Dr. Seuss Enterprises CEO Susan Brandt Expands a Beloved Brand That ‘Really Represents Childhood’

It's uniquely resonant across generations. As Brandt puts it so well, Dr SEUs really represents childhood for so many. As a writer and a reader, I'm marvel at how his books grow with you at every age you learn something new. Brandt has the responsibility of managing the archive and keeping the world of SEUs fresh. Based in San Diego, Dr SEUs Enterprises is the for profit company that is owned

by a foundation. The proceeds from SEUs Enterprises work go to support children and family focused charities in the San Diego area. In our conversation, Brandt explains how the company is thinking about the content marketplace at this time of incredible demand for established titles. She also shares the sweet story of how following her heart by moving to San Diego led her to twenty four years and counting with the brand she loves. That's all coming up on today's

episode of Strictly Business. Susan Brant, President CEO of Dr Seuss Enterprises, thank you so much for joining me today. Thanks for having me. You are the steward of all things Dr SEUs that managed the the archive and all of the electual property left behind by the amazing, amazing author illustrator Theodore Geiselm better known to millions as Dr SEUs. So I would like to start at the thirty foot view.

You are in such a unique position with the steward of this incredible, incredible marquee content at this moment in time when there is so much demand for content, so many different avenues to take. Truly beloved, I P, how are you? How are you looking at this landscape? How are you managing? How are you managing things? And all of the And have no doubt the incoming calls are tremendous. M. Well, first of all, we do take stewardship very seriously, Dr SEUs.

You know we're blessed with this beautiful I P. And would we take that responsibility quite seriously myself and everyone else on the team. UM, we also take really seriously the relationship that our fans have with this property were so unique. UM, you alluded it, alluded to it. Generations have grown up with Dr SEUs. It really represents its childhood. Uh. It represents that bond between parents and children, UM. And as such, you have to be very careful with what

you do with this content. UM. Then we also watch and we say, what are where are the places that we can further that relationship? Where can we take this beautiful i P? And how can where can we deliver it um to where our fans are in fact consuming it? And that's why you see us actively involved in things like streaming UH films, UH podcasts, stage shows, you know, even cruise ships. UM. If there's an opportunity to reach our audience and deepen that relationship, that bond, that's what

we're looking at. When you are working with content that is beyond the you know, the original canon of what Dr SEUs left left? How do you what is the gut check? How do you determine the quality to control that this is worthy of the Sieus brand. I think, Um, you have to pick your partners really carefully. Uh, in any venture, whether obviously you know you're making T shirts or cruise ship partnership, You've got to make sure and we try to make sure it's always best in class.

And that's where meeting that team, uh, seeing what they've done before, having discussions about how they might utilize the property, That's where your gut comes in, UM, And then I think you trust you know those partners, you really do. There is a sense of letting go. UM. You if you do find and you find the experts and your gut tells you that's the right team. You know, you we understand the DNA of it they entertand the expertise

of their genre, you have to let them go. And so there is a bit of a leap of faith, UM that says, I'm going to give you this this property, and you're gonna you're gonna caretake it. There's checkpoints for sure. UM. You know all the way, I'm very actively involved in

the major entertainment deals. So I'll work with the product, the producing parties, the creative teams, on films, on television, even the cruise ships, but all the way down owned you know, every member of the team is touching those products. So um so, so I think it does go back to finding those right those right team members, those partners,

and really partnering with them. But it does sound like you said, you said you you're checking in every step of the way, you know, every iteration, because as you know, it takes you know, it doesn't take long to tarnish even a gold plated brand with Yeah, um, we are notoriously tough. I understand. Uh in our approval rights where that is when people uh enter in an agreement with us. That is something that I have been told is like, wow,

no one gets these approval rights. We do. Um, we do and and and we also have a proven truck track record of not holding up productions. That's when people are nervous about and I get it. Um, you know, production is expensive and when you have to go back to the rights holder, uh, you know, the potential for loss of dollars. We get it, and we've been able to do that so successfully in the past that people say, okay, and we That's what I mean about being a partner.

