Born Licensing gets a makeover
After 12 years of helping some of the world’s biggest advertising agencies borrow the world’s biggest IP, we thought it was probably time we gave ourselves a little makeover.
Born Licensing has officially launched its new brand identity and website: brighter, bolder and much more reflective of the advertising industry we work in every day.
Our previous website had served us incredibly well. It contained a huge amount of information about character and clip licensing, showcased some of our favourite campaigns and – importantly – had built up great SEO over the years.
There was just one problem: it was starting to look a little dated.
A brand built for advertising
Born Licensing sits at the intersection of two industries: entertainment licensing and advertising.
As we’ve grown, we’ve increasingly found ourselves working alongside some of the world’s leading creative agencies, helping them license famous characters, film and TV clips and other entertainment IP for major campaigns.
We wanted our own brand to feel at home in that world.
So rather than completely reinventing Born Licensing, the goal of the rebrand was to take everything that was already working and give it a much stronger creative identity. The information, expertise and case studies remain, but the experience has been stripped back to feel simpler, punchier and more impactful.
The new website gets straight to the point: great campaigns don’t start from scratch – they borrow.
Whether that means borrowing a famous character, an iconic movie moment or an entire entertainment world, the new identity puts the creative possibilities of licensing front and centre.
Meet our new visual identity
Of course, every makeover needs a new wardrobe.
Our new identity introduces two main brand colours – bright purple and aqua – alongside playful squiggle graphics, oversized typography and a much bolder visual language.
There’s a little more personality, a little more movement and considerably more colour.
The idea was to create something that feels unmistakably Born: knowledgeable about licensing without looking too corporate, and credible within advertising without trying to look like an advertising agency ourselves.
The website also puts much greater emphasis on the work. From character licensing and famous film clips to puppets, toys, games and thematic elements, visitors can quickly see both what’s possible and how those possibilities have translated into real campaigns.
What hasn’t changed is arguably more important. We still do what we’ve always done: help advertising agencies and brands access entertainment IP and guide them through the licensing process from the initial idea through negotiations, contracts, creative approvals and launch.
The rebrand simply gives that work a better home.
After 12 years of helping some of the world’s biggest advertising agencies borrow the world’s biggest IP, we thought it was probably time we gave ourselves a little makeover. Born Licensing has officially launched its new brand identity and website: brighter, bolder and much more reflective of the advertising industry we work in every day.
Born Licensing is launching its Character Licensing Workshop series to help agencies confidently navigate the world of entertainment IP, turning a complex process into a clear, practical creative opportunity. Designed for creatives, producers and business affairs teams, the sessions demystify character licensing and unlock its full potential in advertising.
In a digital world where fraudsters rely on urgency, panic and split-second decisions, sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is pause. That's the thinking behind Take9's new "Count Before You Click" campaign, which enlists one of the world's most recognisable number enthusiasts: Sesame Street's Count von Count. Created in partnership with Sesame Workshop and developed by Bully Pulpit International (BPI), the campaign uses the beloved character to encourage consumers to take a simple nine-second pause before responding to suspicious online messages, emails or alerts.
Another year, another hugely successful week at Licensing Expo in Las Vegas — and if this year proved anything, it’s that the licensing industry continues to thrive. From entertainment and gaming to fashion, publishing and experiential, the appetite for character-driven storytelling and brand partnerships feels stronger than ever.
We’re pleased to share that “It’s Pixel, actually” — our campaign with Google Pixel and Love Actually — has been nominated for Best Advertising Campaign Featuring a Licensed Brand at the 2026 Licensing International Excellence Awards.
Born Licensing is launching its UK Character Workshop series to help agencies confidently navigate the world of entertainment IP, turning a complex process into a clear, practical creative opportunity. Designed for creatives, producers and business affairs teams, the sessions demystify character licensing and unlock its full potential in advertising.
Launched under Twix’s new global brand platform, “Two is More Than One,” the campaign invites audiences to reflect on a simple question: when else is one good, but two is better?
Optimism without irony, humour without edge. Paddington offers brands something rare in modern advertising: trust. Here's why the bear from Peru is a natural for brand storytelling.
