Big Licensing Moves You Need to Know | What You Missed in Licensing (While I Was Offline)

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 collaborations — and what they mean for businesses, marketers, and IP owners.

🚀 Key Licensing Stories Covered

🧱 LEGO x Shrek

• First-ever LEGO Shrek sets after 25 years
• How evergreen IP creates long-term licensing value
• Why timing matters (anniversaries + upcoming releases)

💼 Warner Bros. Discovery x Paramount

• The $111B merger reshaping the licensing landscape
• What IP consolidation means for licensees
• Why relationships are more important than ever

☕ Starbucks x The Devil Wears Prada 2

• Turning cultural moments into brand partnerships
• Why the best licensing collaborations feel authentic
• Activating 20+ years of brand association

📺 Netflix x Stranger Things

• Extending IP beyond the end of a series
• New formats, new audiences, new product lines
• How to maximize long-term franchise value

🎨 Peppa Pig x Canva

• Meeting audiences where they already are
• Leveraging built-in demand (1.4M+ searches)
• Why this is a “dream” licensing partnership

🧠 Key Licensing Insight

The future of licensing is omnipresence.

The strongest brands and IPs are no longer limited to one channel — they’re showing up across retail, digital platforms, experiences, and global partnerships.

🎯 Who This Is For

• Licensing professionals & brand managers
• Retail & product teams
• Marketing and partnerships leaders
• Anyone interested in IP, brand strategy, and consumer products

🎙 Born to License – Hosted by David Born

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Transcript

Hello. I just got back from one of the most surreal experiences of my life. For the past week, I've been completely offline. No phone, no emails, no social media. And I didn't even call my mum. Instead, I was trekking to the base camp of Mount Everest. And when you're up there staring at the highest mountain on earth, the licensing industry feels very far away. But of course, the licensing world keeps moving while I was offline. So. So today I'm doing something a little different. I'm catching up in real time on Mike 5 stories that broke while I was away and what I think they actually mean for our industry. So let's go. The first story is LEGO and Shrek. A few days ago, literally the day I got back online, Lego announced its first ever Shrek sets. 

 A 1,400 three piece collector display and a brick headset, both dropping June 1st. Now think about that. Shrek is 25 years old. It's one of the most beloved animated franchise ever made, and this is the first time it's appeared in LEGO form. That's because Shrek 5 is coming in 2026. It will be huge from a licensing standpoint and will probably be a huge success at the box office too. This is the Evergreen versus Tentpole conversation I talk about all the time on this very podcast. Shrek is not a Spike property. It's a cultural institution. And LEGO just opened the door a multi year licensing Runway. If you work with kids brands or collectibles, watch this one closely. I know I will be. The next story that jumped out to me was Warner Brothers Discovery and Paramount. 

 Now I've talked about this a lot on the podcast. This merger just cleared one of its biggest hurdles, shareholder approval. This is a $111 billion deal that if it closes, combines Harry Potter, DC superheroes, Paw Patrol, Super SpongeBob SquarePants and thousands of other properties under one roof for licensees. I want you to sit with this for a second. When IP ownership consolidates at this scale, your relationship landscape changes. Fewer doors, but the doors are bigger. The contacts you have today may not be in the same seats in six months time. If you're licensing Warner Brothers or Paramount Properties right now, get close to your relationships and stay close to them. The third story is Starbucks and the Devil Wears Prada 2. This one, I love Starbucks. Has announced a global partnership with The Devil Wears Prada 2, which hits theaters May 1. 

 I'm personally very excited to see Miranda Priestly back on the big screen. Starbucks have created four character inspired drinks With Starbucks appearing in the film itself as well. So why does this work so well? Because Starbucks was already in the original film. Andy's coffee runs were iconic. The brand fit was already there. This partnership activated a connection that's exist for 20 years. The fourth story was Netflix. Stranger Things and Jazzwares. The final season of Stranger Things is done and dusted, but Netflix isn't walking away from that franchise. They're leaning in animated spin off called tales of 85 just dropped this week. And Jaz Wears the master toy licensee has already hit target with a full new product line featuring new characters, new creatures and new accessories built around the show. Now this is what sophisticated IP management looks like. 

 Like post finale, the story ends, but the brand doesn't have to. Netflix is extending Stranger Things into new formats, new audiences and new product lines. For anyone who thinks the show ending means the licensing window closes, it doesn't have to. And the last story that really jumped out to me in this one I didn't see coming. Peppa Pig on Canva. As you know, I'm a huge fan of Daddy Pig running the London Marathon. As of recording, that hasn't actually happened yet, but he would have ran it by the time this episode goes live. So Daddy Pig, if you're listening, I hope it was a huge success for you. Hasbro are leaning into this big moment by partnering with Canva to bring over 60 Peppa Pig templates to the platform. Birthday invitations, classroom worksheets, cheer signs for Marathon day. 

 They're free to use and they're available across 18 regions. So here's what jumped out at me about this partnership. There were already 1.4 million searches for Peppa Pig content on Canva in the last 12 months. The demand was there before this deal was done, and that is a licensee's dream. Walking into a partnership where the audience is already looking for you. So what's the thread connecting all five of these? Licensing in 2026 is about meeting your audience wherever they are. In a Lego store, in a Starbucks, on Netflix, in Target, on Canva, the best IP owners are building a presence across every single touch point, every format and every moment. There you have it. I'm back from my big climb. The industry is moving and we've got License Licensing Expo in three weeks time, which the team and I are very much preparing for. 

 I'm David Born and this is Born to License.