You have to know when you can jump in what's important to change, um and you know what's important for that brand, right, what's important for SEUs? So where will I push back and where where will I not um? But yeah, it's it's it's certain rights me out, is it? Of course we know that the industry is you know, the the industry is in the middle of a huge content boom and a huge moment of globalization where we are really seeing for the first time borders really kind

of being erased by gigantic platforms. So there's a lot going out on the marketplace. But is there Is that the reason why we're seeing a lot of sious initiatives in media right now or is it just kind of coincidental that things have been brewing for a while and

this is when a lot of them have come to fruition. Well, things have member and it takes a while to do these deals for sure, but um, the opportunity for where we can place this content is exploding, right and so there's all these opportunity us for us to develop new content. Deals do take time, and sometimes they all tend to happen around the same time. A lot of the news that you're hearing, particularly a preschool slate our Warner Brothers,

since we have three felts with Warner Bros. Actually, Um, those obviously had been in the works for a while. Uh, they just happened to all get tied up at the same time. But a lot of this is being generated by the opportunity to create content for a different delivery, like again podcasting. Um, that's we're not yet in that space. We are having discussions. It's really exciting. Um. That didn't

really exist pre pandemic. There really wasn't a huge There was some, yes, but it wasn't as as prolific as not nearly as much attention for sure overall. Yeah, yeah, so we listen, you know, you pay attention, you listen. Um. Uh, you just have to see what's moving and and and what's appropriate. We're not always also concerned with being a first mover. Sometimes we do. Ofttimes we wait and we say is this appropriate for this brand and our families? Is this space where we want to be? Um. So

you may not always see us move first. Um, sometimes we do, but oftentimes we're very We're watching and saying is this the right move for us? Yes? Sometimes the deal is just kind of all culminated around the same time. Is the Sush brand at first Plush You think of the Sus brand as fairly you know, two to five, two to six year old age range. But is it broader than that? I mean, of course it has the love of parent, you know, it has that multigenerational that's invaluable.

But in terms of the core the core readership, is is it that younger? Is it? Is it? Well? I mean fundamentally, you know, the company was built on books. You know, yes, eighty three years ago, you know, four or five books. We have absolutely grown into a global entertainment company. But the core those books. You know, we speak to the preschoolers, we speak to the early readers absolutely, but we've been able to take those books and parlay and build beyond that. UM. We certainly have an audience

in teens. That's why we can do collaborations like The Supreme or Kylie Jenner. UM. That's way our films. We've got five films and collectively be one point five billion at the box office. You can't do that with a preschool only property, right, So we've had this and I think part of the reason we can do that UM is I'd say we're really smart, but I think Ted

Geisel was really smarter. You know, his his stories have such universal messages and themes that you really kind of never outgrow that, right, You never outgrow a concern for the environment or an understanding of wide diversity. So it's so important, um, because those themes you never ever grow. We can take that, and we can take those characters,

um and remain relevant as people age. So we've got you know, teens, we've got young adults, we've got parents, we've got teachers, we've got grandparents, um, and we can talk to each one of them. Uh, done right in appropriately.

You also recently announced on the book front and really fascinating initiative on the book front that also kind of raises the tantalizing suggestion that there is quite an archive of Dr SEUs and Theodore Geisel drawings that exist that you are now going to kind of share and put out in the world for creators of all different backgrounds to come in and make new works inspired by some things that that are left. So that I have the image of a very colorful spire tower that is the

archive of of works. Tell me, tell me a little bit more map about that project and about the archives that still are left perhaps to you know, to look through and to look through for content. And I don't know. The day that we're recording this podcast, every single motorcycle in Los Angeles is going down my street. I would just like to know. It's a work from home Friday and all the motorcyclists are out. But anyway, tell us about the book Seuss Book Initiative. Well, I hate to

burst your bubble. I'm with the archives. Look like you can keep your tower in your head. It's in a library. So. Um. When Ted died, Audrey Geisel, his widow, donated all of his notes and his sketches, everything to the to the UCSD library, which was renamed the Geisl Library. Um. So it's a library. It's in the library. Um. And as any artist is, uh, Ted wasn't linear, right, they don't start middle end right there. They're extremely creative. Um. And

so Ted would just draw draw things doodle. Um. He would. He had hit different folders like things that's a villains and all these really interesting yeah right, all these really interesting little characters and sketches or places, just locations. So they were just ideas. And I think maybe. I mean, I didn't get the chance to meet to guys all one. I feel like I know, but I don't. I would imagine he was testing things on to see if there a story here or I don't know, or just doodling.

