the Iron Maiden logo in velvet texture, metallic inks, and embossed designs.
The standout piece was the black denim jacket inspired by one of their greatest hits, The Trooper. This jacket featured details such as the military insignias from Eddie's scarlet coat in the single's artwork, the Union Jack flag, a patch with the song's title, and the iconic band logo on the back. The jacket was available in limited quantities atselected stores.
Available at over 450 stores, KOAJ’s Iron Maiden collection sold over 36,000 units within weeks—a record for the band in this category.
It was the first time in their 50-year career that Maiden had such a wide and pronounced presence at retail. It surprised its loyal fans with a new option and it also introduced the band to a younger generation drawn by the aesthetics of their albums and mascot, Eddie. Heavily promoted through in-store communications and social media, it reached over 600,000 total views, 230,000 reproductions, more than 51,000 views per post, and nearly 20,000 interactions.
Needless to say, we are extremely proud of this recognition. It is the third nomination for KOPA and it highlights our commitment and dedication to our clients and licensees. We are grateful to Licensing International for this great honor.
Beyond KOAJ, Rock Activity also honored Iron Maiden's visit to Colombia with a distinctive apparel collection, featuring eye-catching designs, especially their acid wash t-shirts. Their main store became a must-visit location, drawing fans eager to take photos with a life-size Eddie statue created specifically for the occasion.
In Mexico, both Toxic and Apparel Studio supported the band's show in Mexico City.Each licensee created unique garments for the event. Toxic decorated their stores and Apparel Studio partnered with retailer C&A.
Rock is in fashion
Demonstrating rock's enduring appeal and profitability, our licensees, Toxic, Avante Textil, Apparel Studio and Rock Activity have not only renewed their licensing agreements for a second term but also expanded their artist rosters.
Over the next two years, they will be launching new capsules and collections featuring legendary bands such as Judas Priest, Motörhead, Slayer, Megadeth, Ghost, Mötley Crüe, Ozzy Osbourne, and of course, Iron Maiden.
In 2024, we welcomed Derick as a new licensee. For the first time, fans and fashion enthusiasts in Ecuador can purchase officially licensed merchandise from bands like Iron Maiden, Mötley Crüe, Slayer, Ghost, Mastodon, Judas Priest, Motörhead, Marilyn Manson, Evanescence, Lamb of God, 5FDP, and Stone Temple Pilots. Launched in phases over the past few months, each collection is available online and at Derick's 18 stores throughout Ecuador.
At the time of writing this article a new Judas Priest collection will be hitting both Mexican and Colombian stores. In support of the band's upcoming shows in Latin America, Apparel Studio, Toxic, Rock Activity, and KOAJ will delight fans with exclusive designs. KOAJ's crop top featuring the band's logo in gold foil is definitely a must have for metal fans and fashionistas!
What’s next
We've had quite a year, and we're looking forward to even bigger milestones in the next two years.
To celebrate Oasis' highly anticipated 2025 return to the stage -arguably one of the biggest events of the decade- Apparel Studio is developing a special collection that will be available in September at all Cuidado con el Perro stores throughout Mexico.
Iron Maiden is celebrating their 50th anniversary in 2025, and they've already announced a new world tour. The accompanying style guide is stunning and offers a lot of creative ideas for our licensees.
Retailers and licensees in the Food & Beverage sector would be pleased to know that Iron Maiden's Trooper Beer would be available for FMCG such as snacks, sauces and spices. Talking about the perfect pairing!
Leading into Fender’s 80th anniversary in 2026, we're exploring opportunities beyond traditional categories; considering beverages such as beer and tequila, as well as other goods that can reinforce the brand's iconic lifestyle status and essential role in music.
Looking Ahead
As we approach our 15th anniversary next November, KOPA reaffirms its commitment to strengthening and expanding our clients' programs and cultivating meaningful partnerships.
Our alliance with Global Merchandising Services is a great example of our approach to brand extension. It combines mindful licensing with bold creative execution, ensuring our products deeply connect with fans and achieve retail success.
May 2025
