Shows
Brands In PlayEpisode 51 | ft. Leslie Shepard | Sam's Club Leans Into Weird | Sam's Club | Brands In PlayThis week on the show, Nic Hill and Albane Prioux are joined by Leslie Shepard, Lead of Partnerships and Growth Marketing at Sam’s Club.In this conversation, Leslie breaks down how Sam’s Club thinks about gaming as an upper funnel growth lever, why Roblox integrations beat building a standalone world for their goals, and what she learned by running a portfolio approach across multiple titles.In the news, Bruno Mars partners with Steal a Brainrot on Roblox, Peaky Blinders enters PUBG Mobile, Microsoft tests pre roll ads in gaming and Uber launches Back...
2026-01-301h 05
Brands In PlayEpisode 50 | ft. Bastian Bergmann | Why Every Company Needs A Gaming Strategy | Brands In PlayIt's EPISODE 50! Before anything else, thank you to everyone who’s been listening, watching, sharing, and building with us along the way. What started as a conversation has turned into a weekly ritual, and we don’t take that for granted. Your support is the reason Brands In Play keeps showing up, digging deeper, and pushing this space forward.This week on the show, Nic Hill and Albane Prioux sit down with Bastian Bergmann, Co-Founder & COO of Solsten and author of Press Play: Why Every Company Needs a Gaming Strategy. Bastian makes the case for gaming as a co...
2026-01-2358 min
Brands In PlayEpisode 49 | ft. Charles Melcher | Future of Storytelling | Brands In PlayEpisode 49 of Brands In Play is here and this week Nic Hill and Albane Prioux are joined by Charlie Melcher, founder of Melcher Media and The Future of Storytelling, and author of The Future of Storytelling. In the interview, Charlie breaks down the rise of “living stories", plus what this shift means for brand storytelling, experience design, and how marketers should think about impact, memory, and measurement in immersive formats.News this week: LEGO steals the spotlight at CES • Roblox rolls out a new advertising format • Chipotle taps into EA Sports College Football 26 • Fortnite flips the switc...
2026-01-1657 min
Brands In PlayEpisode 48 | 2026 Predictions Episode | Brands In PlayBrands In Play kicks off 2026 with a predictions episode. Nic Hill and Albane Prioux center the conversation around three questions brands are already grappling with:• Where people will spend time playing and socializing• Which monetization models hold up under real pressure• How creator-led economies are changing brand strategy. This week in the news, Warner Bros. leans toward Netflix over Paramount, SandboxVR scales globally, FIFA deepens its Roblox strategy and NBA star Luka Dončić drives authentic engagement with a limited-time Roblox integration.If you are liking the show, give us a follow. W...
2026-01-0940 min
Brands In PlayEpisode 47 | UNBOXING Podcast | Rebroadcast | Brands In PlayThis week on Brands In Play, Nic Hill and Albane Prioux are officially off for the holidays, so Episode 47 is a little different: we’re rebroadcasting one of our favourite podcasts, UNBOXING: Play and Profit for the Gaming Curious. Hosted by gaming-industry professors Laine Nooney and Joost van Dreunen.If you work in gaming, media, or brand marketing, this is the kind of macro context that helps everything else make sense: where players are moving, how platforms really operate, and why certain business models win over time. Consider it our holiday gift and a highly-recommended lis...
2026-01-021h 16
Brands In PlayEpisode 46 | 2025 Recap Episode | Brands In PlayThis week’s episode is a different one: For our final show of 2025, Albane Prioux and Nic Hill press pause on the news cycle and pull together the big ideas that shaped a year of immersive marketing on Brands In Play. No guests, no real-time review, just a recap of the sharpest moments from 45 episodes.From AR wearables moving into the mainstream (Snap Spectacles, Meta Ray-Bans) to the race between Roblox, Fortnite UEFN and Horizon to win creators and commerce, we trace how UGC platforms matured and why rewarded media, virtual economies and native dev partnerships are be...
2025-12-2644 min
Brands In PlayEpisode 45 | Karl Stewart | IGN Entertainment | Behavioral Future Of Play | Brands In PlayThis week on Brands In Play, Nic Hill and Albane Prioux sit down with Karl Stewart, SVP of Marketing & Head of the Imagine AI platform at IGN, to unpack how 30 years of gaming data is reshaping brand strategy: from Batman, Tomb Raider and Marvel to Roblox, Fortnite and Gen Alpha. In the news, Netflix moves to acquire Warner Bros. film, streaming and games business, immersive OOH billboards steal attention, Meta signs multi-year AI content licensing deals with major news publishers, and Roblox launches its own YouTube series?!For our Real-Time Review, Albane jumps into Crocs Q...
