Kilburn Live Creates a New World of Entertainment Featuring Brand Characters

As the world continues to recover from Covid, entertainment options are booming. Kilburn Live, led by Chief Executive Mark Manuel, is developing a new range of ticketed entertainment options. Kilburn is licensing content from brands like Mattel
pad
Hasbro
Have
and Dr. Seuss show family-friendly entertainment like The World of Barbie.

That means family-friendly entertainment. The idea is a bit like a stripped-down amusement park, with something for everyone, from the youngest to the oldest. Activation uses bright colors and, through careful thought in stages, brings to life what used to exist only in the imagination. Their strategy provides families with a place away from the sofa and TV where they can go and share experiences. In the world of Barbie, there are games to play, scavenger hunts, puzzles to solve, and the sheer joy of wandering through scenes that used to exist only in the imagination and were never created on a large scale and made available to the public.

I interviewed Mark Manuel last week. “When we started this journey of discovery, from day one we said in this journey: it has to be interesting, you have to surprise them, make them visit,” he said.

The Barbie World Experience and other items created by Kilburn are not museum exhibits. They’re interactive, unlike the video displays that powered the pop-up projection-based events that powered Van Gogh and an entire category. Instead, Kilburn spent months planning and investing heavily in building a full-scale life-scale model of Barbie’s life. Barbie’s vehicles, her home and all other elements of her world are full-scale. Kilburn is taking as much as 20,000 square feet of real estate and building an entire immersive world that only exists in a specific location for a short time.

Barbie, Dr. Seuss and Kilburn’s other branded spaces installed around the world are an immersive experience previously found in toys, books and videos. As this new genre develops, it opens up many avenues for growth. First off, anyone with kids and some discretionary money is always looking for new things to do with the family. Since these programs are only in town for a limited time, they will attract those who want to get in before the window closes. In a way, it follows the model pioneered by Cirque du Soleil, which would put up a quirky and inviting tent in a prominent location, then sell tickets for their shows until demand dwindled, at which point they would move the show to another venue. a place.

However, there is one key difference between what Kilburn is building and what a circus, sporting event or live show is. Kilburn’s projects are interactive. The family goes not to watch, but to participate, both in the activities in the world they build and in each other. Family bonds can be achieved by passively watching performances, but memories are built on activities that create interaction when navigating unfamiliar spaces.

As Mark Manuel said in our interview “People don’t want to consume entertainment the same way all the time, so I’ve always said that the rise of streaming services is very good for our business … because you don’t want to be doing the same thing over and over again.”

Their business model is very interesting. Kilburn licenses the characters and designs to companies that own the intellectual property. They then design the project to be built, prepay the construction costs and begin the process of selling tickets. Aim for around $30 per person, or $120 for a family of four. Based on this simple model and a few other projects, Kilburn’s total revenue is expected to exceed $30,000,o00 over the next 12 months.

However, this model is not as simple as creating a template design to build in different locations. Kilburn had to staff the room after it was built, engage the attending audience, and constantly evaluate whether to extend their stay at any given location. These are sunk costs once construction on site is complete. The longer the attraction remains, the better the chances of monetizing the room.

Another potential for future income streams is becoming feasible. Kilburn clients who visit events such as Barbie World take numerous photos and post them on social media. In effect, visitors to the pop-up store become influencers for the brand. The data generated from this engagement builds both awareness of Kilburn products and an affinity for their licensed roles. This could lead to greater cross-promotional partnerships and revenue streams. When a project is in town, the promotions Kilburn does to drive ticket sales boost the overall brand awareness of Barbie or Dr. Seuss.

The entertainment world continues to evolve post-pandemic. Movie theater attendance has plummeted as people upsize TVs at home and become more comfortable watching movies on couches. Sporting events continue to drive up prices, making it difficult for working-class families to attend regularly.

The various attractions being built by Kilburn and others who have entered the space combine familiarity with well-known characters like Barbie or the Cat in the Hat with curiosity about what lies outside the ticket counter and behind the activation doors just to stay in town. for a short time.

Kilburn is executing at scale because its team knows how to transform two-dimensional characters from cartoons or toys into fully articulated worlds filled with thoughtful activities, replicas and interactive play. This created a virtuous cycle in which everyone wins: the brand’s interest in its product exploded, consumers had limited opportunities to enjoy the experience, and Kilburn started selling some tickets and merchandise.

This ticketed entertainment, which exists only for a short time at any given location, is gaining traction. As consumer expectations shift and competition intensifies, Kilburn is moving quickly to stay ahead. It’s easy to spot a winning team thanks to hard work and foresight. Mark Manuel leads a team that transforms imagination into fast-changing reality while elevating the brand image of those he works with.