Argos and T&P revisit childhood Christmas memories in a new festive campaign, featuring Hasbro's iconic Mr Frosty, licensed through Born Licensing.
Remember flicking through the Argos catalogue as a child, circling all the toys you hoped to find under the Christmas tree?
This year, Argos is bringing those memories back with a nostalgic Christmas campaign created by T&P, pairing some of the most iconic childhood gifts of the '80s and '90s with their modern-day equivalents.
Part of the retailer's wider Tales of Argos Past campaign, the out-of-home creative takes audiences on a trip down memory lane, with portable CD players making way for Beats headphones, Game Boys evolving into Nintendo Switch 2 consoles, and Hasbro's beloved Mr Frosty appearing alongside a modern Ninja slushie maker.
‘Christmas Past’ meets ‘Christmas Present’
For generations of children, Mr Frosty was a Christmas wish-list favourite, promising endless fun making icy treats at home. Fast-forward a few decades, and the excitement of creating frozen drinks hasn't disappeared. It's simply grown up with us.
By pairing Mr Frosty with a Ninja slushie maker, Argos cleverly connects the gifts we dreamed of as children with the ones we might want today.
The campaign also reinforces the retailer's wider message that there's more to Argos than toys, using its nostalgic heritage to showcase its extensive range of gifts for adults.
Bringing Mr Frosty back to Christmas advertising
Working on behalf of Hasbro, Born Licensing collaborated with T&P to facilitate the use of the original Mr Frosty in the campaign, managing the licensing process and helping bring the creative concept to life.
The collaboration demonstrates how recognisable toy and entertainment IP can create an immediate emotional connection with audiences, even when the licensed property isn't the product being advertised.
By tapping into decades of shared memories, Argos has transformed a simple product comparison into a charming celebration of Christmas nostalgia.
It's a brilliant example of how the right licensing partnership can help brands tell compelling stories, connect with consumers and make their advertising instantly recognisable.
Read more about our work with Mr Frosty.
Part of the retailer's wider Tales of Argos Past campaign, the out-of-home creative takes audiences on a trip down memory lane, including Hasbro's beloved Mr Frosty appearing alongside a modern Ninja slushie maker.
Following two hugely successful Christmas campaigns, Sainsbury's reunited with the Roald Dahl Story Company for a third consecutive year, bringing the beloved BFG back for another festive adventure.
Aviva has teamed up with Saatchi & Saatchi, OMD UK, Channel 4 and Hasbro to launch Menopause Monopoly, a creative reimagining of Hasbro's iconic board game designed to challenge the stigma surrounding menopause and encourage more open conversations about its impact on everyday life.
Another year, another Brand Licensing Europe! The Born Licensing team headed to BLE 2026 for three packed days of meetings, presentations and conversations with some of the biggest names in entertainment licensing.
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.
School is back in session at Bayside High! To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Box Tops for Education, General Mills has teamed up with Universal to reunite the original cast of Saved by the Bell for a nationwide campaign that brings the beloved 90s sitcom back into the spotlight.
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.
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.
The UK's favourite giant is back for another phizz-whizzing adventure! Following the phenomenal success of last year’s Sainsbury’s Christmas campaign with the BFG, the Roald Dahl classic returns to screens once again for a festive sequel filled with humour, heart, and a brand-new adversary: the mischievous Greedy Giant.
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 welcomes Emmet Wright to the team as Licensor Manager for North America, Australia and New Zealand-based campaigns.