THE BORN LICENSING TEAM ATTENDED LICENSING EXPO 2025
In May 2025, the Born team touched down in Las Vegas to attend the biggest licensing event of the year, the 2025 Licensing Expo. And, of course, to snap some pictures with our favourite characters! Held from May 20–22 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, this year's expo brought together over 250 exhibitors and more than 5,000 brands across diverse sectors, including entertainment, gaming, fashion, and consumer goods.
Our agenda was packed, featuring over 130 meetings and attendance at six major showcases. We engaged with leading licensors such as Disney, Hasbro, Netflix, Mattel, Warner Bros., Paramount, Universal Studios, Penguin Ventures, ZAG, Moonbug, Cloudco, SEGA, The Roald Dahl Story Company, Atari, Tetris, Sesame Workshop, Angry Birds, Peanuts, and King Features… and many more.
Discussions centered around some of the world’s most iconic properties, including Hello Kitty, Barbie, Shrek and Jurassic Park. The six major showcases we attended (Hasbro, Warner Bros., Mattel, Universal, Paramount, Netflix) provided invaluable insights into licensors’ strategies for the remainder of 2025 and beyond, highlighting the dynamic nature of the licensing landscape… and their upcoming plans and slates got us very excited!
The expo also offered a prime opportunity to showcase some of the best advertising campaigns we've worked on over the years to key industry players. We presented summary decks and discussed potential collaborations, receiving enthusiastic responses from licensors. This reaffirmed the strength of licensed characters in advertising and marketing, and the exciting partnership opportunities that lie ahead.
Licensing Expo 2025 was more than just an event: it was a catalyst for innovation and collaboration in the licensing industry. We're energised by the connections made and the insights gained, and we're eager to translate these into successful ventures for the advertising agencies that come to us and their brands.
Our Takeaways
We've now had the time to take in all the learnings from the 2025 Licensing Expo, and our team reflected on the main takeaways they gained from the event...
David Born, our CEO, commented: "Licensors are actively exploring non-traditional ways to activate their IP, and advertising campaigns are a standout example. By licensing characters and IP for brand campaigns, they unlock new revenue streams while connecting with fans in unexpected, exciting ways. It’s a chance to surprise and delight audiences, boost visibility, and reinforce brand relevance - all without creating physical products."
Alberto Massaro, our Licensing Executive, thought: "Licensors are more open than ever to bold, unconventional uses of their characters in advertising. They're actively encouraging campaigns that place familiar icons in unexpected settings - as long as the core DNA of the brand remains intact. There's a clear shift toward flexibility and creative collaboration, with a strong appetite for fresh, attention-grabbing storytelling that keeps beloved IP culturally relevant."
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.
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 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
Born Licensing welcomes Emmet Wright to the team as Licensor Manager for North America, Australia and New Zealand-based campaigns.