Say Cheeze: Reinventing Brand Licensing for Creators and Businesses

At Cheeze, we’ve always been passionate about making content creation and licensing simpler for both creators and brands. During our time in Mastercard’s Start Path programme, we had the opportunity to engage with some of the world’s leading brands and industry advisors. One recurring challenge stood out—brands need an easy and transparent way to license content from creators without the legal and logistical complexities of traditional licensing models.

The Licensing Challenge for Brands and Creators

Social media has transformed the way content is created and shared. Brands today heavily rely on user-generated content (UGC), yet there is always an underlying issue—licensing.

When a creator posts content on Instagram, TikTok, or X, brands often want to use it, but legal uncertainties, permission hurdles, and fair compensation concerns make the process complicated.

Many creators don’t realise that just because a brand has reshared their post, it doesn’t mean they were fairly compensated or even asked for permission. Meanwhile, brands struggle with the ambiguity of rights ownership and potential copyright issues when using publicly available content.

This is where Cheeze’s brand licensing platform comes in.

Introducing the Licensing Model

Rather than relying solely on social media platforms to get noticed, we envisioned a world where creators could directly connect with brands and license their content seamlessly.

With our “Say Cheeze” approach, creators can submit their content directly to a brand instead of simply posting on social media and facing potential licensing issues. By saying “Cheeze” to a brand, they solve the licensing challenge upfront and get rewarded in the process.

How It Works

1️⃣ Creators capture content – Whether it’s a stunning travel shot, a creative product video, or an authentic lifestyle post, creators can submit their work directly to a brand via the Cheeze platform.

2️⃣ Brands receive high-quality, legally licensed content – Instead of sourcing UGC from social media and navigating legal grey areas, brands can receive and license content directly from engaged creators.

3️⃣ Instant rewards for creators – Every time a creator submits content and a brand accepts it, they immediately receive rewards—whether that’s a financial payout, loyalty tokens, or exclusive perks.

Solving Provenance and Ownership with Blockchain

One of the biggest challenges in content licensing is proving ownership and ensuring proper attribution. This is where blockchain technology changes the game.

🔹 Immutable Proof of Ownership – Every piece of content submitted through Cheeze is recorded on the blockchain, ensuring a clear record of ownership. This eliminates disputes over who created the content first.

🔹 Transparent Licensing – Smart contracts automatically verify, track, and enforce licensing agreements, meaning brands can’t use content without following agreed terms.

🔹 Automated Payments – Once a brand licenses content, payments are instantly settled on-chain, ensuring creators are paid fairly and immediately.

🔹 Royalty Tracking – If content is used multiple times or resold, smart contracts can enforce secondary royalties, allowing creators to continuously benefit from their work.

By integrating blockchain, Cheeze guarantees that creators maintain clear ownership of their content and get fairly compensated, while brands gain legally compliant, licensed content with complete transparency.

Why Brands Love It

Brands no longer have to worry about:

✅ Copyright disputes – Licensing is agreed upon at the point of submission.

✅ Time-consuming content sourcing – Instead of searching for UGC, brands receive a direct pipeline of high-quality, brand-approved content.

✅ Brand-safe collaborations – Since content is submitted with explicit permission, brands avoid PR risks associated with using unauthorised creator content.

Why Creators Love It

Content creators now have:

🎯 A direct channel to brands – No more tagging brands and hoping to be noticed.

💰 Guaranteed rewards – No more unpaid “exposure.” If a brand uses their content, they get compensated.

📜 Clear licensing terms – No confusion about ownership, rights, or how the content can be used.

The Future of Brand Licensing Starts Here

The Cheeze brand licensing platform bridges the gap between brands and creators in a way that is fair, transparent, and rewarding for both sides. Instead of brands scraping content from social media and navigating complex licensing hurdles, they now have a dedicated channel to source, license, and reward authentic creator content—simply by saying “Cheeze.”

As we roll out this platform, we’re excited to collaborate with brands and creators who want to redefine how licensing works in the digital age. If you’re a brand looking for authentic content or a creator wanting to be fairly rewarded for your work, it’s time to Say Cheeze.