2025-12-1952 min
Brands In PlayEpisode 44 | ft. Joe Condon | SEG3 LA | Brands In Play[NEW EPISODE ALERT] Episode 44 of Brands In Play Nic Hill and Albane Prioux are joined by Joe Condon, founder of SEG3, where we dig into how sports, entertainment, and gaming collide around next-gen fan experiences. Joe walks through why he built SEG3, how the conference connects IP owners, brands, and developers in the same room, and the three big trends he’s watching across UGC IP, licensing, and fandom-driven ecosystems going into 2026.In the news this week: Samsung launches its new “Game Break” ad model for connected TVs, Epic introduces a new IP approach on Fortnit...
2025-12-1251 min
Brands In PlayEpisode 43 | Immersive Commerce | DEEP DIVE | Brands In Play[NEW EPISODE ALERT] This week on Brands In Play, Albane Prioux and Nic Hill unpack immersive holiday commerce in 2025. They cover everything from Target’s Alpine store makeovers and Walmart’s ambient-room shopping, to Amazon’s 3D “Beyond Rooms,” UGC gaming worlds and AI shopping assistants. We stress-test each one on whether it genuinely makes buying smarter and easier, or is it all gloss? Shop… or drop.In the news, ChatGPT Goes Shopping, Adidas Enters Minecraft, Quentin Tarantino Reveals a Lost Kill Bill Chapter in Fortnite and Disney Plans a Live Animated NBA Game in Real Time.
2025-12-0557 min
Brands In PlayEpisode 42 | ft. Ron Friedman | Mattel | Mattel Future Lab | Brands In Play[NEW EPISODE ALERT] This week on Brands In Play, Nic Hill and Albane Prioux sit down with Ron Friedman, VP of Mattel Future Lab. Ron outlines how Future Lab approaches innovation at scale: how Hot Wheels, Barbie, and Monster High are translated into digital environments without compromising brand integrity, and how data, creative instinct, collector behavior, and AI as “amplified imagination” come together inside their product strategy.In the news, Unity partners with Epic Games, Amazon expands Roblox e-commerce through Amazon Anywhere, Bloomberg spotlights Roblox’s ad model challenges, and Tropicana targets gamers with a data-dr...
2025-11-2859 min
Brands In PlayEpisode 41 | ft. Matt Kidd & Lex Alexander | GETREKT | Behind The Scenes On Branded Streams | Brands In Play[NEW EPISODE ALERT] This week on Brands In Play, Nic Hill and Albane Prioux sit down with Matt Kidd and Lex Alexander from GETREKT Labs. They've carved out a rare niche, building tools, formats, mini-games, and interactive overlays that help brands show up natively inside livestream gaming culture. We unpack how they think about creator freedom, audience participation, API-driven outcomes, and what publishers are doing behind the scenes to get more value out of sponsored streams.In the news, Balenciaga drops couture-grade armour inside PUBG, QR Codes might become a thing of the past, Paramount r...
2025-11-2157 min
Brands In PlayEpisode 40 | ft. Rick Hack | Empire House | AI Empowering Content Creators | Brands In Play[NEW EPISODE ALERT] This week on Brands In Play, Nic Hill and Albane Prioux sit down with Rick Hack, Founder of Empire House, an advisory company driving digital transformation and innovation in the Media & Ent industry. From The Meg’s VFX breakthrough to virtual production, cloud studios, autonomous vehicles, and why human-made, empathy-driven stories will become a premium in an AI-saturated world.In the news, Disneyland debuts on Fortnite • Walmart rolls out AI audio summaries for beauty products • New study shows in-game ads outperform traditional digital ads • Australia moves to ban social media for under-16s.
2025-11-1451 min
Brands In PlayEpisode 39 | ft. Anne-Margot Rodde | Creators Corp | The Arms Race For Dev Studios | Brands In Play[NEW EPISODE ALERT] This week on Brands In Play, Albane Prioux and Nic Hill sit down with Margot Rodde, Founder & CEO of Creators Corp. We unpack the crucial split between Fortnite BR and UEFN, and why studios are going platform agnostic. Margot argues platforms must “pick a lane” (ad platform vs. creator-first game platform), and makes the case for brands to work directly with specialized studios. In the news, eMarketer flags puzzle and shooter titles as the current sweet spot for mobile game ad opportunities, marketers are using Reddit as an AI-era SEO lever and the Roblox...
