As the director of UK licensing consumer products at Hasbro, Catrina O’Brien has been not only the architect but the beating heart of some of the company’s most inspiring and forward-thinking partnerships and purpose-driven activities.

Among those successes have been collaborative activations between Peppa Pig and the likes of the CleanerSeas Group to deliver a Peppa Pig ocean clean-up campaign that galvanized industry when it brough both Poetic Brands and George at Asda into the fold, as well as a partnership with Ecologi to promote and grow the Peppa Pig forest.

With a wonderfully varied and successful career in brand licensing to date, Catrina wields an expert knowledge in the power of brands and how to use them to drive positive change, both within industry and among the consumer audience. 

Cat, thank you so much for sitting down to chat with us this month as we continue to celebrate International Women’s Day and the many inspiring women we work with in driving sustainable development across the industry. 

Reminding myself of your career trajectory to date and I have one immediate question for you to kick us off. Would you mind leaving some success for the rest of us?

That’s very kind of you to say so but there is plenty to go round! I have been very fortunate to work with so many incredible brands, from LazyTown that took the world by storm and instilled healthy eating in children around the world; Barbie, the original fashion Icon that not only inspired creativity but also educated children about the endless possibilities; and, more recently, Peppa Pig, who builds kids’ confidence and encourages them to treat every first step as a new adventure. 

When I look back, not only have these brands been – and remain – incredibly popular for our children, but they also all have purpose. This, I believe, is the key. Our consumers are looking for so much more than just content on screen or a product on shelf, they want purpose and meaning. 

Totally, we couldn’t agree more! And what about purpose and meaning from your own career perspective? What is it about working with brands and licensing- and driving sustainability in licensing – that inspires you day-in day-out?

First and foremost, I think it has to be the positive impact we are making on children and young families around the world. Hasbro’s mission is to entertain and connect generations of fans through the wonder of storytelling and exhilaration of play, and that shines through with everything we do. Our brands are role models for the next generation, and I take great pride and passion in this. 

I love the diversity and creativity of our licensing business, unlocked by the promise and potential of our iconic portfolio of brands. One day you can be working on a partner in Food and Beverage or Health and Beauty, thinking about how you make an everyday commodity fun and engaging. The next, you are concepting what could be the next great gift for the holidays. I equally love the relationship with have with our retail partners, ultimately where those purchase decisions are made. How we show up in store is paramount to our success. Demonstrating how we understand our consumer – what they are looking for, how they are shopping our brand and what excites them – is exciting. 

So, how did you find yourself working in – or what was your pathway into – the world of sustainability in licensing?

I wholeheartedly believe in the positive change that we, as an industry, are making towards sustainable practices. Equally, I am a huge supporter of Products of Change who has pioneered and led the Licensing industry on this journey. I see a real opportunity to act as a conduit in delivering on the promise of sustainability in licensing. By working with our partners and key organisations – such as Products of Change, Cleaner Seas and Ecologi, to name a few – we can bring everything together with a strategic retailer that shares in our vision. So, I built the plan, brought the right stakeholders on board, and we delivered. 

And Cat, that is very kind of you for the shout-out. And likewise, you have been a cornerstone in delivering the momentum of a movement across the brand and licensing industry. But what is it about sustainability in licensing, brands, and of course, fashion – and at such a widely loved and recognised company – that excites you? 

It has to be the end consumer and the education that we are providing through well thought-out marketing campaigns with our key retailers. Our main objective is always to execute on the message we are sharing, which means our values may take president over the sale of products when we are delivering these tailored campaigns. 

We have partnered with schools up and down the country and made the messaging fun with beautiful activities. When you start to talk about these opportunities with companies and partners to get them on board, the answers is always a resounding ‘yes’ as everyone wants to deliver with Purpose. 

Using business as that tool for global change – from the outside looks and sounds like a huge job… what mantra or rule do you adopt to tackle the topic day-in day-out?

It is a big job, naturally when you look at the sourcing and materials within these products you have to be careful that you are not green washing. The main consideration is always the messaging and the education of the small steps we can encourage our families to make that deliver a big impact collectively. 

And where do you draw inspiration from to keep nudging things forward and helping the business establish new parameters to operate within?

We take inspiration from the market, consumer insights, our retailers core strategic pillars and ambitions but also from our brands and company purpose. Our recent Oceans campaign with Peppa is a great example. We encouraged our families to pick up litter from the beaches – an initiative which is already supported with content within Peppa. Rubbish is known as seas treasure to Peppa and George. This makes the messaging relevant and fun and less about the severity of the subject. 

Looking at brands, licensing, and retail in general – from your perspective, what power do these things collectively have to change the face of business today?

The opportunity and power between us are huge. Brands and licensing have a huge influence on any child, as we realise if their favourite character endorses something then a child will likely follow suit. This is also true when we look at influencers. We are a niche industry but close and one that packs a punch, when we all come together the power and scale of any message is far and impactful. 

And what do you think the brands and licensing sectors of tomorrow look like? What do you apply to your work to nudge towards that every day?

We know the kids of today are consuming brands in a very different way. SVOD and social is a huge influence, along with a shift towards the experience economy. We expect to see brands lean into the live event and experience space, and we have seen tremendous results from our Location-Based Experiences (LBEs) and anticipate that to continue as additional parks and attractions open.

Additionally, the power of nostalgia continues to grow. We’ve seen a notable increase in demand from consumers, as well as licensees and retailers, for more products from our classic properties. For example, following the success of Furby’s relaunch in 2023, we’ve seen a boom in interest on the licensing side and have tapped into the kidult space to unlock opportunities across softlines. We anticipate that to continue into 2024 and well into the future.  

Finally, you’re such a valued member of the POC network, what advice or thought would you offer to the next generation coming into the retail and brand industries looking to make change?

Don’t take “we haven’t done this before so not sure it will work” or a “no” for an answer. Perseverance and thinking out of the box are key to innovation and remain paramount to realising the potential of your brands. 

Also, think about the true importance of what you’re doing with a campaign. It’s so much more than just having a product on shelf – what you’re doing should be purpose driven and meaningful.