BLE Creative Corner with… Netflix’s Jo Pull

Jo, it’s great to chat. To kick us off, can you tell us about a recent launch you were involved in that you feel is a creative use of a brand?
Yes! Liberty x Bridgerton. Every time I talked about this collaboration, I was met with the reply of ‘What a perfect marry of brands!’ When creatively you can bring together and align brands in an authentic way, the results are amazing.

You could ask the question: Why does Liberty need Bridgerton when they are the masters of print? But it’s the storytelling and fandom that adds the amplification… In many ways this was a natural partnership – but then again, creatively it delivered something that embodied lifestyle, and the license added another layer that they couldn’t do on their own.

Great pick! And what about a launch you’ve seen – but wasn’t involved in – that you feel is a creative brand extension?
I am really loving those brands that think outside the norm but you think it’s a ‘no brainer’… For me, it’s those products that authentically tie into the brand nucleus. One thing recently is maybe the ultimate Godfather pasta sauce –how has it taken this long to bring it to market!

Fun choice! Now, what’s the key to successful creative collaborations between licensors and licensees?
Authenticity and aligned creative thinking. Successful collaborations are where you can see the heart of the IP’s storytelling authentically coming through in amazing graphics and product executions. As a licensor, it’s our role to ensure the partner feels as passionate and inspired as we do, so they can develop the most relevant and engaged products for the fan base.

What fuels your creativity? What helps you have ideas?
It’s the excitement of an opportunity. When you look at a brand or property, the excitement comes when you really start to dig into ideas around what you think the fan would love and connect with. How do you drive that ‘must have’ moment?

Finally, BLE is coming up. Do you find attending the show to be a good means of fuelling creativity and having ideas?
For me, BLE is a commercial-led event – however it is a great moment to celebrate creativity and product as part of that success. Does it fuel my creativity? No… Does it make me feel proud? Yes!

Good answer! Thanks again Jo.