So while there's also the library all the original sketches for the books that are published, which, let me just tell you if you're a fan, is amazing. Um. It's like you can see his thinking yeah, but then there's also yeah, right, super cool. But then there's also um, just again these sketches, and they're just beautiful characters. So there's characters, there's locations, there's crazy machines that just didn't

go anywhere. They were just his um. And so our thought was, um, I I spent a lot of time with the archives. I just helps me understand the man, which helps me care take get us better. And so I saw these and I thought, we need to do something with this, and why not take these and allow these new and emerging voices um to you know, keep that legacy alive and let them take it and say do they do these stories? Or sorry? These images inspire a story. And so the thought is to let emerging

artists take you know, a sketch. You could be a character, it could be a place, it could be you know, a machine, and come up with their own story and write a book, a beginner book for readers in their style, their prose, their artistic style, um, the you know their characters, um, and tell the story. And then these books would also just have a quick aside um maybe the four of the backwards. It would say their process, like why did they like the hummingbirds? And what why did that spine

this beautiful story? Um? I just love the idea. It's also actually in keeping with what Ted Gasl himself did. So Ted started the division at Random House called Beginner Books, and he was pressed logo again one of those things that just is such a trademark of quality to parents for generations, just utterly invaluable in terms of again that that that what it's what it speaks to about what that book is going to represent for that child. You know,

so many people to that end. So because when it was a beginner book, Ted put his cat and hat and the logo on it. Right, This was part of the the division of Random House, part of the what do you call it? Um? I can't remember the name. Of it for the books. But anyway, UM, so that's why there's other authors that have that logo on there. So many times people say, what do you do You know, I work for doctors. Oh my god, I love doctors SEUs, I love Go dog Go And I always say that's

a great book. But at the beginning book you know it's not a Doctor Seu's book. Um, but it was in the same thing. So Ted worked with emerging UM illustrators and authors at that time to help basically kind of teach them how do you write a book it's appropriate for early readers. And we are not no, we don't have to teach anyone. But the idea of giving a platform to new and emerging artists is certainly consistent

with um what SEUs is all about. And so those will start as books and conceivably, you know, that's more. That's more I t P. Will they be branded some form of Dr Seus's dot dot dot, or will use the name Seue Studios. So just like you see the inner book logo on like Go dog Go, Um, you'll see a Sue Studios logo on someone's book. Um, but it's their book. They on the copyright, their book, right, it's just under our line of books in print. In

print was the word I was trying to think before imprint. Uh, this is not an imprint. This is a line of books. And I guess in the publishing business there is a difference between the two. And is I think I know the answer to this, but I am curious. Is there any is doctors? Is Dr Seuss always a kids and family brand? Is there a version of Dr SEUs that

could be more adults? I mean I realized some of the movies have aimed, you know, a little broader audience, But is there something that would that could you know, if you were to do with a fully adult themed property, Is that then out of the realm of consideration? No, I mean maybe we've talked about it. Um, I mean could we do so? For example, Ted guys on these notes are in the library as well. He gave lectures

on how to write children's books. Um, that could be cool, right, Like maybe you do we do a book that teaches you know, adults, Like how do you write a children's book? Um, we've toyed with books on our um, you know, taking those early sketches and you know, doing in a book that it's truly because they are beautiful, they're like piece of art, you know, and doing that type of a book. So the answers, we've thought about it. It's something done, haven't haven't on the right idea quite yet, but I

think it's conceivable. Why not don't run off with thing one or thing to stick around to hear more from Dr SEUs Enterprises CEO Susan Brand and we're back, just like the sneeches on the beaches with more from Dr Seuss Enterprises, CEO Susan Brand. Because it's such an interesting life and the legacy is there have there there must have been inquiries about doing a a more traditional Hollywood bio. Pick of Theodoreguisle is that does that ever come across

your desk? I know you have a background in film. You would previously work for twenties Century Fox. I didn't. I worked in the home entertainment division though, so a little removed from the lot. We were the hanger on ors, you know, like, uh, you were making the money and back in those were in the money. Yes, I've always been a classic marketer, so I took that approach with how entertainment and when I when I was there it was actually h S type tapes, So it was it

was it was back in the day. Um, yeah, of course we've been we've been approached. Um, we had a partnership with Illumination Entertainment with Christmall and Andre uh and Chris and I did spend a lot of time thinking about could we do a biopick, how would we do it and how would we make it special and unique? And just couldn't figure out the story, couldn't figure out the angle um for for the film. So just haven't

quite figured that out yet. But would you say it's something that is kind of still simmering somewhere in the idea stage or uh DC is not seriously considering it. Not right now, We've got three films that will focus on right now and we're very excited about. Those are the films that I alluded to with Horner, right so you had mentioned John Shoe, uh Hand Gela and Bad Robot with the plus you'll go. We have two other films. Um,

it's working also with Warner Animation Group. We have The Cat in the Hat and we have The Thing Movie. So right now, and as you're alluded to as well, we've got a lot of content with Netflix. We're focused on those right now. We're not actually seeking another film right now. It sounds like you've got to let you've got a lot going on. When you do a deal with Netflix, given the you know, given the i P that you bring to the table, do you own the

underlying series? Is that? Does that become a property of doctors Enterprises? Or does Netflix? Does that property? Lie You're asking me to go back to that contract and take it through. Typically, and I have to go look at the Netflix deal. I don't remember. Typically, like when you do a film, the studio is a copyright to the film. That's very normal. Um So I would imagine that we we probably scheduled, strutted of that way. Honest, you don't remember, um.

