Rock legend Jimi Hendrix once said, “When I die, just keep playing the records.”

But now Brand Sense Partners, a Culver City product licensing firm, hopes to go well beyond records. The company has signed a contract with the Hendrix estate to put the late guitarist’s name and likeness on toys, apparel and other products.

Hendrix and his music embodied the rebelliousness and intensity of the late 1960s counterculture. He died in 1970 at 27 after a drug overdose.

“He was about free love, music, consciousness and being unconventional,” said Theresa Brown, senior director of business development at Brand Sense. “We have to reignite that spirit, which isn’t limited to a historical time frame.”

Specifically, Brown wants to license his image for high-fashion lines, toys and educational materials – as long as they have a counterculture vibe. Until now, T-shirts have been the top-selling item with Hendrix’s image, a trend she expects will continue.

Hendrix had a vivid and marketable personality, but the challenge is to appeal to more than the aging hippies who remember him and “bring in a younger demographic to keep his legacy alive,” Brown said.

The estate has prohibited endorsements for tobacco, alcohol or gambling.

“The family is very cautious about putting his name and likeness on anything that doesn’t express the right spirit,” said Brown, who has represented the estates of Albert Einstein and Steve McQueen in licensing deals.

While Brand Sense will focus on merchandise licensing, Authentic Hendrix, the family company run by the guitarist’s adopted sister Janie Hendrix, will continue to license the music.

Brand Sense has 34 employees and manages licenses for Cheryl Crow, Priscilla Presley and the TV show “Mad Men.” It is owned by Chief Executive Brian France, the former chairman of NASCAR.