Netflix house, Barbie mansion put immersive experience on the map

Commercial property operators are pitching immersive experiences – from living in Barbie’s home to lounging inside a “Netflix House” – as the next big thing to companies looking for more ways to interact with their clients.

The latest move in the trend of giving viewers a real life experience comes from global streaming giant Netflix, which plans to open its first two Netflix Houses in the United States next year. The properties would offer merchandising, food and show-related activities, including sets from hit shows on the platform such as Bridgerton.

Last year Netflix tested the market with its Netflix Bites, which was an elevated dining experience from several of its most well-known chefs. Australia’s own Curtis Stone was involved in the pop-up restaurant in Los Angeles.

Based on that success, the brand seems convinced there is a lot of potential with in-person events. “Netflix is already a destination for beloved food programming, from documentaries to competition shows,” said Netflix’s vice president of consumer products Josh Simon.

In Australia, Sydney’s Luna Park is also sprucing up its immersive offerings with the upgrade of its Big Top space to an experience-based attraction called the Dream Circus.

According to Bloomberg, Netflix House will have rotating installations with ticketed shows and restaurants serving food from popular shows. Options will range from fast casual to high-end dining, desserts and spirits included.

“We’ve seen how much fans love to immerse themselves in the world of our movies and TV shows, and we’ve been thinking a lot about how we take that to the next level,” Simon said.

Luna Park chief executive John Hughes has said the $15 million of the 3000 square metre fully accessible multipurpose entertainment venue features “Barco projection technology, a spatially mapped audio system, hologram technology, motion-activated LED screens and the latest in lighting technology”.