The Product Development Journey - Where Licensed Products Come to Life

Signing a licensing deal is only the beginning. What happens next is the intricate and high-stakes journey of product development - where even the smallest details matter.

In this episode of Born to License, I take you inside the process of how licensed products are actually brought to life, based on my time working with brands like Ben 10 and the Powerpuff Girls at Cartoon Network. From concept sketches to packaging approvals, I walk you through the many stages a product must go through before it ever hits the shelves.

We’ll cover:

• Why product development is where most licensing mistakes happen

• How licensors protect their brand at every stage

• Why even small details (like color shades and fonts) can make or break a product

• The collaborative, often intense revision process behind the scenes

If you’ve ever wondered why licensing is about far more than just signing contracts, this episode gives you a behind-the-scenes look at what it really takes to launch a licensed product the right way.

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🎙 Born to License – Hosted by David Born

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Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome Back – The Real Work Begins After the Deal
• 4:28 First Steps: Concept Approvals and Brand Fit
• 5:28 The Pre-Production Phase – Where Problems Start
• 6:58 Beyond the Shelf – Marketing and Post-Launch Oversight
• 7:56 Key Takeaways: Protecting Brand Integrity Through Product Development
• 9:22 Next Time: Exploring Non-Traditional Licensing Opportunities

Transcript

Hi, I'm David Born, and welcome back to Born to License. This season I'm sharing stories and insights from my nearly two decades in licensing, pulling back the curtain on how deals are made, brands are built, and products come to life. So far, we've explored what licensing is, how partnerships are formed, and what makes a deal successful. But signing the contract is just the beginning. Once the paperwork is done, the real work starts turning an idea into an actual product. And that's where the product development journey begins. Product development is where it all comes to life. It's also one of the most resource intensive and time consuming parts of licensing, and one where everything can go wrong if it isn't done properly. When I moved to London to work at Cartoon Network, I was no longer just managing licensing deals. 

I was working with clients and licensing agents across the uk, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. While I didn't oversee the product development process, I was closely aligned with it to ensure that my licensee's products moved through the approval stages as smoothly as possible. I saw firsthand how every detail mattered. Colors, packaging, even the font on the box. Because when you're working with animated characters with devoted fan bases, the stakes are high. One bad product can damage a brand's reputation. So in this episode, I'll take you back in time. When a friend of mine dropped by the Cartoon Network London office before their birthday dinner, they asked a simple question about product approvals. And before I knew it, I was walking them through the entire process. One that involves designs, prototypes, packaging, style guides, and endless feedback loops to get it just right. 

Are you ready to dive into the product development journey? Let's get started. It's late afternoon at the Cartoon Network offices in London and I'm wrapping up emails when I get a text from a friend. Hey, I'm heading to a birthday dinner nearby. Want to grab a quick coffee before? A few minutes later, they arrive. And as we catch up, their eyes wander around my office. Shelves stacked with Ben 10 action figures, Powerpuff Girls apparel, Adventure Time, plush toys, backpacks and notebooks, even a few licensed cereals and snacks featuring Cartoon Network characters. They pick up a Ben 10 branded cereal box, flipping it over in their hands. So how does all this work? They ask. Like, do you just sell the rights to use the characters? And that's it? I smile. If only it was that simple. Not quite, I say. 

Signing a deal is just the start. The real work begins with product development. It's one of the most important and sometimes the most frustrating parts of licensing at Cartoon Network I wasn't directly responsible for managing product approvals, but I was fully across the process. We had a dedicated product development team that was responsible for ensuring that everything from packaging to final production met brand standards. That meant reviewing production samples, giving feedback, making sure every product reflected the DNA of the brand. Let me walk you through it, I say, gesturing towards the cereal box. Everything starts with concept approvals. When a company wants to license a brand, they don't just get free rein to design whatever they want. They have to submit mockups, product sketches, and packaging ideas that show exactly how they plan to use the characters. 

