As the market for live experiences based on licensed properties and brands becomes more crowded, it is ever more difficult to stand out and to “surprise and delight” the fans. These recent examples have done just that by building on and adding slightly new twists to widely accepted experiential configurations:
- KFC Wine Bar. Pop-up wine bars are nothing new in the world of location-based entertainment, but a fried chicken-themed wine bar? This London pop-up, in partnership with the Perrin family’s La Vielle Ferme brand of France, is surprising, but on further review makes sense on many levels. The wine brand, which translates to “the old farm” and features a rooster on the label, is known in the U.K as Chicken Wine. The pop-up is dubbed Coq au Vin, named after the classic French dish that translates to “rooster in wine.” Chicken puns abound in the marketing, PR messaging, and ancillary materials. The three-day pop-up at the end of this month, which takes place in Shoreditch in London’s East End, features a menu of KFC food items paired with La Vielle Ferme wines.
- Transformers Apology Tour. Hasbro put a new spin on anniversary film screening tours by creating a 1986 Apology Tour to mark the 40-year milestone of the release of Transformers: The Movie, the first animated feature film based on the property. The film featured the death of the beloved Autobot Optimus Prime, in battle with the Decepticon Megatron, which — while in keeping with the lore of the franchise — traumatized many a young fan. These now-adult property aficionados have been able come together to “grieve, heal, and reminisce” at screenings throughout this year.
- Minecraft Moonlight Trail. This Buenos Aires experience, which took place this summer, brings the idea of an immersive experience, with all the bells and whistles, outside, at night. The limited-time installation was a partnership between Microsoft and its Mojang unit, Experience MOD, and Supply + Demand. The organizers noted that building an experience like this involves logistical challenges beyond those encountered in the typical climate-controlled environment, with safety, lighting, and construction all facing unique wrinkles in an outdoor setting. The trail takes fans through a gameplay-like storyline where they interact with the environment, use tools, and meet characters along the way. Food, merchandise, and campfires around which to gather await participants at the end of the journey.
- UNO Social Clubs. Mattel launched this sort of game-night-meets-casino-gaming event last year. Fans who participate play the classic card game in a themed, “elevated” social setting with similarly minded fans of the brand. Attendees at the clubs have a range of UNO games to choose from as they compete with their fellow fans in tournament style play, sipping on UNO-themed drinks and enjoying other branded activities. The first UNO Social Club launched in Las Vegas, and players could enter to win a weekend in a custom UNO luxury suite at the Palms Casino Resort. The pop-up experience expanded to 14 cities around the world in 2026.
All of these examples incorporate many of the elements that have become typical of location-based entertainment productions built around licensed IPs. But they add to those by layering on something unique that is authentic to the brand, surprising and appealing to the fans, and, in some cases, can never be replicated in exactly the same way by competing properties.
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