TAKE9 LICENSES COUNT VON COUNT FOR ONLINE SCAM AWARENESS CAMPAIGN
LICENSING BELOVED CHARACTERS FOR PSA CAMPAIGNS
BACKGROUND:
Take9 was looking for a memorable and engaging way to communicate a simple but important message: taking a brief pause before responding to suspicious online communications can help prevent fraud and scams. As digital fraud continues to become more sophisticated, the organisation wanted a campaign that could cut through the noise and resonate with audiences in a positive and approachable way.
Working alongside creative agency Bully Pulpit International (BPI) and Sesame Workshop, the team identified Sesame Street's Count von Count as the perfect character to bring the concept to life. Known around the world for his love of numbers and counting, The Count was uniquely positioned to encourage consumers to "Count Before You Click" and take nine seconds to think before acting online.
WHERE BORN LICENSING ADDED VALUE:
Born Licensing managed the entire licensing process from start to finish, guiding the project through every stage of development.
This included assessing the feasibility of the proposed partnership, leading commercial negotiations, coordinating contractual agreements, advising on character usage, and acting as the liaison between the agency and rights holder throughout production.
By leveraging its experience working with entertainment IP and public awareness campaigns, Born Licensing helped streamline the process for all parties, ensuring timelines were met while maintaining the integrity of the Sesame Street brand.
THE DEVELOPMENT:
During the development phase, Born Licensing collaborated with BPI and Sesame Workshop to explore how Count von Count could be authentically integrated into the campaign. The team worked through creative concepts, character usage guidelines, scripts and story development to ensure that the campaign remained true to the personality and heritage of the beloved Sesame Street character while effectively communicating Take9's message.
THE CALL TO BORN:
Born Licensing was appointed by BPI to manage and coordinate the licensing process for the campaign. Acting as the central point of contact between the agency and Sesame Workshop, the team was brought on board to assess the feasibility of the partnership, negotiate the commercial terms, and oversee the use of the Sesame Street IP throughout the project.
THE SHOOT:
A member of the Born Licensing team attended the shoot in New Jersey alongside representatives from Sesame Workshop to support the production process and ensure the character was being portrayed in line with the approved creative materials. By being present on set, Born Licensing was able to act as a direct point of contact between Sesame Workshop and the agency, helping answer any licensing or character-related questions that arose throughout the day. The team also worked closely with production to ensure that what was being captured reflected the approved scripts and storyboards, helping to avoid potential issues later in the approvals process and keeping the project on track for delivery.
THE APPROVAL PROCESS:
Born Licensing managed the approvals process from beginning to end, coordinating submissions and feedback across scripts, storyboards, edits and final creative assets. The team worked closely with Sesame Workshop to ensure Count von Count was portrayed accurately and consistently, while supporting the agency in delivering the campaign's messaging objectives. Through proactive communication and careful project management, Born Licensing helped facilitate a smooth approvals process and timely delivery of the campaign.
THE LAUNCH:
The "Count Before You Click" campaign launched across television, streaming platforms, social media, OOH and digital channels, bringing The Count's familiar charm and trusted personality to audiences across the United States. By combining an important public safety message with one of the most recognisable educational characters in the world, the campaign delivers a memorable reminder that staying safe online can be as simple as counting to nine.
THE EXPERIENCE
Born Licensing managed the entire licensing process from start to finish, including feasibility assessment, commercial negotiations, contractual agreements, creative consultation, approvals management and ongoing coordination between BPI and Sesame Workshop.
BORN LICENSING’S WORK >