At this stage, the licensor Cartoon Network, in this case, reviews everything carefully. Does the design fit with the brand's guidelines? Does the packaging feel on brand? Is it positioned correctly for the target audience? I glance at my friend who's still inspecting the cereal box. Imagine if a company wants to make an Adventure Time toy, but they designed Finn and Jake completely off model and gave them colors that didn't match the show. I explain. That's exactly what we're trying to prevent. If something is off, we send it back for revisions, whether it's adjusting character placement, logos, packaging colors, and trust me, this isn't a one and done process. Revisions happen all the time. Once the concept and designs are approved, the product moves into pre production, which is where things actually get made for the first time. 

And this is where a lot can go wrong. Sometimes colors that looked perfect on the computer screen come out completely different when printed. A T shirt design might be misaligned, or the materials used in a toy might not meet safety standards. Even small details matter, like the exact shade of Ben 10's watch. Let's say a licensee sends over a Ben 10 action figure, but the green on his Omnitrix is slightly off. It might seem minor, but trust me, someone at Cartoon Network is going to catch it. And until it's fixed, that product can't move forward. Once the physical product meets quality standards, it's time for final approvals, which means reviewing the production samples and checking all the marketing and packaging details. This stage can be just as meticulous as the early ones. 

I've seen products get sent back over the smallest things the font on the box being slightly off a character pose, not matching guidelines, even minor placement issues on the package at the time. It can feel frustrating for licensees, but there's a reason to it. At the end of the day, the goal isn't just to get the product on shelves, it's to make sure the brand is protected and the product is as strong as possible. Finally, when everything is 100% approved, production begins and the product heads to retailers. But even then, the process isn't over. Some companies think that once the product is on shelves, they're in the clear. But even after launch, the licensor is watching, making sure the marketing is on. Brand. All marketing material needs to be submitted to the licensor as well. 

Whether it's social media, whether it's TV advertising, print advertising, even press releases need to be approved. My friend raises an eyebrow. Still holding the cereal box. So you're telling me by the time this thing got into store, it had to go through, what, dozens of approvals? I laugh more than you think. Because when it comes to licensing, getting a deal signed is really just the beginning. The real work happens afterwards, when an idea has to be brought to life the right way. And that's what makes product development one of the most challenging, but most rewarding parts of the entire industry. So there you have it. The journey from a licensing deal to an actual product on the shelf. It's a process that takes time, patience, and incredible attention to detail. A lot of people think licensing is just about signing contracts and collecting royalties. 

But in reality, it's about protecting the brand, ensuring quality, and delivering a product that truly connects with consumers. And that's why licensors don't just approve products, they help shape them. Here are some key takeaways from this episode. Number one, a licensing deal is just the beginning. Signing a contract is just step one. The real work happens in product development, where ideas are turned into something tangible. Number two, every detail matters. Whether it's character, colors, packaging, design or messaging, even the smallest details can make or break a product's approval. Revisions are part of the process. Most products don't get approved on the first try. The best licensing teams know that collaboration and refinement are key to getting it right. And finally, number four, brand integrity comes first. 

A bad product can damage a brand's reputation, which is why licensors have very strict standards to ensure only the best products make it to market. But consumer products aren't the only way a brand can be licensed. Some of the most innovative and unexpected deals don't involve product at all. In the next episode, we're expanding our view of licensing. When most people think of licensing, they think of two. Toys, apparel, collectibles. But what about an advertising campaign or a mobile app? Or even a theme park attraction? During my time at Cartoon Network, I saw firsthand how intellectual property could be licensed in ways far beyond retail shelves. From characters appearing at live events to the Powerpuff Girls starring in an ad campaign for a major car company, I learned that licensing is about so much more that just products. 

It's about storytelling, strategy, and extending a brand's reach in creative ways. Next time, we'll explore the unexpected world of non traditional licensing, how these deals come together, and why they're often just as powerful, if not more than physical products. And as always, if you have any questions about licensing, send them my way. Our email is. Helloorntolicense.com will be answering listener questions in the final episode of this season. So if there's something you've always wanted to ask about the industry, now is the time. Thanks for joining me on Born to License. Until next time, keep an eye out. You never know where licensing might turn up. Next SA.