Hubman and Chubgirl brand licensing case study

HanD-drawn Designs. a dream-come-true license. A Smashing success story.

Hubman and Chubgirl came to Born to License for their very first foray into entertainment licensing. Their debut collection with Strawberry Shortcake sold out within a day.

LICENSES:

Hubman and Chubgirl is a stationery brand founded by husband-and-wife duo Pecca and Chris, built on a shared love of drawing, journaling, and helping others find joy in creativity. Known for adorable, hand-drawn characters and charming designs, the brand offers stickers, planners, notebooks, washi tape, and other stationery essentials that turn everyday planning and journaling into something a little more joyful.

THE RESULTS

The debut Strawberry Shortcake collection sold out on its first day and has since closed out four additional pre-sales. Sales doubled original expectations, earning out the full financial commitment within the first quarter alone.

Hubman and Chubgirl, came to Born to License for their first-ever entertainment licensing partnership. With a loyal, engaged community built around Pecca's signature art style, they were looking for a character partner that could be reimagined in that same hand-drawn style and still feel authentically Hubman and Chubgirl.
We began by understanding our client's vision, products, and customer base. We identified Strawberry Shortcake as an ideal fit given the character's nostalgic, sweet-natured appeal and crossover potential with Hubman and Chubgirl's audience. We crafted and presented a compelling pitch to WildBrain, highlighting the brand's distinctive illustrated style and the opportunity to reinterpret an iconic character for both longtime fans and a new generation. We led negotiations to secure mutually beneficial terms and simplified the License Agreement process, ensuring clarity and alignment for all parties before finalizing the deal.
With our support, Hubman and Chubgirl successfully partnered with WildBrain, marking the brand's first-ever license.
Once the license was signed, we gained access to Strawberry Shortcake's style guides and assets. Our team reviewed the materials and guided Hubman and Chubgirl through the options, working closely with WildBrain to support Pecca in hand-redrawing the character in her own signature style for each design in the collection. With a 23-piece collection to bring to life, our Product Development team ensured timely submissions to meet production schedules.
All materials were submitted in stages via the Licensor's approval platform. We streamlined the process by proactively refining submissions to align with approval standards, minimizing delays and ensuring efficiency.
The Strawberry Shortcake collection launched as a 23-piece range, anchored by Pecca's hand-drawn reinterpretation of the character across vinyl sticker sheets, washi tape, planner sticker sheets, die-cut stickers, variety sticker sheets, a reusable sticker album, a memo pad, and more. We coordinated with WildBrain and Hubman and Chubgirl's teams to maximize visibility across all channels, and distributed a press release announcing the partnership which highlighted Pecca's personal connection to the character and the collection's blend of nostalgia and signature style.
With our support, Hubman and Chubgirl’s first-ever licensed collection was an instant success, selling out on day one and resonating with both longtime Strawberry Shortcake fans and new audiences discovering the brand.
We continue to oversee reporting obligations, including quarterly royalty reports, ensuring compliance and accuracy. Our commitment to exceptional service means we're always on hand to support Hubman and Chubgirl with any needs or challenges that arise throughout the licensing process.
As the brand's licensing program takes shape, we look forward to helping Hubman and Chubgirl find their next partner to reimagine in Pecca’s signature style.