Born Licensing is proud to announce that we now represent Mr. Men Little Miss as licensing agents in the advertising and marketing space, working alongside Sanrio to bring the iconic characters into bold, personality-led brand storytelling. With over 50 years of cultural relevance, the brand offers a powerful, playful way for advertisers to connect with audiences through instantly recognisable character and emotion.
Few characters in children’s storytelling have achieved the cultural reach of The Gruffalo. First published in 1999, Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s instantly recognisable creation has become a true modern classic, adored by families around the world. Together with The Gruffalo’s Child, the books have sold more than 38 million copies globally, been published in 107 languages, and earned a permanent place in the collective imagination.
From multiple 5.9-star System1 campaigns to record-breaking festive launches, Born Licensing explores why character-led storytelling remains one of the most effective tools in Christmas advertising.
There are few comedy duos as universally recognised or as timelessly beloved as Laurel & Hardy. From slapstick silent shorts in the late 1920s to feature films and animated series that continue to entertain audiences around the world, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy shaped the very DNA of physical comedy. Nearly a century after their first screen appearance together, their appeal hasn’t faded: it has become a cultural touchstone spanning generations.
Christmas is rarely predictable, and The AA’s latest festive campaign leans into that truth with a playful character-led twist. This year, the brand has partnered with Elves Behavin’ Badly, bringing the nation’s favourite mischievous duo into its well-known platform, “It’s OK, I’m with The AA”.
Google Pixel’s ‘It’s Pixel, actually’ campaign reunites Love Actually stars to showcase the Pixel 10’s cinematic capabilities in a warm, nostalgic festive moment — with Born Licensing managing the entire licensing process behind the scenes. The result is a joyful blend of modern craft and beloved holiday storytelling.
IAMS and the Garfield collaborate to raise awareness on the issue of overweight cats. With Born Licensing helping bring the partnership to life alongside Paramount and adam&eveDDB, this partnership proves how iconic characters can elevate ad campaigns.
Candy Crush Solitaire and the Care Bears have joined forces for a month-long in-game celebration of love, color, and kindness. With Born Licensing helping bring the partnership to life alongside King and Cloudco Entertainment, this crossover proves that even in gaming, caring is still the sweetest win of all.
Ghirardelli teamed up with SpongeBob SquarePants and Patrick Star for a campaign celebrating iconic pairs, with Born Licensing managing the clip licensing and approvals process with Paramount. The result was a sweet, nostalgic spot that perfectly paired beloved characters with Ghirardelli’s new chocolate and caramel squares.
The Born team attended BLE 2025 in London. Over three days packed with meetings, presentations (and characters!), we caught up with over 30 licensors — including industry heavyweights like Disney, Paramount, Warner Bros., Sanrio, Pokémon, Canal+, LEGO and The Roald Dahl Story Company, among many others. It’s always an incredible opportunity to connect face-to-face with the people behind the IPs that continue to define culture, spark creativity, and shape campaigns across industries.
Born Licensing won Best Licensed Promotions Campaign at the 2025 Licensing Awards for Sainsbury’s x the BFG Christmas campaign
Licensing doesn’t stop at advertising — it’s a global industry shaping products we see on shelves every day. With Learn to License, we’re opening up that world to newcomers, giving them the tools to navigate product licensing with confidence.
Sainsbury’s 2024 Christmas campaign, starring the BFG and colleague Sophie, has been shortlisted for both the IPM Awards and UK Licensing Awards 2025
Eleven years ago, Born Licensing began with nothing more than a laptop, a studio apartment in Melbourne, and a belief that advertising could be better when powered by characters people already loved. There was no investor pitch deck, no neatly laminated business plan – and there was a lot to learn! What was there, however, was a head full of ideas and a deep passion for the emotional shorthand that iconic IP can bring to a campaign.
It’s been nearly three decades since Adam Sandler first brought Happy Gilmore to life, and now the golf-club-wielding fan favourite is back. Netflix has just released Happy Gilmore 2, bringing a fresh wave of nostalgia to one of the most iconic sports comedies of the ’90s - and this time, the brand partnerships are as bold as Happy’s swing.
Born Licensing welcomes Emmet Wright to the team as Licensor Manager for North America, Australia and New Zealand-based campaigns.