Hasbro’s President of Licensed Consumer Products, Casey Collins, on why D&D is booming

Casey Collins, you’re the President of Licensed Consumer Products at Hasbro. What do you actually do on a day-to-day basis, though?
In my role, I focus on creating and delivering the world’s best branded-entertainment experiences through a wide-range of categories. These include licensed toy and game, location-based entertainment experiences and consumer products. I’m fortunate to have a best-in-class team across the globe. They understand how to create magic through play – and bring out the best in our brands by engaging in the right collaborations for their markets.

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS is one of your many licensing responsibilities. As the game reaches its 50th birthday, why do you think it’s still so hugely popular?
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS has enchanted fans for 50 years thanks to its innovative gameplay, immersive world, compelling characters and powerful storytelling. These combine to allow friends and families to adventure in fantasy worlds together. D&D has always been about the fans and helping create epic adventures and stories together…

Those stories being key to the experiences, presumably?
Yes. With player choice being an integral part of the experience, D&D has allowed fans to create personal experiences throughout the decades, letting them feel incredibly close to the brand as their decisions and characters take on greater importance…

This is all made possible by the fantastic team of writers and designers at Wizards of the Coast who make the game as accessible as possible. The emergence of digital tools like D&D Beyond and infinite hours of video content on YouTube and Twitch make it easier than ever to get into the game.

Is there anything else, do you think, that’s led to its recent growth?
We’ve seen a boom for the franchise in pop culture as consumers increasingly embrace the fantasy genre and roleplaying possibilities of D&D. Writers, showrunners and other creative people in Hollywood have done a fantastic job of portraying the game in shows like Netflix’s Stranger Things and ABC’s Ghosts. That work has expanded our reach and invited new audiences to experience the world of D&D.

When you look for licensing opportunities, Casey, what kind of thing influences your thinking?
Our primary strategy when it comes to licensing opportunities is first selecting world-class partners. These partners align with our broader mission of creating the magic of play through innovative experiences… We, too, want to become a partner of choice. Through licensing opportunities, we’re able to expand our brands through a franchise-first approach while building strong consumer relationships that harken back to our ‘consumer is king’ mentality.

Then, we want to make sure that the opportunity fits the brand and its fanbase. It’s important that any licensed item fits what our customer base desires, but it’s particularly important with a brand like DUNGEONS & DRAGONS which boasts nearly 50 million passionate fans to date.

A million fans for every year it’s been going! And can you, Casey, give us an example of a great license?
We worked with Burgschneider, for example – one of the most renowned suppliers of Live-Action and Role Play fashion – to launch a premium D&D collection in the European, Middle East and African markets, as well as North America last year. This was timed to fit with the theatrical release of DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: Honor Among Thieves. The collaboration was authentic to the brand and allowed fans to showcase their fandom by donning the fashion in celebration of the movie and beyond.

And as regards these partnerships, what qualities do all of your DUNGEONS & DRAGONS licensing deals have in common?
At Hasbro, our ultimate mission is to entertain and connect generations of fans through the wonder of storytelling and exhilaration of play. With this guiding principle, and our consumer as our North Star, we work with best-in-class partners that help us to deliver on the wants and needs of fans around the world.

What’s the X-Factor, though?
In terms of an X-Factor as it relates to DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, I’d say that it goes back to one of the core tenants of the brand – creativity and connection. No matter how many times you’ve played D&D, no two campaigns are the same and, for us, we aim to bring the same level of creativity our fans show in their D&D campaigns and adventures to our licensing deals for the brand.

For instance, we teamed up with the award-winning publishing house, Ten Speed Press to launch Heroes’ Feast Flavors of the Multiverse: An Official D&D Cookbook. The mouthwatering book presents a culinary tour that features original recipes inspired by regions and settings from across the Forgotten Realms and beyond. Developed by a professional chef, the 76 dishes within include scrumptious appetisers like the Talyth and Goldenstars; savoury main courses such as Steak of the Deep; alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and desserts.

Great stuff! And a cookbook might be an excellent example, Casey, of something I wanted to raise… I imagine you face the challenge of broadening the IP’s appeal without ruffling the feathers of existing fans. How do you strike that balance?
We’re very cognisant of our fans’ desires and preferences. In fact, all our programs are strategically grounded in what fans and families around the world tell us they want, need and feel about our beloved franchises, D&D included. As part of our larger strategy, we always ensure our licensed offerings stay true to the brand’s values and feel – so we never are, as you put it, “ruffling the feathers” of our existing fanbase.

