by Graham Speak, Speak Consulting
How you activate an IP partnership is as important as being clear on your objectives, and finding the right IP partner to work with.
Depending on the outputs you want to achieve, there are thousands of ways to build impactful activations. In this post, we’ll cover a small collection of considerations, whether you already operate IP-based attractions or are thinking about how it could add value to your business.
IP licensing can be extremely valuable. However, it must be executed with skill to fully unlock the most value.
Build authentic, immersive experiences to deliver the best results from your IP partnerships
‘Brand slapping’ is very rarely a successful strategy. I’ve seen examples of this employed across many industries and categories over my career. And it usually results in the view that ‘licensing doesn’t work’.
There are a few reasons for this:
- It’s unlikely to be engaging, immersive or interactive for guests.
- It won’t build affinity in brands for IP holders or your attraction.
- It’s unlikely to be sustainable (guests won’t come back, or tell others to visit).
Arthur at Europa-Park is a brilliant example of absorbing guests in the world of the franchise. Entered through a wooded area of the park, the main attraction (a roller coaster/dark ride hybrid) immerses guests from the queue line all the way through to the ride station and show scenes through the experience.
It’s also set within, and journeys around, the wider Minimoys Kingdom. There are additional attractions, play areas and retail, all well-themed, allowing guests to spend time and interact with the land they see in the films.
Not all attractions have multi-million dollar budgets for IP partnerships, however. There are great examples of this done on a different scale. At Willows Farm or Flamingo Land, children really believe they can explore Mr Tod’s Lair and come face to face with Peter Rabbit, often in natural surroundings that wouldn’t be dissimilar to those written about in the classic tales.
Build F&B and retail into the experience
F&B and retail are ways to drive incremental commercial revenue from an IP partnership. But they are also a way to delight and immerse guests further into the worlds they love.
When visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, most guests want to ride with Hagrid on his Motorcycle Adventure or take a trip to Gringotts. But equally important for most is getting their own wand and casting spells throughout the land. All whilst sipping on an ice-cold butterbeer.
Retail need not be a gift shop at the exit. It can be built into the IP world to become part of the experience. At the new World of Jumanji at Chessington World of Adventures, the retail outlet and games of skill are designed to be a bazaar. This adds to the theming and immersion of the land.
Think about staff interactions
Our family was lucky enough to sail with the Disney Cruise Line. One of the experiences we still discuss most about that trip is the chance encounters with characters. One afternoon, my daughter and I went to play mini-golf. Halfway around the course, we saw Chip n’ Dale playing golf. They played a few holes with us, messed with our hair and posed for selfies. It was a special, unplanned moment that we still talk about every time we mention the cruise.
If you’ve ever eaten at a Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. restaurant, you’ll know that mid-way through your experience the server will usually come to your table to test your Forrest Gump knowledge. This is great way to keep you entertained whilst waiting for your food. It also keeps you engaged with the brand that you have chosen to invest your time with.
Be it chance encounters, or simpler things like encouraging staff to engage with guests at till points and throughout the attraction, your teams can make a huge difference to an IP-led experience.
Keep it fresh for successful IP partnerships
Of course, the general upkeep of an attraction is critical for a brand partnership. But over and above that, it’s worth thinking upfront about how you may need, or choose, to evolve and update the space to keep guests returning again and again. The extent this is required or desired will depend on your objectives and the brand(s) you partner with.
CBeebies Land at Alton Towers is a great example of investing to keep things fresh and drive continued engagement. As content changes on the platform over time, so do the experiences at the resort, with new and updated attractions through to changing the shows that feature in the ‘Big Fun Showtime’ area, and the characters you can meet through the land. Guests can guarantee there will likely be something new to enjoy each visit.
Take advantage of the seasons
Creating a seasonal events plan is a great way to keep your IP partnerships fresh. However, it also encourages guests to return multiple times through a season, as well as creating an additional revenue opportunity at a typically slower time in the year. Leveraging your IP gives you a way to differentiate from other attractions that may also run seasonal events and really connect with your audience base.
Peppa Pig World at Paulton’s Park in the UK does this with exclusive Peppa meet and greets for seasonal periods. The park decorates Peppa’s world to fit with the seasons and creates a kid-friendly spooky Halloween Peppa event.
Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi has an events programme that combines seasonal reasons to visit like Chinese New Year and Spooktober (with Scooby Doo scares for families, and the DC Super Villains for bigger thrills) with self-made events like their DC Super Hero Season, featuring shows and special character meets.
There are endless ways to create value through IP partnerships
These are just some thought-starters to consider. There are many other ways to deliver impactful, profitable and enjoyable experiences for your guests with IP. The great news is that provided you have clear objectives and an understanding of your guest, IP holders will likely relish partnering with you to make the most of the additional opportunities you chose to explore.
Top image: Merlin Entertainment’s Peter Rabbit: Explore and Play in Blackpool
