The family of the late Bob Marley has set up a company to license the Jamaican reggae star's image. The World's Marco Werman tells how "The House of Marley" brand will adorn everything from clothing to snowboards to beer.
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MARCO WERMAN: There's been a lot of economic news today, but this next item might have gotten lost between bailout announcements and stimulus bills. You know the music – and you know the face. The likeness of the late reggae star Bob Marley has been slapped on unauthorized merchandise since his death in 1981. Now, Marley's family wants to put an end to that. It's teaming up with a Chicago-based private equity firm to handle the licensing of the Marley brand. The new company is called House of Marley. It will take on companies that use the name or image without permission, and there's a lot of them. Counterfeiters are responsible for an estimated $600 million dollars in annual sales worldwide. And “The House of Marley†will sell the rights to produce legal Marley merchandise under the brand names like Bob Marley, Three Little Birds, Tuff Gong, and One Love. We're talking a vast range of products, from clothing to snowboards to drinks. Already in the pipeline, apparently – Marley Lager, a Jamaican beer featuring the singer's likeness on the label.
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