2025-11-0754 min
Brands In PlayEpisode 38 | ft. Ross Crump | Ardent | Your Guide To Influencer Marketing | Brands In Play[NEW EPISODE ALERT] This week on Brands In Play, we sit down with Ross Crump, founder of Ardent Social. Ross explains why “influencer” ≠ influence. From leading campaigns with the Sidemen and John Cena’s Overwatch 2 launch to founding Ardent, Ross breaks down why the real power lies in micro-communities and the creators who shape them not simply through influencers with massive followings.In the news, ad spend climbs but impact drops according to Shutterstock’s Creative Impact Report. Toyota launches a ten-minute anime film, Bored Ape Yacht Club’s long-awaited Otherside world is finally here (maybe?), and...
2025-10-3159 min
Brands In PlayEpisode 37 | ft. Magali Huot | Dentsu | Innovating To Impact | Brands In Play[NEW EPISODE ALERT] This week on Brands In Play Dentsu’s Magali Huot (SVP, Global Gaming Strategy) joins Nic Hill and Albane Prioux to unpack how one of the world’s biggest agency networks is turning its motto “innovating to impact” into action inside gaming.In the news, Walmart brings commerce to ChatGPT, WPP extends its Google AI partnership, McDonald’s revives Street Fighter II in Japan, and e.l.f. tests shoppable Twitch ads.And in our Real Time Review, Albane takes us inside Sesame Street: Neighborhood Adventure on Roblox. Get ready for a high...
2025-10-2459 min
Brands In PlayEpisode 36 | ft. James Reevell | Understanding Youth Audiences | Brands In PlayThis week on Brands In Play, James Reevell, New Media and Gaming Consultant (and former Executive Editor for Youth Audiences at the BBC), joins Albane Prioux and Nic Hill to discuss how broadcasters are adapting to new platforms. James also shares how the BBC brought its iconic IPs into gaming worlds and why Gen Alpha’s media habits demand new forms of storytelling.In the news, brands are making their own anime with Duolingo and Gap launching original animated content, Netflix adds a party games mode, Meta’s smart glasses become Disney tour guides, and CMOs at Adwe...
2025-10-1758 min
Brands In PlayEpisode 35 | ft. Christian Lau | LAFC | Brand & Tech Partnerships | Brands In PlayThis week on Brands In Play, Albane Prioux and Nic Hill sit down with Christian Lau, Chief Technology Officer at Los Angeles Football Club. Christian takes us inside LAFC’s tech playbook, from autonomous retail and face-based ticketing for faster beer pours, to a full network overhaul ensuring fans can stream, share, and connect without friction. He also breaks down why gaming activations only work when teams commit to maintaining them and when resources truly match ambition.In the news, Fortnite launches K-Pop Demon Hunter with lightning speed. Meta, OpenAI, and Google DeepMind debut Gen-AI social apps ac...
2025-10-1058 min
Brands In PlayEpisode 34 | ft. Matt Edelman | Super League | Making Brands Playable | Brands In PlayOn Episode 34 of Brands In Play, Nic and Albane are joined by Matt Edelman, CEO of Super League. Drawing on decades of experience at Marvel, Endeavor, and Super League’s own NASDAQ journey, Matt breaks down the rise of playable media, why brands need to understand the “state of play,” and what it will take for immersive activations to shift from experimental budgets into the core media mix.News headlines this week: Fortnite x Daft Punk • AI companies turning to traditional advertising • EA accepts $55B private buyout • Meta Labs retail expansionReal-Time Review: LEGO’s Expedition Ant...
2025-10-0351 min
Brands In PlayEpisode 33 | ft. Brendan Stock | Chartis | META Connect 2025 | Brands In PlayThis week on Brands In Play, Nic Hill and Albane Prioux sit down with Brendan Stock, CEO and Co-Founder of Chartis, one of the top UEFN creator networks. Brendan shares how his team helps creators scale from hobbyists to professionals, why brands should think twice before building their own island, and what really makes Fortnite a premium platform for marketers.In the news, Fortnite fires back at Roblox with a huge update. Creators can now sell items directly inside their own islands (keeping 100% of revenue through 2026), plus sponsored tiles for discovery and new community tools. We also...
2025-09-2656 min
Brands In PlayEpisode 32 | LEGO Deep Dive | Brands In PlayThis week Albane Prioux and Nic Hill break down the latest in immersive marketing, from Meta’s push into AI-powered smart glasses to Kai Cenat’s Fortnite takeover, Nintendo’s unexpected Virtual Boy revival, and Guinness stepping into Netflix with House of Guinness.The Real Time Review puts Crocs’ branded Roblox world under the microscope, where scavenger hunts, Jibbitz charms, and player surveys blur product marketing with gameplay.And in our Deep Dive: LEGO’s entertainment empire. From Star Wars sets saving the company to billion-dollar bets with Epic Games, we unpack how the Danish brickmaker...
