Born to License

Season 4 of Born to License starts October 12th, and it's a whole new format. We're calling it the Licensing+ season. Each month focuses on one topic where licensing overlaps with another part of business, and we go deep on it. We start with one of the fastest-growing areas in the industry, and one that's changing how licensing works: e-commerce. The conversation keeps going after t...

It's been a big year for this podcast, and it's about to get bigger — just not in the way you'd expect. Starting in October, Born to License is moving from weekly to monthly episodes. That might sound like less. It's actually the opposite. The show has already gone through a few chapters. It opened with ten episodes tracing David's own path through the licensing industry —...

Bluey is going to be the biggest licensing moment of 2027 — bigger than Shrek 5, bigger than Frozen 3, bigger than anything else on next year's slate. That's a bold claim, but the number one preschool property in the US, one of the most watched shows in the world, is about to get a theatrical release. Add a tentpole moment to the biggest license on the planet, and you're looking at...

Vote for David to speak at SXSW: https://participate.sxsw.com/flow/sxsw/sxsw27/community-voting-sxsw/page/community-voting/session/1784330347706001xria Disney has held the number one spot on License Global's Top Global Licensors ranking for as long as anyone can remember. But this year Disney grew just 2%, while almost everyone else in the top ten grew faster — which means the gap at the top...

It started with a Lego set. A fan submission through the Lego Ideas platform — Mulder's office, a hovering UFO, eight minifigures, a short film starring Gillian Anderson — and suddenly the Fox catalog felt alive again. But one great product doesn't mean a vault is being fully unlocked, and that tension is exactly what this episode is about. David Born takes a close look at Disney in 2026...

No script. No studio. David Born drove from LA to San Diego, spent a full day on the floor of Comic-Con 2026, and brought a microphone along for the ride. 130,000 pop culture fans under one roof — and if you work in licensing, this is your customer base in full force. This episode is a front-row seat to what the industry looks like when it's working: people who plan their entire summer vacati...

Buried in paragraph 98 of a federal antitrust complaint is one of the strongest arguments anyone has made about the true value of the licensing industry - and it wasn't written by a licensing executive, a trade publication, or a keynote speaker at Licensing Expo. It was written by state attorneys general trying to block a $110 billion Hollywood merger. In this episode, David Born unpacks what...

Six months in, and 2026 has already delivered a mega-merger, a record-breaking animated film, a viral water bottle, a Care Bears acquisition, and a move to LA. David Born goes back through the Born to License archive to score his own predictions, revisit every major story, and catch you up on everything that's shaped the licensing industry in the first half of the year. From Toy Story 5 takin...

The 4th of July is the most patriotic day on the American calendar. But behind the fireworks, the flags, and the hot dogs, there's a full-scale licensing program — official logos, vetted partners, and over 200 companies signed up to carry the mark. In this episode, David Born breaks down the America 250 licensing program: what it is, who's running it (LA-based agency Global Icons), how b...

A limited edition CamelBak x Crayola water bottle went viral on LinkedIn with 9.5 million views — and almost nobody mentioned the word licensing once. In this episode, David breaks down how a product that launched quietly in November 2025 suddenly exploded seven months later, why the internet called it "brand collab genius" instead of what it actually was, and what that reveals about how...

Toy Story 5 is taking over - and this episode breaks down exactly why from a licensing perspective. In this episode of Born to License , I’m coming to you from Los Angeles (new home!) after moving from Brazil - and diving straight into one of the biggest licensing moments of the year. From airports to retail stores to immersive brand activations, Toy Story 5 is everywhere . I predicted earlier thi...

I’m moving to Los Angeles - and this isn’t a lifestyle decision. It’s a strategic one. In this episode of Born to License , I break down why LA is the global center of the licensing industry , and why being physically close to the biggest IP owners in the world matters more than ever. From Disney and Netflix to Warner Bros. and Mattel, the companies shaping global entertainment — and licensing — a...

In this episode of Born to License , we break down one of the biggest conversations in Hollywood right now — and why the licensing perspective tells a completely different story. Two low-budget films created by YouTube-native directors have shocked the industry, outperforming expectations and even competing with major franchises like Star Wars at the box office. But here’s the real question: 👉 Do...

