Licensing Expo announced the event will return in-person to Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas in 2022. Produced in partnership with industry trade association Licensing International, the return to the live, interactive event is scheduled for May 24-26, 2022.
The in-person experience will deliver three days of face-to-face networking, supported by a robust online offering to enhance the attendee and exhibitor experience after the successful Licensing Expo Virtual that wrapped last week and saw more than 6,000 meetings take place virtually over three days.
“For more than 40 years, Licensing Expo has served as the gathering place for the global licensing community to network, ink deals and celebrate,” said Anna Knight, Vice President, Licensing, Informa Markets, organizer of the event. “We are utterly thrilled to share that we are returning to Las Vegas in-person in 2022, bringing with us a new-age format that encompasses the best of in-person connections enhanced by the best that digital has to offer.”
Fueling industry engagement and discovery, the event will serve as a cross-category preview of what intellectual properties and emergent trends will shape new consumer behaviors and influence pop culture headlines across the globe.
Knight continued, “For many of our exhibitors and attendees alike, this event is where new business connections are made or renewed. It’s incredibly powerful to explore the vibrant Expo floor and discover your next partnership or experience the up-and-coming products that will line retail shelves and shape consumer behaviors in the coming years.”
“Licensing is so tactile, this community wants to feel and experience an IP during business meetings, and Licensing Expo provides a platform to do just that,” said Maura Regan, President of Licensing International. “We hope to see many returning faces and look forward to welcoming newcomers in Las Vegas in a few short months, so we can share the renewed industry-building excitement and ample opportunity that Expo provides.”
Licensing Expo 2022 Theme: Location-based Experience
Following the prolonged absence of live events, Licensing Expo also revealed the 2022 theme that complements the changing way in which consumers engage with brands. As fans increasingly demand ways to demonstrate brand affinity, the drive to fully immerse into a favorite licensed property becomes the ultimate goal.
Whether it’s a “Stranger Things”-themed drive-in experience, a “Peppa Pig” theme park land, a “SpongeBob SquarePants” hotel or a Smiley art walk, a new generation of location-based experiences are popping up around the world, enabling consumers to show up, share and engage.
With a significant number of experiential licensing deals currently in development, expect to see considerable growth in the entertainment space, with increasing opportunities for the retail, arts, sports, and travel/tourism industries, to name just a few.
Interactive features that will incorporate the 2022 theme include:
- At least three show floor activations;
- The must-attend opening night party;
- Designated business lounges featuring up to 1,200-sq-ft of space to conduct business meetings on the show floor;
- Onsite immersive cafes;
- And so much more.
