When people think of licensing they often forget the huge opportunities for IP in advertising. It's a tougher category to manage as IP owners can’t usually pitch directly to companies due to the advertising and media agencies most companies with big marketing budgets employ.
Therefore it is a category where the pitching tends to be done one way. The use of celebrities in advertising has been used for decades but so too, if you think about it, has licensing. And it is a trend that continues today, particularly with retailers pushing a brand message around new services, or key shopping periods such as the holidays.
Indeed there are many studies that show that partnering with a licensed IP is a much smarter move than with a celebrity. Celebrities are expensive, can be vulnerable to scandal or mishap and the campaign often does more for the celebrity than the brand. Licensed characters are much easier to work with and their bought-in cultural iconicity can be seen to outperform both brand-owned campaigns and those using celebrity endorsements.
Here are some great examples of when adding a licensed IP to an advertising campaign has helped elevate it and break through the noise.
ASDA x Elf
UK grocer Asda worked with Warner Bros. on integrating Buddy the Elf into their Christmas campaign using footage from the 2003 movie, tapping into a well loved holiday movie.
Pepsi x Grease
Pepsi used late 1950s style as well as an iconic song from the movie musical Grease to promote their Soda Shop range, they then used of the moment artist Doja Cat to bring it up to date and feel fresh.
Walmart x Famous Cars
When Walmart wanted to publicize its pick up service it called on some of the most iconic cars from across the brand spectrum; ECTO1, KiT, Lightning McQueen, The Mystery Machine, Batmobile and more all joined the fun.
Geico x Dora the Explorer
Geico used a great juxtaposition of early 20th century exploring and pre-schoolers' favourite explorer to make a fun and memorable ad for an otherwise quite dull category.
Sainsburys x The BFG
Another British grocer and this time they partnered with British IP The BFG from Roald Dahl and used the latest film iteration to bring a homely feel to their holiday campaign.
Cadillac x Edward Scissorhands
A great use of IP and celebrities for a Superbowl spot. The spot brought back Winona Ryder and introduced Timothee Chalamet as her son Edgar Scissorhands.