But all these rights are very outlined, you know in your contract what they can do, what you can do, who can utilize it, etcetera. UM, I just don't know the underlying copyright. I would astly imagine it's Netflix, um because that's how we do our films. That's what most is. Um So for example, to check you on special, the TV special that was originally MGM, they have the copyright. So it's usually how this is down to copyright's held by the studio. How the Grinch stole Christmas? Yeah, yeah,

the chech on special. Um So, I honestly don't you know, I'd have to go back. I'd be surprised if it's not structured that way, is there? I mean, can you give me an example of sort of again bringing that kind of ip utterly utterly unique, you know, I p that that gives you leverage in dealmaking when you're when you're talking about media or any kind of exploitation of

those rights. Well, you know, we're just fortunately we come to the table with Dr sus so you know we can and I'd like to think we're fair but tough negotiators. You know we're going to get, you know, a good above market deal, both in terms of the financials. Control is important to us um any kind of ancillary you know rights will will will negotiate. That gives you, you know a bit of leverage without having I can't really get into all the details, but it does allow you

some leverage. That said, we are always motivated to do a fair deal for both parties. Doesn't make sense if you do a deal that really is one side either way. Eventually one party is not happy. So we really do try to be good partners. You know, we're gonna fight hard for what we think is right. But at the end, it's got to be a fair, fair deal for both. When I standed on copyright, that's to what what's created the you know, obviously the characters that we come with

we keep. Those are ours, and there are always ours. Nobody ever gets those. Yeah, but the new entity that's created is probably you know, it's probably Netflix is a carerate like I got. I have to look at the deal. So I think I can appreciate that distinction. And that's interesting. You know, obviously, thank you, thank you for for for

candor there um. And do you see it's interesting because I would imagine, you know, I think you mentioned to me before as a statistics, something like one out of every four family or child born in the United States gets get some form of Doctor SEUs book in their first year. Is if I'm repeating that first book as a first book, Yes, our first book one and four

gets the Doctor SEUs book as their first book. One of the means yeah, yeah, that is just excuse me, that's just a you know, kind of a stunning level of reach. Um, do you so, I mean, again, those books. I'm sure that just that there's a certain sales volume that there's just always. But do you see when you have new TV or film content in the market. Do you see an appreciable spike in the sales of those classic books if the content aside to you know, if the content is tied to it, or if there's just

a moment where people are talking about Dr SEUs again. Um, certainly, if we have a really exciting and successful uh product, whether it's a film or its television as we like to say, all boats rise. Um. You know, it's not usually just whatever you know, book this, this the entergy may be based on. It's literally our our portfolio rises. Um. And that's books that could also be licensed products as well.

So successful entertainment projects really help the entire portfolio. M And tell us a little bit about how the Doctors to Enterprise is structured. I understand that it's basically the overarching entity that owns it is a foundation. Yeah, so we're definitely for profit. It's really interesting, Uh people always think we're a non for profit or they'll called taka tak us like we're the estate, which I think is interesting. I think that goes to the good will there is

for the property. UM. We do first and foremost we're about being good to children, UM and being good to families. Everything we do we use that barometer. Is this good for kids? Yes? So I think that's where some of the beautiful halo where people think we're a non for profit but we're not. We're for for profit organization. UM. Since autre past. We are owned by a foundation, but we are not the foundation. We simply are able to provide money to the foundation so that they can do good.

Uh Huh, that's awesome. That's gotta be. That's gotta that in and of itself has got to be outfully for every every bit of dollars and you know, start repay our bills. But after that, you know, the money goes to a foundation. UM. And and they do good in the world. And that's a that's a nice feeling. What what size of an operation do you have? Your based in San Diego or in San Diego? You know, UM, we never like to give absolute numbers. We're smaller than

you think. Uh. And yet I always say, um, you know, there are hundreds, if not thousands of people are in the world and work on and it's because we have a very unique way of working. We do have a core team that works in San Diego, Los Angeles, and actually have one in the Midwest right now. UM. But we a partner with a lot of licensing. We love a lot of agents, so we have licensing agencies that work with us in Europe, UH in Australia, UH in