2025-09-1950 min
Brands In PlayEpisode 31 | ft. Louqman Parampath | Roblox | RDC 25 Moments | Brands In PlayBack from RDC with the stories you can’t miss. In episode 31 of Brands In Play, Nic and Albane discuss what stood out in the room. DevEx rates finally shifted, Roblox’s engine upgrades edging toward AAA, the Kodansha licensing deal, native avatar makeup, and “Moments,” the new in-game social feed that could redefine discovery. Albane puts Moments under the microscope with a sharp real-time review: what excites, what’s missing, and where creators still need support.And the highlight, our live RDC interview with Roblox VP of Product, Ads & Commerce, Louqman Parampath. Hear firsthand how Roblox...
2025-09-1249 min
Brands In PlayEpisode 30 | ft. Colton Dunn | The Funny Thing About Ads In Games | Brands In PlayIn Episode 30 of Brands In Play Colton Dunn pulls no punches. The Superstore star and longtime gamer joins Nic Hill and Albane Prioux to swap stories from Halo nights to Ninja Turtle skins, and to share his take on how brands fit, or don’t in the games we play.This week’s news spans Balenciaga’s return to Fortnite, Activision turning to Giphy for Call of Duty, “Steal a Brain Rot” breaking records on Fortnite, and SpongeBob opening its IP to UEFN creators.Finally, we have Colton stepping into our Real Time Review to test AirAs...
2025-09-0558 min
Brands In PlayEpisode 29 | ft. Alex Wechsler | Branded Esports | 100 Thieves | Brands In PlayAlbane Prioux is on vacation this week, so Lee Kebler (TechMagic Podcast) jumps in as co-host to join Nic Hill on Episode 29 of Brands In Play.At the heart of the show is Alex Wechsler, Head of Studios at 100 Thieves. Alex lays out how 100 Thieves went from “just another esports org” to a cultural brand that moves like Supreme but competes like the Lakers. He talks candidly about the esports bubble, the grind of keeping players, brands, and fans happy at the same time, and how live content is becoming the new frontier for sponsorships.Befo...
2025-08-2954 min
Brands In PlayEpisode 28 | ft. Ryan Norrington | McDonaldland Is So Back! | Metavision | Brands In PlayMcDonaldland is so back! This time inside Fortnite, as part of a global campaign spanning TV, influencers, and immersive worlds.On Episode 28 of Brands In Play, we’re joined by Ryan Norrington, Creative Director at Metavision, to talk about what it takes to bring a campaign of this scale into Fortnite and why the platform was the right fit for McDonald’s.We also dive into the week’s news with Lady Gaga on Roblox, Tim Sweeney clapping back at the Wall Street Journal, Meta Horizon’s big shift, and anime hitting Delta flights. All this...
2025-08-2246 min
Brands In PlayEpisode 27 | ft. Annette Lee | Avatar First Strategy | Zepeto | Brands In PlayEpisode 27 of Brands In Play, Albane Prioux sits down with Annette Lee, Head of Global Business Development at Zepeto, to unpack how the platform’s avatar-first model has created a global audience that’s majority Gen Z female. Annette breaks down the four creator types driving the economy and how each opens up a different path for brand activations. She explains why Hyundai, a car brand, has unexpectedly become one of Zepeto’s top-selling “fashion” labels, and how features like outlinking to real-world sites give the platform a conversion advantage most virtual worlds can’t match. Before the int...
2025-08-1544 min
Brands In PlayEpisode 26 | ft. Claire Nance | Advertising in Gaming | Activision Blizzard | Brands In PlayWhat are the key strategies for successful media buying in gaming?This week on Brands In Play, Albane Prioux and Nic Hill are joined by Claire Nance from Activision Blizzard Media to talk about what makes an ad campaign effective inside games. We’ll explore how to build campaigns that players actually love, focusing on mobile's unique challenges and opportunities.We also dive into a bunch of other cool topics, like the rise of anime-inspired ad campaigns, Roblox hitting over 100 million daily users, and why new data from PwC means marketers should rethink their strategies....
2025-08-0844 min
Kids Media Club PodcastKids Media Club x Brands In Play - Italian Brain Rot, Italian Brain What?!Kids Media Club is thrilled to team up with Brands in Play for an exciting new episode! We chatted with Nic Hill and Albane Prioux, hosts of the Brands In Play podcast, to explore the wild and deeply weird world of Italian Brain Rot. This chaotic blend of ironic meme culture and generative AI is making waves as the latest UGC trend. Is it just the sloppiest of AI slop yet, or does this anarchic phenomenon have the potential to evolve into a massive, open-sourced IP? Meme Chaos or IP Gold?Tune in to find...
