The companies behind the world’s hottest, licensed must-have merch are getting the band back together.
Following a two-year hiatus, Licensing Expo — the world’s largest licensing trade show — will return to Las Vegas from May 24-26, 2022. Informa Markets and Licensing International confirmed plans to move forward with an in-person show to reunite the licensing community at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center (MBCC).
The decision to hold an in-person show is supported by dozens of exhibitors and attendees, including ViacomCBS, Warner Bros. Consumer Products, NBCUniversal, Sony Pictures Consumer Products, Hasbro, The LEGO Group, Mattel, Spin Master, The Pokémon Co. International, The Topps Co./Garbage Pail Kids (GPK), NFL Players Association, Games Workshop, Peanuts Worldwide, Bandai Namco Entertainment America, Frida Kahlo, Yale University, MGM Studios, BBC Studios, Crayola Properties, BrandComply fueled by Octane5, Joester Loria Group, Beanstalk, and Buzzfeed.
This year’s event will carry a theme for the first time ever: Location-Based Experiences (LBE).
Prior to the pandemic, a number of companies were planning entry into the LBE space with activations planned for theme parks, family entertainment centers, arcades, escape rooms, and more.
“LBE really suffered during the pandemic lockdowns, but experiences have now reopened to customer delight and the sector is predicted to boom,” says Informa Markets’ Vice President of Licensing Anna Knight. “It’s been interesting to note the increasing number of collabs between brands and LBE in recent years. We’re keen to shine a light on this growing licensing category and excited to investigate its future with Licensing Expo attendees.”
In accordance with the latest safety guidelines pertaining to the COVID-19 pandemic, all Licensing Expo participants will be required to wear a face mask while indoors at the MBCC and present proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test. Onsite testing will be available at the participants’ expense and compliance to mask-wearing guidelines will be monitored by Informa Markets’ onsite team. It should be noted that these rules will be enforced regardless of Nevada state mandates.
Additional details and registration information can be found on the Licensing Expo website.
