Licensing International is thrilled to be back in Las Vegas for Licensing Expo. Whether you’re attending in person and struggling to see it all or were unable to make the trip and want to know what you’re missing, we will present event highlights each day with a focus on key insights, emerging trends, and major announcements.  

Live and In-Person 

The location-based entertainment (LBE) business is being driven by the return of projects that were delayed by the pandemic, younger consumers placing a priority on experiences, and a focus on new projects that require less capital investment ($3-$10 million in the case of a 30,000-50,000 family entertainment center, depending on the complexity). These smaller projects also offer a faster return, given that FECs can be completed in 12-18 months versus 3-5 years for major theme parks.

“You are seeing a good return on investment and at the end of the day this is about generating revenue and how do you actually increase the size of the pie,” said Matt Proulx, VP of location-based entertainment at Hasbro.

And while revenue is paramount for LBE, authenticity and repeatability are also crucial factors. LBE efforts attract their share of devoted fans, which means that even the slightest missing detail can potentially derail both the attraction and the brand, licensing industry executives said during the “From Dream to Reality: The Power of Brand Licensing for Location-Based Entertainment” keynote panel discussion on Wednesday.

“You are taking a brand to places where it hasn’t been. Don’t just design an amazing, beautiful experience—design it for repeatability and authenticity,” said Susan Vargo, head of live events and location-based experiences at Moonbug Entertainment, whose licensee EMC launched the CoComelon Live: JJ’s Journey touring show last fall. Moonbug also signed a licensing deal with Falcon Beyond Global to bring CoComelon and Blippi into 20,000-25,000-square-foot sections inside the Curiosity Playground that’s at the heart of a retail and dining complex under construction in Punta Cana, Mexico that’s slated to open by year-end.

When it comes to repeatability, operators will need to frequently refresh the experience with new characters and plot lines that prompt fans to make return trips, said Stacy Moscatelli, co-president and chief strategy officer at LBE operator Superfly X. “It’s all part of a tentpole strategy that needs to be updated seasonally—or more frequently—with stunts, contests, and other events that will keep people coming back.”

Win Big   

Kieche Meleson O’Connell and Stef ‘Sharky’ Schultz were named the winners of the License This! Competition. O’Connell took home the title in the Characters & Animation category while Schultz was the winner in the Brand & Design category.

O’Connell’s Catoms: Atoms with Attitude brand is all about making science and chemistry fun through adorable cat characters and engaging storytelling. Schultz’s Hunnie Bumble and Friends brand, meanwhile, focused on the zany adventures of the titular queen bee and her colorful friends.

Six finalists presented onstage in front of a live audience and a panel of nine judges from across the licensing industry. The winners will receive a 100-square-foot booth at Licensing Expo 2023, a one-year Licensing International membership, a one-year Products of Change membership, and a one-on-one consultation with License This! judges. This year’s competition was sponsored by Flowhaven.

Looking Inward

Zag Entertainment is taking licensing in-house with plans to end its agency network within five years, said Julian Zag, executive vice president of global operations. Most recently, Zag and Tycoon Enterprises parted ways in Mexico where the agency had represented the animated series Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir. Zag handles licensing directly in the U.S. as well as Argentina and Colombia, the latter two of which were formerly represented by IMC.

Music Licensing Encore

With many bands back on tour this year, Epic Rights has returned two them to its fold. Amid rumors of a reunion tour, NSYNC signed with Epic to represent the boy band for licensing at retail and for VIP events, marking a break from Live Nation Entertainment Merchandising and a return to Epic. NSYNC, whose most prominent member was Justin Timberlake, broke up in 2003. Meanwhile, Aerosmith also returned to Epic following its merger with Universal Music Group’s Bravado. The band had a 24-date residency set to start this summer at the MGM Park in Las Vegas, but that’s been delayed and a live tour is set to start September 4 in Bangor, ME and run through December. The new additions to Epic’s roster come after it parted with Jimi Hendrix, who switched to Sony Music Entertainment.