2025-08-0746 min
Brands In PlayEpisode 24 | ft. Charles Hambro | Winning In Gaming With Data | GEEIQ | Brands In PlayCharles Hambro built GEEIQ before Meta even had the name. In this episode, he joins us to talk about what brand success in virtual worlds actually looks like, why Roblox shouldn’t be treated as an “innovation play” anymore, and how campaign-based activations are overtaking persistent worlds. It’s the kind of conversation that is data-backed, no fluff, and long overdue.We also talk about Fortnite's algorithm shift to favor non-shooter creators, Roblox’s IP licensing model and its creative tradeoffs, and why Call of Duty players are rejecting cartoon cameos like American Dad.Plus, Nic jumps into...
2025-07-2552 min
Brands In PlayEpisode 23 | Deep Dive | Reaching The Right Audience | Brands In PlayWhat platforms make sense for your brand? In this special deep dive episode of Brands In Play, Nic Hill (Sawhorse) and Albane Prioux (GEEIQ) answer the top questions brands keep asking about gaming, virtual worlds, and virtual identity.On this episode they explore the challenges brands are facing with fragmented audiences in gaming and provide insights on how brands can best plan their strategy to only reach audiences that are relevant to them with content that is relevant to each platform.They also discuss some most recent case studies from Maybelline’s Roblox experience powered by...
2025-07-1846 min
Brands In PlayEpisode 22 | ft. Joe Pace | ASICS | ASICS Steps Into Virtual Sporting | Brands In PlayThis week, Nic Hill and Albane Prioux are joined by Joe Pace, VP of ASICS Ventures, to unpack how the legacy fitness brand is building an entirely new virtual sport, from scratch. DISC is now live on MetaQuest, and it's not a one-off campaign, it’s a long-term strategy rooted in movement, community, and real brand equity.We explore what it means to build a branded game with long-term goals: not just awareness, but community, revenue, and cultural credibility. Joe shares how ASICS involved real players in development from day one through Discord, why DISC fills a ga...
2025-07-1153 min
Brands In PlayEpisode 21 | ft. Nate Spell | Squid Game Robloxified | Barrier Four | Brands In PlayIn episode 21 of Brands In Play Albane Prioux & Nic Hill put the spotlight on Nate Spell, founder and CEO of Barrier Four. His team rebuilt the entire Squid Game Season 3 recap video inside Roblox shot-for-shot. Every dorm bunk, every merry-go-round frame, every contestant mask, using the platform’s own animation tools. Nate explains why they insist on filming inside the engine, how DevCam and frame-by-frame motion keep trailers honest, and what happens when you give the Roblox audience something that actually looks and feels like the games they play every day.Nate recalls the staged police chase th...
2025-07-0453 min
Brands In PlayEpisode 20 | ft. Gino Roy | Sawhorse | "How to Train Your Dragon" on Roblox | Brands in PlayIn episode 20 of Brands In Play, Nic Hill and Albane Prioux sit down with Gino Roy, Art Director at Sawhorse. He’s behind the visual direction of some of the best-looking branded games on Roblox like Beetlejuice, Wicked, Kung Fu Panda, Tommy Play, and most recently, How to Train Your Dragon. But this conversation goes deeper than art.We get into how to make cinematic worlds that actually run well on Roblox’s engine across all devices, why performance budgets matter more than showy assets, and what it means to design for “fun” instead of “friction.”Gino als...
2025-06-2751 min
Brands In PlayEpisode 19 | ft. Uri Marchand | Overwolf | Reaching Core Gamers | Brands in PlayOn Episode 19 of Brands In Play, Albane Prioux and Nic Hill speak with Uri Marchand, CEO of Overwolf, discussing how his company serving 100M+ monthly users is being leveraged by brands to engage with notoriously hard-to-reach gaming communities.Founded in 2010, Overwolf's mission is to empower creativity in gaming and help in-game creators make the best games even better through user-generated content. The company provides creators with infrastructure, professional support, and tools across multiple UGC platforms, supporting 178,000+ creators across 1,500+ games. For brands struggling to access audiences in games like League of Legends, World of Warcraft, or The Sims...
2025-06-2056 min
Brands In PlayEpisode 18 | Marketing With AR Panel | AWE 2025 | Brands in PlayThis week, Nic Hill and Albane Prioux take us to AWE 2025, where Nic hosts a live panel about marketing with augmented reality, joined by three standout voices shaping the spatial future:🔸 Raag Harshavat, AR Developer Relations at Snapchat. Raag works at the intersection of AR technology and creative enablement at Snapchat, helping developers and brands bring their AR ideas to life through Snap’s Lens Studio and AR platform. With Snap logging over 6 billion AR interactions daily, Raag shares how Snap is building tools for both utility and entertainment.🔸 Dana Ware, Chief Creative Officer at ARound...
