By Judith Rubin, InPark Magazine Editor
In the big picture of global brand building, Location-Based Entertainment (LBE) is one of the portals for consumers to learn about a brand, story/world or character and follow it. LBE spans both entertaining and educational attractions, permanent or traveling/popup, standalone or in a wide range of settings and venues.
There is huge potential for growth and innovation in this realm. Today a branded or IP-based attraction may be a primary component of a holistic, multi-platform rollout plan, with the IP holder deeply engaged in the process from start to finish. Some brands have set up verticals dedicated to finding and making the most of opportunities in LBE.
Prominent players in the LBE space today include family- oriented brands such as Crayola, Hasbro and PEANUTS; media franchises such as Harry Potter, Star Wars, AVATAR, Marvel Studios’ Avengers and Sesame Street; gaming brands such as Nintendo and Rovio; iconic television series such as Stranger Things, FRIENDS™ and SpongeBob SquarePants – and many more.
At the heart of these projects is a successful team collaboration that involves and respects the needs of the multiple stakeholders, from both the licensing side and the entertainment side. To satisfy the demanding fan base while also creating a great guest experience brings additional considerations wherein brands will want to partner with the brain trust of the themed entertainment community.
The attractions industry and brands/IP are inherently complementary – I would even venture so far as to say they need one another. LBE can help brands by expanding their universe. Brands help attractions through the instant recognition and aura they convey, invoking trust and reassurance to the expectation of the guest. An effective collaboration will succeed from both directions, with an impact greater than the sum of the parts.
There is a promising future as the attractions community and licensing community work to recognize, explore and make the most of their shared interests. It’s one of the areas InPark covers on a regular basis. We’re pleased to be a media partner to Licensing International, and encourage attractions industry members to look into their trade events, Licensing Expo and Brand Licensing Europe.
This article originally appeared on the Licensing International Executive Voices Blog, and is
excerpted with permission. Visit www.licensinginternational.org.
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