What really happens at Licensing Expo? After 13 years attending - and exhibiting for the first time - this is the honest breakdown of Licensing Expo 2026 in Las Vegas. No highlight reel. Just real insights, real numbers, real costs - and what actually matters if you're in (or entering) the licensing industry. This year’s event confirmed one thing: licensing is booming. With the industry now v...

What really happens at Licensing Expo? In this episode of Born to License , David Born shares a behind-the-scenes look at Licensing Expo 2026 in Las Vegas - from speaking about AI in licensing , to insights from his team on the ground, to conversations with exhibitors building the next wave of IP. This isn’t just a highlight reel. It’s a real-time look at where the licensing industry is heading ....

The biggest week in licensing is here. In this special episode of Born to License , we’re on the ground in Los Angeles just days before Licensing Expo 2026 — and for the first time ever, the entire Born team is together. Before the show floor opens, David sits down with the team to answer three key questions:  👉 What IP will dominate the show?  👉 What advice would you give first-time attendees?...

What is Licensing Expo really like? In this episode of Born to License , David takes you inside Licensing Expo Las Vegas - the biggest and most important event in the global licensing industry. From his very first visit in 2013 with Warner Bros. to now exhibiting with his own team, this episode is a behind-the-scenes look at how the licensing world comes together to create partnerships, deals, and...

How did Star Wars become one of the most powerful licensing machines in history? On Star Wars Day, we’re breaking down the origin story of modern licensing — and how a single deal in 1977 changed the industry forever. From a bold negotiation by George Lucas to billions in merchandise sales, this episode explores how Star Wars became a $30B+ licensing empire . 🚀 What You’ll Learn in This Episode...

What happened in licensing this week? Here are 5 major moves you need to know. Fresh back from trekking to the base camp of Mount Everest in Nepal, David breaks down the biggest licensing news, brand partnerships, and IP strategies shaping 2026 . From global entertainment giants to fast-moving consumer brands, this episode covers the latest trends in licensing, merchandising, and brand collaborati...

No new episode this week… but for a good reason. Right now, David is in Nepal, trekking to the base camp of Mount Everest — an adventure that’s been a long time in the making. So while there’s no full episode of Born to License this week, this is the perfect time to catch up on everything you might have missed . 🎧 What to explore: 🚀 Conversations with industry experts Licensors, licensees, and a...

Everyone wants to license with the biggest brands in the world… but that’s exactly where most people go wrong. In this episode of Born to License , David shares a powerful snippet from his conversation on the It’s No Fluke podcast with Jeff Barrett — breaking down the smart way to get started in licensing . Because while brands like Disney or Bluey are incredibly appealing, they’re also the hardes...

What does it really take to prepare for the biggest event in the licensing industry? In this episode of Born to License , David shares a behind-the-scenes look at gearing up for Licensing Expo in Las Vegas — and why this year is different. After more than a decade attending, the Born team is stepping onto the show floor as an exhibitor for the very first time. From booth design and team logistics...

What if the real marketing for a blockbuster film isn’t ads… but products? In this episode of Born to License , David breaks down the Super Mario Galaxy licensing rollout — and why it’s one of the most impressive examples of licensing as a marketing engine. From toys and food partnerships to theatrical collectibles and global promotions, this is a full-scale, multi-category licensing strategy desi...

How do you build a brand that people don’t just buy… but obsess over? In this episode of Born to License , David sits down with Davie Fogarty, Founder of The Oodie - one of the fastest-growing consumer brands to come out of Australia in recent years. From a simple product idea to a global phenomenon, The Oodie has built a loyal fanbase, dominated social media, and expanded into multiple markets -...

Why do some ads become unforgettable… while others disappear instantly? In this episode of Born to License , David breaks down one of the most powerful tools in modern advertising: licensed characters . Using the latest Twix campaign as a starting point, this episode explores why brands are increasingly turning to iconic characters — from Rick and Morty to Wallace and Gromit — to create instant re...