2025-06-1358 min
Brands In PlayEpisode 17 | ft.Erik Londré | Karta | Karta Speaks On Making Brands Playable | Brands in PlayIn Episode 17 of Brands in Play, Nic Hill and Albane Prioux sit down with Erik Londré, founder of Karta. His journey? From managing global eSports events at Fnatic to building branded Fortnite maps for Lavazza during the pandemic and eventually launching one of the most creative studios in the space.Topics Covered:Why Roblox’s “3D internet of subcultures” is ideal for experimentation and storytelling“You’re the business you want to achieve something, and you’ve found out there’s an audience here.” Instead of showing up with “I want a game on Rob...
2025-06-061h 04
Brands In Play𝗘𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲 𝟭𝟲 | 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀𝗕𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗽 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 | 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆In this episode, Nic and Albane continue their conversations with experts at the GamesBeat Summit and unpack this week’s top stories in the industry, and what it means for your brand:Netflix is developing a Clash of Clans animated series, would it be successful? Let us know your thoughtsGoogle revealed new smart eyewear powered by their Android XR platform and Gemini AI? Is OOH going to see a resurgence? We are keen to hear your thoughtsFortnite is returning to iOS following Epic’s court win, we unpack what this...
2025-05-3057 min
Brands In PlayEpisode 15 | ft. Dean Takahashi | GamesBeat | Live From GamesBeat Summit | Brands in PlayBrands have been engaging with gaming since the 90s, but in recent years there’s been a noticeable rise in the number of brand activations, and the models and opportunities have also evolved significantly.In Episode 15 of Brands in Play, @Nic Hill and @Albane Prioux speak with Dean Takahashi, Editorial Director at GamesBeat. Dean is a long-time expert in the gaming industry, having tracked its evolution since the early days of his career at The Wall Street Journal, where he covered chip companies and video games. He brings a unique pe...
2025-05-2344 min
Brands In PlayEpisode 14 | ft. Winnie Burke | Roblox | Roblox Activates Merchandiser Program | Brands in Play𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆 - 𝗘𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲 𝟭𝟰 | 𝗥𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗼𝘅 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗠𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝘁. 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗲 𝗕𝘂𝗿𝗸𝗲 | 𝗥𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗼𝘅This week on Brands In Play, Nic Hill and Albane Prioux are joined by Winnie Burke, Global Group Director of Fashion & Retail Partnerships at Roblox and someone who's been shaping brand experiences on the platform for nearly a decade.𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲:How Roblox evolved from 2D items to fully immersive brand worlds. Why brands are now thinking beyond virtual replicas and designing digital-first fashion collections. The Shopify integration and how it enables on-platform commerce that bridges digital and physical items. What "value exchange" really means when marketing to Gen Z and Gen AlphaWhy rewarded video and native commerce tools could be game changers for brand ROIWinnie also breaks down how Roblox helps brands enter the space at different levels, fro...
2025-05-161h 08
Brands In Play𝗘𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲 𝟭𝟯 | 𝗳𝘁. 𝗝𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝘆𝗮𝗲𝗿𝘁 | 𝗦𝗸𝘆𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮 | 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗥𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗼𝘅 | 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆 - 𝗘𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲 𝟭𝟯 | 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗥𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗼𝘅 𝗳𝘁. 𝗝𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝘆𝗮𝗲𝗿𝘁 | 𝗦𝗸𝘆𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮This week we unpack what integration looks like: from building persistent, data-driven brand placements in top games like LiveTopia, to understanding when not to launch an owned experience.In episode 13 of Brands In Play, Nic Hill & Albane Prioux sit down with the founder of Skylight Media, one of the influential behind-the-scenes figures in Roblox brand integrations. From roleplay mega-hits to mall-based Sketchers stores, Jason has helped brands embed rather than advertise. We talk integration strategy, LiveTopia secrets, e-commerce potential, and how to spot red flags in a Roblox pitch.𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲:- Why integrations beat “owned” for most brands- MAUs > Impressions: Why CPMs are misunderstood- Commerce on Roblox (and why it's not like Instagram)...
