Imagicaa Expands Merchandise to E-Commerce, Keeps Parks at the Heart of Growth Strategy

Since its inception, Imagicaa has firmly established itself as a premier entertainment destination in India. The brand has grown beyond a traditional theme park, becoming a place for families to bond and create memories. In a candid conversation, Dhimant Bakshi, CEO at Imagicaa shared his vision for the brand, its expansion plans, and how Imagicaa is shaping the theme park and merchandise experience in India.

Creating Joy and Magical Experiences

Imagicaa is more than just an amusement park; it's designed to bring happiness to visitors, offering a complete escape from the mundane routines of daily life. "We are part of the Malpani Group, and our objective is to create delightful moments and magical memories for people. Guests visit us to break free from daily life, enjoying some fun and happiness while disconnecting from the digital world," Bakshi explained. Imagicaa, with its diverse offerings of dry and water park experiences, has become a destination for families seeking outdoor recreational activities, offering everything from thrilling rides to unique character-driven shows.

Additionally, the brand has extended its presence beyond amusement parks by launching an attraction in Shirdi dedicated to Sai Baba’s life. This new venture has added to the diverse portfolio of seven parks that Imagicaa operates, further expanding the brand’s reach and appeal.

Retail Opportunities Inside and Beyond the Park

As part of its growth strategy, Imagicaa has capitalized on retail opportunities within the park. Bakshi highlighted how important retail has become for the park experience, “When we set up Imagicaa, we realized that this category, entertainment parks, had not been fully explored in India. Traditionally, parks offered concession-based businesses or hired out spaces to third parties. We wanted to create something that was intrinsically linked to our park’s brand."

Drawing inspiration from global entertainment giants like Disney and Universal Studios, Imagicaa built a model where in-house characters and park attractions could be translated into merchandise. “We thought, why can’t we have something similar in India? So we developed our characters and created merchandise around them,” said Bakshi. Some of the characters include Mr. India and Mogambo from a popular Indian film, as well as original characters like Tubbby, Bloo and Chhota Bheem. Imagicaa also offers merchandise based on park rides such as the roller coaster Nitro, where an entire line of products was created around the themes of speed and adrenaline.

From T-shirts and novelty toys to everyday items like umbrellas and ponchos, Imagicaa has created over 1,300 unique stock-keeping units (SKUs). Bakshi shared how the brand has found ways to marry functionality with excitement, saying, “We’ve made functional products fun by adding elements of attraction and character. Indians look for utility, and we’ve added value to that by making these products more aspirational, something that people would be proud to carry around.”

Distribution and Merchandise Beyond the Park

While a majority of Imagicaa’s merchandise is currently sold within the parks, the brand has gradually expanded its reach into online platforms such as Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra, and FirstCry. However, Bakshi emphasized that the primary business, around 96 percent, still comes from the parks. “Our characters are slowly gaining recognition, and as this affinity grows, we expect the merchandise to expand in online channels.”

Imagicaa operates three in-house brands: Imagicaa, Wet'n'Joy, and Aqua Imagica. These brands are tied directly to the parks, serving as reminders of the fun experiences visitors had at these locations. Bakshi believes the merchandise serves not only as keepsakes but also as promotional tools for the parks, bringing people back for more magical experiences.

Strategic Licensing Partnerships

Imagicaa has also ventured into licensing partnerships. "We’ve done two small sampling-based licensing deals so far. The key for us is timing—doing the right partnerships at the right time of the product lifecycle," Bakshi shared. One such partnership was with an educational brand that developed a curriculum around Imagicaa’s characters, aimed at building an emotional connection with children. Another successful partnership was with Cello, a manufacturer of temperature-controlled bottles. “We co-branded the bottles with Cello, and they have expressed interest in taking this partnership beyond our parks into their distribution network,” said Bakshi.

For Imagicaa, the focus is on creating long-term win-win partnerships that allow both the park and its partners to grow. Bakshi explained, “Many times, people get into too much negotiation, which starts to feel like bargaining. We prefer partners with a long-term vision, where both parties can grow and prosper together.”

Challenges and Opportunities in Licensing

Licensing is not without its challenges, especially when negotiating with international brands. Bakshi noted that dealing with well-established characters like Disney or Marvel requires a different approach. "The characters are already well-known and have strong media backing, so the merchandise sells itself," he said. However, Imagicaa’s characters are still in their early stages of development, which is why the brand is focused on nurturing its IP.

Building Imagicaa’s character base is a slow and steady process. "We’ve created 16 characters, but right now, we’re focusing on six, like Tubbby, Rajasaurus, and Bloo. The goal is to build these characters and eventually expand to include more," Bakshi explained. The hope is that over time, Imagicaa’s characters will gain a similar level of recognition as their international counterparts, but the process requires patience and strategic nurturing.

E-Commerce Expansion and Future Licensing Projects

Looking to the future, Imagicaa has plans to grow its e-commerce presence. "Our promoters, especially Shreya Malpani, have been instrumental in driving the design and retail aspects. We are working on tying up with stronger e-commerce platforms and creating our website to better showcase our product portfolio,” said Bakshi. The goal is to gradually increase the share of merchandise sold online from the current 4 percent to a much larger proportion.

Imagicaa is also focusing on expanding its licensing portfolio with a back-to-school campaign expected to launch in the next six to eight months. This will offer new opportunities for both visitors and retail partners to engage with the brand.

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New Parks on the Horizon

In terms of expansion, Imagicaa has set its sights on becoming a pan-India brand. "In the next three months, we’ll be opening a new park in Indore. We’re also developing a project at Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad, which will take about two years to complete," Bakshi revealed. These projects represent Imagicaa’s commitment to growth and delivering high-quality entertainment experiences across the country.

Imagicaa is poised for significant growth, and as Bakshi suggests, the key to success lies in taking small, thoughtful steps, nurturing both the park’s character portfolio and retail partnerships, and building a sustainable brand that will grow in India’s evolving entertainment landscape.