Latin America, in Asia. We also work with agencies that help us in the entertainment space and the publishing space to work at I C M C A. UM. We work with a lot of different agencies that rep us, you know in their various that we work with full publishing agencies Chris Brown. Um, So we have a lot of people that are on our team that are helping sell and manage our relationships. So in that regard, we really do have hundreds, if not thousands, They're just not

in a direct payroll. I chuckle. Thinking of the response that you must get when people ask you what do you do and you said, I'm the CEO of dr SEUs, that must be kind of a I'll tell you I love my job and I also love getting to tell people this is what I do and people say I love Doctor SEUs, and my response is always I do too. I do too. You know, I love this body of work. It's great when you can absolutely say that. Tell us, how did you get there? You've been there more than

twenty years now. I like to say, I join when dinosaurs were still whirl in the earth. Um. Yes, I've had the good fortune to work here since n so for a long time. You know, a little bit of luck. A little bit of luck got me here. Um. I was working in Los Angeles, was working for toye such a Fox Film corporation in Home Entertainment International, and my then boyfriend now husband had an opportunity in San Diego and he says, you know, would you move to San Diego? Yes,

yes I will. And people said, oh my gosh, you're you're throwing your your career away for a guy. I'm like, yeah,

because it's the right guy. Through said career away. I came down here and I read the newspaper that Doctor SEUs was doing a movie and I wouldn't work, and I was going to just figure out what I was doing down here, and so I wrote to Doctor Seuss and I sent them a cover letter and rhyme, which, oh my god, it cringe now, and it's it's just the luck came from I sent to them in the day that the head of the board, I said it

to him, received my resume. They were deciding at that day whether or not they were going to hire somebody to help them as a license and they were split words split on this other woman, and they said, well, this resume just kidding, let's talk to this. It was Susan A. Sullivan time this time is susanal Sullivan um. And so I came in and I got the job. So I just happened to open the newspaper that day.

I just happened to get the resume before they made the decision to hire this other hire this other woman. And I loved it so much. A stage went four years later, I'm still here, Susan. You have to tell us at least one of the rhymes in that cover letter. You have to you have to. I've got I will try to find it for you. Something. I don't have it here. I wish I kept it, uh you know, but I don't know. I thought it was clever at the time, and I look back, like this is silly

and so I got rid of it. I'll find it. I'll find it. I think one thing, I think, you know a few generations of variety reporters have had the fun. You can't do it all the time, you can't overdo it.

But every so often, every couple of years, that there comes a project or an opportunity where you can write a story in Susie and dialogue and rhyme, and you just you just do it with apologies to the master, but knowing that that, but knowing that, you know, you think about just the love of language and the playfulness that those books, that that work inspires it. It's true.

I just I find it again as a writer. I just find it so awe inspiring to step back and think about what it stands for and what it means. And so I think, you know, I know that he would appreciate that it resonated that long and that people care so much. It's really it's exciting. Let Madre Audrey, his his his wife, his past used to say, she used to think Ted would be tickled. She's always say Ted would be tickled that we're still talking about him and his works. Um, And I love to think that

that he'd still be tickled that people care. Still we do. M uh, Susan, let me ask you to take another step back and tell me in your path into marketing and into business, what was it? What was it in your you know, early career or or background. What was it that put you on the path that you to get you to where you are today? What made you get into this into the industry, the entertainment industry. Absolutely well, Um, I always wanted to work in business. Even as a child,

I played office, which is funny. I made my brother be my secretary. Um. Yeah. But I also about when I when I had the opportunity to do so that I would only work on a product or with a company that I truly cared about. So I really wasn't interested in working you know, perhaps working for there's nothing wrong with it, but I wasn't interested in working with like a progre and gamble and soaps or things that

I just not a ship out care. So I only wanted something I was passionate about so I could spend the amount of time learning and you know, being excited. Uh So what did that mean? I worked in a wine business. Um, I worked for artists and Julio Gallery actually worked for them. I was in meetings with them. I mean, how stink cool as that? Yeah, I worked in the luxury resort business. Uh. And I got to

work in the film business. Uh. So that when the opportunity work at doctors SEUs came, you know, that was another love. Um, so I got to work in that business as well. So it was really picking companies or products that I found incredibly engaging and interesting and saying, yeah, I'll do that, and that's what I did. Thanks for listening. Be sure to leave us a review at Apple Podcasts. We love to hear from listeners, and please go to Variety dot com and click on Newsletters to subscribe to

our free Strictly Business newsletter. As always, tune in next week for another episode of Strictly Business.