We’re thrilled to chat with Jason Mayes, Sr. Director of Marketing and Intellectual Property at Bioworld Merchandising, a Texas-based leader in licensed apparel, accessories, and home goods. 

With his background rooted in Texas, including his time at the University of Texas, Jason Mayes has helped shape Bioworld’s innovative approach to brand management and product development. 

Headquartered in Dallas, Bioworld connects fans with the biggest brands in entertainment, gaming, and pop culture, all while making a global impact through innovative design and trend analysis. They work with 1,000+ brands and have 2,000+ retail partners globally. They continue to expand their brand portfolio, having launched DTC brands like Dumbgood, Heroes & Villains, and Atsuko, focusing on entertainment and anime-themed products. More recently, Bioworld acquired Packed Party, a Texas-based company known for its creative lifestyle and party accessories. This partnership is a big step for both companies, boosting their ability to innovate and grow.

Bioworld also announced an upcoming partnership with Spectrum Designs, a non-profit dedicated to creating custom apparel and meaningful job opportunities for individuals on the autism spectrum. Notably, 100% of Spectrum Designs’ proceeds will support hiring and retaining a neurodiverse workforce.

In addition to this partnership, Bioworld has made significant contributions to the Dallas community, including their recent donation of 2,725 backpacks to Irving ISD and a partnership with the North Texas Food Bank to provide 1.5 million meals over the next five years.

We asked Jason about his journey to Bioworld, the key skills driving his success, how the company stays ahead of trends, and his advice for aspiring marketers in the merchandising industry. We’ll also touch base on Bioworld’s journey, their commitment to diversity and inclusion, and their exciting upcoming partnership with Spectrum Designs.

Let’s get into it!

How has your background and education, particularly your time at UT, influenced your career trajectory and approach to your role at Bioworld?

I have always been able to successfully leverage the creative and analytical sides of my brain. That has played an important part in my approach to my career. The ability to see all sides of a situation and function effectively and efficiently within it. I really learned to leverage this skillset during my time at UT. I’ve been at Bioworld for 20 years this fall. It’s a blessing because I have been able to apply all of my talents and define my role within the company. From corporate messaging and wholesale e-commerce strategy to intellectual property management. This has made me very effective in driving the company’s evolving goals throughout the years.  

How does your role shape Bioworld’s approach to brand management and product development?

A key aspect of my role is brand strategy and omni-channel execution, managing the nuance of consumer engagement across all channels. At Bioworld, we drive partners’ success through connecting to consumers globally. This is done by translating the brand’s consumer demand through expert product design and by reaching them wherever they are.  

In the current consumer engagement landscape, success is measured through cross channel communications to multiple audiences, including brand partners, retailer partners, and consumers. Those touch points yield data-driven decisions that penetrate every facet of our business from design, sourcing and licensing to marketing and sales, ultimately putting the right products in the right hands at the right time.       

How did you end up in your current role at Bioworld?

My early career was on the agency side of the business. I honed my media planning and multi-tiered communications skills across several larger consumer brands. Ultimately, I felt the client side was a better fit for me, which led me to Bioworld in 2004. I haven’t looked back since.

What skills have been most critical to your success?

I would say there are several. First of which is agility, like being able to manage a large number of complex initiatives and leverage their outcomes into a greater business goal.  We have to think 18 months out to capture where the consumer is going, capitalizing on white space and staying ahead of global trends, which is key to our success.

Next would be our consumer-first approach.  None of us get to where we need to go without consumer insight and understanding, which serves as the foundation of the business.  

Lastly, I have a unique skill set with expertise in intellectual property law and asset management. I immersed myself in intellectual property law upon arriving at Bioworld 20 years ago, and I have a mini-masters in IP asset management.  This knowledge allows me to see and create impactful whitespace in channels across private label brands and proprietary designs. The skill set of marketing expertise and intellectual property management has been a game-changer in this profession.  

What do you believe sets Bioworld apart from other companies in the licensed merchandise industry? How does Bioworld stay ahead of trends in the fast-evolving world of licensed apparel and accessories?

Several things:

Global market intelligence. We have a global infrastructure that is capable of fulfilling every customer’s needs across continents. Featuring 12 offices worldwide, we have the strategic ability to attack and set global trends, not just react to them.  This increased speed to market and business insight helps mitigate risk for our partners, while opening new revenue streams across channels.   

Obsessive focus on product and design innovation. Industry leading product design partnered with global trend analysis contributes to Bioworld’s 25+ product categories with production of over 50,000 skus across 350 item types annually. That’s a lot of products! Add extensive knowledge of cultural context and consumer demand and this is what continues to set Bioworld apart in the industry.  

Innovation at every level of our business. This, to us, means product and tech innovation, content creation and early adoption of emerging strategies. Authenticity, immersion and insight fuel our culture of innovation, and it’s what drives us to continuously reimagine consumer products and their ability to ignite fan engagement. 

Bioworld recently acquired Austin-based company Packed Party. What went into this decision and how does it support the Bioworld portfolio?

Packed Party is aligned with Bioworld’s expertise in merchandising as the company offers an array of lifestyle products and dynamic party accessories that consumers love. This acquisition opens the doors for significant expansion and progress for Packed Party across distribution channels, licenses and products, giving consumers a new way to enjoy and interact with their beloved products. 

As we create significant growth opportunities by scaling Packed Party’s offerings, the new venture is mutually beneficial as it once again delivers value for our shared customers and brand-first community. Leveraging Bioworld’s global presence, industry expertise, and robust infrastructure, the convergence is poised to generate new opportunities for fans, customers and retail partners.

How does Bioworld prioritize DE&I and philanthropic initiatives? How do these impact the Dallas area, Texas and/or national consumers?

On the product development side, Bioworld believes in pop culture for everyone. We are heavily invested in studying consumer and industry trends, as well as pain points, to ensure every consumer has functional products that express their fandom. For instance, we created adaptive backpacks with additional straps to hang on the back of wheelchairs. Available now, these products are designed so wheelchair users can more easily access their backpacks. We are proud to be a part of the global community working to increase positive change throughout the marketplace. 

Our team is also passionate about supporting communities in the Dallas area, where our HQ is based. This year alone, Bioworld donated 10,000+ backpacks to Irving ISD, committed to a five-year sponsorship of the North Texas Food Bank and provided $500,000 in support of the organization.

Tell us about the Spectrum Designs partnership. What is the scope of this partnership and how does it contribute to larger company efforts?

Spectrum Designs is a New York-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit with a mission to create meaningful and inclusive career opportunities for adults on the Autism Spectrum. We’ve partnered with the custom merchandise company for exclusive apparel created by their talented staff. Most recently, we developed a special six-style collection exclusively available at TJ Maxx, and we are currently in the process of developing licensed graphic styles with them, too. 

What advice would you give to someone looking to build a career in marketing within the merchandising industry?

Be collaborative, proactive, agile and aggressive. Create your own opportunities. I think it’s also crucial to be tactically strategic and to work backwards from your goal in the planning phase. You need to know what you want to achieve from the onset.  

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Cover photo courtesy Bioworld

Leean Vargas is the Highlight Reel newsletter editor at Texas Lifestyle Magazine and an honors graduate of Texas State University with a bachelor’s degree in Public Relations. She is a concert enthusiast who loves traveling, photography, good food, and discovering new hangout spots in her beloved city, Austin, Texas.