How to transform IPs into location based entertainment

Location based entertainment is quickly becoming a prerequisite of 360-degree brand strategies. IPs developed for digital channels are looking to bricks and mortar to cement their brands, characters and stories into the places we live.

Why? Location based entertainment sector is booming as consumers demand more experiences than ever before. The sub-sector of the leisure industry will be worth over $4 billion in 2030. The ‘traditional’ leisure offering of cinemas, arcade and a ten-pin bowling alley no longer excite a generation who have grown with the world’s inspiration and content at their fingertips. 

And while digital entertainment has profited from the world’s collective gaze on encapsulating content, to feel ‘real’ in the eyes of their existing customers, brands and IPs are seeing the need to be a place to visit, a place to gather like-minded customers - an opportunity to build a loyal and lucrative fandom. 

We’ve worked with over 50 of the largest IPs and brands to develop location based entertainment destinations. We’ve created theme parks, indoor experiences and museums that have become an extension of the IP’s brand strategy. These are complex briefs that need to finely balance guest expectations and commercial ambitions.

There is no “copy and paste” solution. Just like the bricks and mortar retailers that have made the reverse journey to the digital world, making it into location based entertainment is years in the planning, driven by the behaviours of consumers in a different environment, then refined over time.

Your priorities

If you are exploring the growth of your IP or brand into location based entertainment, here’s a few considerations we always discuss before choosing to proceed.

Purpose

Why is this entertainment venue(s) going to exist? We always encourage internal discussions to decide the balance between capitalising on a commercial opportunity, generating greater revenue from existing customers, or driving IP awareness to new audiences.

Popularity

Compared to competitor IPs does your portfolio boast a large and loyal following, unique audience group, or high brand value? Most IPs have great statistics to tell about their success, but to make it in a physical location (permanent or touring) these numbers need to be industry leading. Location is also a huge factor that needs consideration. The question isn’t, “where do my current customers live?” it is, “How far will they travel to the experience?”

Format

It must be the passion of most IP owners to see their creations transformed into a theme park rollercoaster. It is the stereotypical epitome of success in themed entertainment. But there are so many other location based entertainment formats to consider. Family entertainment centres, touring experiences, museum exhibitions or even outdoor adventure play - the list is endless but the right format is a finite choice.

Narrative

It’s not always the popular storylines that make for the best experiences. For your hard-core fans, it is in fact, the side-line characters and off-beat narratives that intrigues them most. Consider an overarching narrative that draws your guests in, then how the story logic and narrative flows through the whole guest experience - with a few surprises along the way.

Theming

Your inner voice of the customer will most likely want to create the ultimate experience, including hyper-realistic theming - and for the right IPs, this is an option. But the experience will always be dictated by the commercial returns which you or operating franchisees will make. Theming and installations, including the latest technology, is expensive. Hypothetically, if a guest is comfortable spending £20 to visit your experience, that higher-level theming throughout is unrealistic. A balance needs to be achieved. 

Immersion

Whether new or existing fans of your IP, one thing should always be guaranteed - immersion beyond any other activation done before. This isn’t “retailtainment” or “brand activation”, this is a leisure experience. At its heart, it must provide at least 60-minutes of escapism from the outside world, creating new smiles, memories and selfies. Location based entertainment will become a unique offer in your 360-degree brand - it deserves to be a unique experience too.

Longevity

Physical experiences are built to last unlike digital content, where you can simply pull or update content within the click of a button. As a result, the outcome of an experience needs to be a combination of evergreen and seasonal content. Regardless of who is investing or operating this experience - it is just IP on the front door. The experience stands for the same brand values and requirement for alignment as your merchandise website or YouTube channel has. Choose the narratives that will stand the test of time. A lot can happen, even within six months.

What do guests want?

We launched our 2030 Trends Report in January, showcasing the megatrends that are set to define and shape the leisure and entertainment industry. The report, backed by primary research and industry experts, found that IP-based experiences are the next great development in the industry.

65% of Generation Z, the next big powerhouse of the disposable income market, have already imagined stepping into the world of the TV programmes they watch. 50% of industry experts also believe that guests will travel between 1-3 hours to go to an IP-based experience. Consumer demand is high.

Expanding your IP into LBE

We’re delighted to have worked with so many IP owners and management companies to transform their portfolio into market-ready visitor experiences. While details of these projects are kept under waps to maintain the magic, we can safely say that you’ve experienced and enjoyed our work across theme parks, indoor experiences, museums and heritage attractions.

Take the next step in expanding your IP into location based entertainment by talking to our team today.