Jenna Chalkley – Head of Product Development at Born to License – on authenticity, creativity and collaboration

Jenna, it’s great to connect. Let’s start at the beginning. What set you on a path into the licensing industry?
I actually left university with a Fashion degree, believe it or not, from the London College of Fashion. I wanted to get into fashion buying. Back then, it was very hard to get into, so you’d take any job to learn the ropes and get in the door. I got a job at Sit-Up TV doing buying there, and then moved onto the toy team at Disney for Disney Store. I fell in love with that job and thought: ‘Why would I ever go back to fashion!?’ It’s exactly like the film Devil Wears Prada – fashion is hardcore!

Ha! So, toys won you over?
Yes! I loved the kids’ brands, the playful nature of it and I learnt a hell of lot during my time at Disney. I moved around a lot… I did girls’ toys, boys’ toys, outdoor toys and then moved onto stationery. Then my licensing journey really opened up when I joined Cartoon Network, working in brand assurance. I worked across most categories – softlines, hardlines, FMCG, marketing… I learnt a lot about bringing brands into products.

“Creative and commercial strategies should be intertwined from the very start of the process.”

Then I worked for a licensing agency called TLC, working on brands like The Gruffalo, Coca-Cola and Peanuts. That bridged a gap between licensee and licensor and gave me a thorough understanding of both areas. After that, I worked on the licensee side at EXG Pro – back when they were a start-up. I was there for nearly six years, creating amazing products and working with lots of different brands. With it being a start-up, I wore many different hats – it was a great experience being on the manufacturing side again.

Then David reached out – and I’d met David many moons ago during my time at Cartoon Network. We always stayed in touch then this job popped up and I couldn’t be more excited to have joined Born to License. The role brings all of the past 17 years’ worth of experience together, while still enabling me to learn a lot. It’s brilliant.

Yes, and your role is Head of Product Development. Not all agencies have this kind of capability in-house – what benefits does having a product development person in-house give an agency?
I’ve been at agencies in the past where sales lead the process, and as such, a lot of your time is spent ‘paper pushing’. In those instances, it’s largely focused on ticking boxes from a style guide. Don’t flip the character… Only use these Pantones… The difference with Born to License is that we’re giving licensees that are new to licensing real insights into why things will or won’t work. And having worked on all sides, I can give that advice.

Our clients are very established in their fields but most have never done licensing before. And we give a really good service to clients in helping them navigate this world, while also ensuring we create great product.

Yes, you’re not just there to help them get a deal, you’re there to help them create great product.
Exactly. And because I’ve been on their side of things before, I understand the challenges and opportunities in ways that I didn’t fully grasp when I worked solely in brand assurance. And it even extends to packaging and helping ensure their licensed range stands apart from their core ranges.

The other thing we’re doing is bringing new blood into the industry. That’s really important and ultimately benefits the wider industry – not just Born to License, our licensees and the brands they’re working with.

Born to License has 10 clients now, right?
Actually, we’ve now got 13. The number is growing quickly!

Ah! Brilliant! And these licensees span multiple sectors. What do you feel is key to successful creative collaborations between brand owners and licensees?
You’ve got to respect the brand you’re working on. Some new licensees don’t realise how much goes into crafting a licensed product. It’s not just about picking an asset and putting it on a product – the industry has evolved past brand-slapping. These products need to be authentic to the brands they’re licensing. There needs to be transparent conversations between the licensor and the licensee from an early stage, and that’s something I’m always eager to facilitate. Essentially, both sides need to listen to each other – and to me!

“We’re bringing new blood into the industry – that’s important and benefits the wider industry.”

Ha! Well on that, do you feel the role of product developers is respected enough in the licensing industry? Do they get the credit they deserve?
No! The industry is getting better at celebrating their creatives, but there’s still work to be done! And these areas – product development, brand assurance – are so niche… I think I know most people who this type of role. Legends like SEGA’s Sam Byard or Toikido’s Lucy Pearce… Look, the commercial side of things obviously matters, but without being true to brands or without great product, there won’t be sales.

Creative and commercial strategies should be intertwined from the very start of the process. David is a dream to work with because he’s a creative champion and is always keen to get my thoughts and take them on board. And sometimes, the licensee wants to do a product or a brand that we know won’t work, and we’re able to share insights and advice that a sales team may have not thought about. It’s a different perspective and an equally valid one. I’ve been lucky to work with plenty of commercial people who respected creative and product developers, and sought their opinion on things.

Jenna, this has been great. To wrap up, how do you stay inspired?
By having a genuine interest in the brands. When I see licensed product – and it’s good –I find that exciting. I’m always looking out for product – or exciting opportunities to build product. I see it everywhere.

Thanks again Jenna!