The licensing industry took to the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas May 20-22 to explore brands and IP, unlock new licensing opportunities, and get inspiration from the show floor. And there was plenty of it. In fact, it started before even hitting the floor at Licensing Expo 2025…
Branded Badge Printing
…How often do you stand in the badge pick-up line to have someone print it for you? That’s time you could have spent engaging with our brands, says the Licensing Expo. Unbeatable at monetizing fandom, the show placed the badge printing system inside a branded cabinet wall. Now attendees could gaze at a Hershey bar or a Jolly Rancher instead of a tired registration staffer.
Oversized Elements Are, Well… Huge
Maximalism at its biggest and loudest is alive and well at this show, in everything from inflatable characters (Pokémon continues to be the industry’s hardest working floating inflatable) to architectural elements, as in the Warner Bros. logo, to character figures towering over the exhibits and serving up unique photo ops. It’s all about large-scale statements. And it’s true—sometimes size matters.
Not a Registration Counter
There is no rule that you have to sign in for your appointment at a registration counter straight out of a sad rental inventory. Just ask Lego. The brand brought a flower stand, adorned with Lego flowers and brand merch, as well as a statement bicycle, to set the tone for all the beauty and playfulness inside. Lego stuff for adults, like the Botanicals, is just cool.
Tactile Drives Engagement
It’s no secret that humans are drawn to touching if something looks like it would be fun to experience, like the giant furry wall at the Hasbro exhibit. Attendees couldn’t help but run their hands across the unexpected soft surface, and had their pictures taken against it in pure delight. Rugged cardboard at Smiley and the entire display of plush bears at Viz Media also slayed, engaging the senses.
Curiosity Doesn’t Need Digital
One of the most engaging exhibit elements was Universal’s wall with 3D display lettering and little cubby holes that attendees could open to reveal a toy or another type of merch from iconic IPs like Dracula and Creature from the Black Lagoon. It was mind-blowing how many people actually opened the doors to reveal the surprise inside, and once they opened one, they went for all of them.
Forget Glass-Case Product Displays
So exhibitors at this show know a thing or two about product displays, and they would cry if they had to put their hard-won merch into something boring. Cue in Universal’s holographic displays, where attendees could pick a product from the library on the tablet to be displayed as a hologram. When you have a portfolio like Universal’s, that’s probably the only way to go.
A white-label gamification company Toyalty dispensed collectible toys out of a custom arcade-style machine that also collected leads. Claw machines drew lines for collectibles. But one of our favorites—and the audience’s—was the exhibit by the Chinese toy manufacturer Bazuuyu, filled with plush vegetables and groceries of all sorts. What’s the best way to show them off? Set up a play barbecue station where mushrooms and eggplants, as well as more exotic items, were peppered and fanned with considerable enthusiasm. The toys might have been toy, but the enthusiasm and engagement were real. Yes, chef!
Photo credit: Anna Huddleston
