Hasbro, Falcon's Beyond, NAFTOS and Feld Entertainment to Bring LBE Experiences to Licensing Expo

Licensing Expo, produced in partnership with industry trade association Licensing International, returns to the Mandalay Bay Convention Center this May 24-26 with a location-based experiences (LBE) theme that draws on consumers' growing interest in immersive, IP-based experiences that bring their favorite characters and brands to life.  

Hasbro, Falcon's Beyond, NAFTOS and Feld Entertainment are among the brands that have revealed extensive LBE plans for the May event, transforming their booths into an IP-based destination that will capture attendees' attention. From turning show attendees into NFTs and transporting guests into imagined worlds to a VR battle arena, this year's event is gearing up to be highly interactive and trend-driven in order to provide a more seamless experience that facilitates new IP discovery.

"We landed on the theme of location-based experiences in order to strategically align with society's transition from product-focused to experience-centric behaviors," says Anna Knight, senior vice president, Global Licensing Group, organizers of Licensing Expo. "More than ever before, people develop profoundly strong connections with the brands and content they engage with daily; LBE enables IP-owners to foster an even deeper connection that lays the groundwork for a loyal fanbase. We're so excited to showcase the power and potential of LBE and be a catalyst for its adoption across the globe."   

LBE-activations confirmed to date include:   

Hasbro, Inc booth #A159 & Hasbro Experience booth A143   

At Hasbro’s Experience booth, the company will be previewing the Transformers: VR Battle Arena with Meta4 Interactive. Hasbro will also be showcasing inspiration from other LBE initiatives around the world with a sampling of mini experiences inspired by: 

"The demand for authentic, engaging, and exciting experiences has never been higher; fans of all ages can now uncover new ways to connect with the brands they love,” says Matt Proulx, vice president, location-based entertainment, Hasbro. “We're excited to demo the Transformers: VR Battle Arena with our partners at Meta4 Interactive at our booth this year. We'll also be giving visitors a chance to sample other activations around the world, taking inspiration from our Monopoly Life-sized in London, Transformers & My Little Pony-themed Hotel in Shanghai, not to mention what's fueling Nerf. We hope everyone can stop by and have a glimpse into the potential of LBE.” 

Falcon's Beyond, booth U188  

"We have already helped many of the world's most iconic brands connect with their audience to build fandom at a whole new level," says Cecil D. Magpuri, chief executive officer, Falcon's Beyond. "We cannot wait to showcase our experiential entertainment innovations and new themed destinations in development that will enable brands to take the connection with their desired audiences to new heights well `beyond' what they could ever imagine."   

NAFTOS, Lobby Display near Entrance D, Executive Suite D101  

"We are honored to become a key exhibiter at the Licensing Expo to showcase our expertise in NFTs and the Metaverse,” says Barry Rosenbaum, chief executive officer and president, NAFTOS. “Our highly experienced team employs the newest technology to create dynamic interactive NFTs, unlike any others."   

Feld Entertainment, booth A209   

“We are thrilled to have one of our Feld Entertainment location-based entertainment activations on site for attendees to experience during the upcoming LE,” says Jeff Bialosky, senior vice president global partnerships, Feld Entertainment. “As a 2022 Industry Award nominee, Monster Jam continues to engage and entertain 10s of millions of fans around the world. The Monster Jam Grave Digger simulator displayed and operating in Booth #A209 will give those who are brave enough to ride it the true feeling of being behind the wheel of a 12,000-pound, 1500 HP Monster Jam truck.”  

In addition to these immersive exhibitor experiences, visitors can visit the new Sports Bar and Toy Café to discover new products and be inspired by examples from both categories. Confirmed participants include:  

Registered attendees now have access to the event’s online platform and can begin sifting through discoverable IP and setting up meetings both online and for the in-person event.