2025-05-091h 01
Brands In PlayEpisode 12 | ft. Harry Bienenstock | Voldex | NASCAR Inside Driving Empire | Brands in Play𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆 - 𝗘𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲 𝟭𝟮 | 𝗡𝗔𝗦𝗖𝗔𝗥 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗗𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝘁. 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗕𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗰𝗸 | 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝘅In this episode of Brands In Play, Nic Hill and Albane Prioux are joined by Harry Bienenstock, Head of Growth at Voldex, the powerhouse behind some of Roblox’s top games including Driving Empire, NFL Universe, and most recently, Brookhaven, one of the most played games in Roblox history.We unpack Voldex’s unique strategy of acquiring and scaling games rather than building from scratch, and what it means to operate at the center of user-generated content (UGC), cultural relevance, and brand partnerships. From NASCAR to Lamborghini, from NFL activations to the nuances of performance marketing in gaming, Harry shares a masterclass in how to do brand integration right.Learn why authenticity isn’t just a buzzword but...
2025-05-0247 min
Brands In PlayEpisode 11 | ft. Bruna Soares | Ubisoft | Assassins Creed Shadows Unlocked | Brands in Play𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗜𝗻 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝗘𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲 𝟭𝟭 | 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻’𝘀 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗱𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝗨𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗱 | 𝗕𝗿𝘂𝗻𝗮 𝗦𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 𝗮𝘁 𝗨𝗯𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗳𝘁What does it take to bring brands into a universe as iconic and narratively rich as Assassin’s Creed, without breaking immersion?In Episode 11 of Brands In Play, Nic Hill and Albane Prioux sit down with Bruna Soares, Director of Global Brand Partnerships at Ubisoft, to unpack the strategy behind Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Ubisoft’s highly anticipated title set in feudal Japan.𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲:How Ubisoft aligns brand partnerships two years in advance to respect game lore and enhance player experience.Why Assassin’s Creed remains a global cultural force and how its transmedia presence (from Netflix to comics) fuels fandom.The dos and don’ts of authentic brand integration in AAA games vs. UGC platforms like Roblox and Fortnite.What success looks like when partnerships go beyond product placement and deliver meaning, community, and cultural relevance.
2025-04-2554 min
Brands In PlayEpisode 10 | ft. Stu Royall & Phil Holbrook | BBH London | Mentos Fizzooka Enters Fortnite | Brands in PlayHow BBH Turned a Childhood Experiment Into a Fortnite Icon | The Fizzooka Campaign with MentosWhat happens when a classic science experiment meets the chaotic brilliance of Fortnite? In this episode of Brands In Play, we’re joined by Stu Royall and Phil Holbrook, Creative Directors at BBH London and the minds behind the viral Fizzooka campaign for Mentos.We unpack how the agency transformed the iconic Mentos and Coke reaction into a non-lethal, anti-build Fortnite launcher designed with authenticity, humor, and utility in mind. From streamer takeovers and Comic Con activations to real-world Fizzookas ge...
2025-04-1851 min
Brands In PlayEpisode 9 | ft. Tom Emrich | The Next Dimension | Marketing With Augmented Reality | Brands in PlayEPISODE 9 — Tom Emrich: The Next DimensionWhat if your next marketing edge wasn’t a new channel, but a new dimension?In this episode of Brands In Play, we sit down with Tom Emrich, one of the world’s most respected voices in augmented reality and spatial computing. He’s a journalist, investor, product leader and now the author of The Next Dimension, the definitive guide to using AR for business growth.This isn’t just a conversation about hype cycles or headsets. It’s a masterclass in how brands can build real value today...
2025-04-1147 min
Brands In PlayEpisode 8 | ft. Laurie Keith | Ad Council | Mental Health In Gaming | Brands in Play𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗜𝗻 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆 – 𝗘𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲 𝟴: 𝗠𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗜𝗻 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝘁. 𝗟𝗮𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗲 𝗞𝗲𝗶𝘁𝗵 (𝗔𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗹)In this episode of Brands In Play, Albane Prioux and Nic Hill are joined by Laurie Keith, Senior Vice President of Emerging Media & Technology at the Ad Council – the nonprofit behind some of the most iconic public service campaigns in history, from Smokey Bear to “Friends Don’t Let Friends Drive Drunk.”This time, the Ad Council has entered the world of immersive gaming with their Love Your Mind campaign on Roblox, designed to support teen mental health through interactive storytelling and gamified learning.𝗪𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁:Why the Ad Council chose Roblox as a platform for their first immersive activationHow mental health experts helped shape every step of the in-game experienceThe phased design approach behind “Love Your Mind World...
2025-04-0458 min
Brands In PlayEpisode 7 | ft. Alvaro G. Velilla | UMG | Universal Music Group on Music In Gaming | Brands in PlayIn this episode of Brands In Play, Albane Prioux and Nic Hill are joined by Alvaro G. Velilla, Senior Vice President of New Business at Universal Music Group, the world’s largest music company, to explore UMGs strategy for music in gaming. Alvaro has spent two decades working at the intersection of music, tech, and innovation. Today, he’s helping shape UMG’s immersive, gaming, and blockchain strategies globally. Well, he is here to unpack the ongoing transformation happening in the spaceFrom early-stage licensing deals to full-blown artist activations in UGC platforms like Roblox and For...