Staying true to the brand’s values and feel… Perfect. And wthout giving away anything too sensitive, what untapped areas of licensing MIGHT you look to take DUNGEONS & DRAGONS into?
We’re always open to exploring new ideas to take our brands into all-new categories. Recently, we’ve showcased the results of powerhouse collaborations with LEGO for the LEGO Ideas DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: Red Dragon’s Tale set and Converse for a line of D&D shoes and apparel.

Oh, terrific examples! Very diverse!
I can also say that it’s a big moment for us to enter the live theatrical experience space and would love to investigate more opportunities in the category to bring fans in-person D&D entertainment. DUNGEONS & DRAGONS The Twenty-Sided Tavern, officially opens in New York City starting May 5th. We’re so excited for fans to get a chance to see that show!

Nicely teased! And can show goers, expect at that experience?
Show-goers can expect a ton of laughter – and be in full control of the show by using Gamiotics, a browser-based software… This lets you vote on where the story will go next! So no two shows are alike. For those seeking a more daring experience, there are also opportunities to join the action onstage and test your strength through a variety of games, including trivia, charades, and the ever-popular Fantasy Beer Pong.

Sounds fantastic! And I’ll put a link in here, Casey, so that people can visit the website for that directly. Now! We do need to start wrapping this up, but I’m curious: what’s your background?
I’ve been working in the licensing and consumer product business for decades, but came to Hasbro semi-recently, joining the company in 2018. In my current role, I lead a global team responsible for formulating, constructing and implementing global strategic plans across LCP categories to benefit brand building and revenue growth for Hasbro. My goal is also to expand the company’s portfolio into all-new categories, channels and markets to reach fans and families around the world in innovative and exciting new formats.

And before Hasbro?
Before Hasbro, I was the Executive Vice President of Consumer Products at World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. – or WWE. Before that, I was the EVP of Global Licensing and Entertainment at MGA Entertainment Inc., and the former Head of Domestic Licensing and Head of International Licensing at Lucasfilm Ltd.

Stroll on! That’s a heck of a pedigree! Wow. Alright… Tell me, Casey what’s the one question I could’ve asked you today but didn’t?
How can fans celebrate the 50th anniversary of DUNGEONS & DRAGONS this year?

Fantastic! And what’s the answer?
We just debuted an amazing LEGO® Ideas building set complete with minifigures, available for purchase April 1 on LEGO.com.

Yes! I meant to ask about that earlier. Good answer. It’s actually an incredible looking set; tell us a little about it…
To play out your D&D adventures, fans can use the LEGO set that includes a downloadable free adventure available on D&D Beyond. That set, in particular, is so special because the fans are so important to us at Hasbro, and the Ideas set was fan designed, fan supported with over 10,000 fans saying they wanted to see it made. It features a fan-designed cover for the set’s instructions as well. Additionally, the set gave us a chance to create a bespoke adventure theme that I think makes it an ultimate collectible for any D&D fan.

You also mentioned Converse?
Yes! With Converse, we see two iconic, timeless brands come together that celebrate the heroes, villains and interactions envisioned by a Dungeon Master. The shoes and apparel feature so many fun nods to the D&D brand! They include the history of the game on the lining of the tongue, and take inspiration from the character sheet on the opposing lining…

That offers a playful customisation opportunity for wearers to personalise player names and stats on the shoe. This plays into what I said earlier about how we want our licensed collaborations to fit the spirit of the brand and with D&D that really is finding ways to amplify creativity and customisation.

Brilliant! Anything else you’d like to mention?
There are so many things, Deej! But we have fun new fashions from Reyn Spooner, home of the world’s most collected Aloha shirts… And BlackMilk, the brand known for making ultra cool pop culture gear. We have a variety of gaming accessories for the 50th anniversary as well from licensees like WizKids, Ultra Pro and others.

Fantastic. You’ve mentioned a couple of other interviewees, there, so I’ll be sure to put in links where possible. In the meanwhile, Casey – thank you so much for making time. What a pleasure.