2025-03-2853 min
Brands In PlayEpisode 6 | ft. Justin Breton | Walmart | Walmart Leads Adaptive Retail | Brands in PlayWhat does it mean for a global retailer to go from brick-and-mortar to immersive commerce?In our latest episode of Brands In Play, we sat down with Justin Breton, Director of Brand Experiences & Strategic Partnerships at Walmart, to unpack how one of the world’s largest retailers is pushing into the future of immersive storytelling, platform-native experiences, and what he calls “adaptive retail.”Justin does more than just talk about launching games. He breaks down Walmart’s strategy across Roblox, Spatial, NAVER Z (ZEPETO), and now.......Minecraft, where the brand is showing up differently on each pla...
2025-03-2158 min
Brands In PlayEpisode 5 | ft. Gianna Valintina | Spatial.io | Spatial On The Rise | Brands in PlayIn Episode 5 of Brands In Play (yes, already!), Albane Prioux and Nic Hill 🔜 GDC sit down with Gianna Valintina, Global Head of Strategic Partnerships at Spatial, to discuss how brands are using Spatial’s creative freedom to build immersive and interactive experiences.Spatial empowers brands and developers to create entirely unique interactive worlds, from high-fidelity gaming experiences to story-driven commerce activations. This is true for Walmart’s RPG-inspired Unlimited experience, Vogue’s digital fashion activations, or Hugo Boss’s successful e-commerce integration, Spatial is proving that immersive spaces are about partic...
2025-03-1450 min
Brands In PlayEpisode 4 | ft. Pete Basgen | Wavemaker | Do Brands Understand Gamer Culture? | Brands in PlayHow Brands Are Embracing Gamer Culture: Walmart, DoorDash & L’Oréal in Gaming | Brands In Play Ep. 4Description:Gaming is no longer just an entertainment industry. It’s a cultural powerhouse, shaping how people connect, play, and even shop. In Episode 4 of Brands In Play, Nic Hill and Albane Prioux sit down with Pete Basgen, Head of Global Gaming at Wavemaker, to explore how brands are finding their place in this ever-expanding world.From DoorDash’s integration into Fortnite to L’Oréal’s ongoing gaming initiatives, Pete shares insights into what it takes for brands t...
2025-03-0757 min
Brands In PlayEpisode 3 | ft. Arturo Perez | Kluge | Future of VR Storytelling | Brands in PlayWhat’s the state of VR gaming today? How should brands be thinking about immersive experiences? And what’s the real difference between VR, AR, XR, and all the other Rs?In this episode of Brands In Play, Nic Hill and Albane Prioux sit down with Arturo Perez, CEO of Kluge, the immersive game studio behind Synth Riders and the upcoming Final Fury. Arturo breaks down the evolving landscape of virtual reality, the rise of UGC gaming in platforms like Rec Room, Horizon Worlds, and Roblox, and what it all means for brands looking to activate in this...
2025-02-2849 min
Brands In PlayEpisode 2 | ft. Manon Cardiel | L'Oréal | Brand vs Performance Marketing | Brands in PlayIn this episode of Brands In Play, we sit down with Manon Cardiel, Global Director of Entertainment & Innovation at L’Oréal Group, to explore the fine line marketers must walk between performance-driven strategies and entertainment-led branding.Manon shares insights from her entrepreneurial journey, her experience launching groundbreaking projects at L’Oréal, and the evolving role of entertainment in marketing. From legacy brands like L’Oréal Paris to community-driven brands like NYX, we discuss how brands can remain culturally relevant while navigating fragmented audiences.💡 Topics Covered:- The evolution of entertainment marketing
2025-02-2152 min
Brands In PlayEpisode 1 | ft. Sam Rappaport | Legendary Entertainment | Cinema Meets UGC Gaming | Brands In PlayWelcome to the very first episode of Brands in Play! This is the show where we dive into the intersection of brands, gaming, and immersive experiences. Hosted by Nic Hill and Albane Prioux , we’ll be breaking down the latest industry trends, epic brand activations, and what’s working (or not) in the world of Immersive Marketing and UGC gaming.This Episode: Cinema Meets UGC GamingIn this pilot episode, we unpack Legendary Entertainment’s epic Fortnite activation for Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire with special guest Sam Rappaport, VP of Interactive Media at Legend...
2025-02-1446 min