[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-driven 78-minute behavioral insight.

And in our Real Time Review, we jump into Mattel’s new Monster High launches across Fortnite and Roblox.

This special segment includes short creator interviews with Steve Abeyta, Creative Director at Look North World, who built Paranormal Peril on Fortnite, and Patrick Petersen, Game Designer at Sawhorse, who breaks down the design thinking behind the Roblox experience.


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Mattel https://www.linkedin.com/company/mattel/

Ron Friedman  https://www.linkedin.com/in/ron-m-friedman/

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Nic Hill -   https://www.linkedin.com/in/nic-hill-6553873/
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Dr. Giovanna Casimiro https://www.linkedin.com/in/ggcasimiro/

Website: https://www.brands-in-play.com/

#brandsinplay #mattel #monsterhigh 

[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 revives The Running Man, and Netflix officially launches Netflix House.

And in our Real Time Review, we take you into Takis’ Summer of Intensity Campaign on Twitch, done by our friends at GETREKT Labs. Expect different games, different formats, interactive overlays, polls that shape the challenges, and a full look at how this campaign pulled the community into every moment.

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GETREKT https://www.linkedin.com/company/getrekt-labs/posts/?feedView=all
Matt Kidd  https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-kidd-live-stream-design/
Lex Alexander https://www.linkedin.com/in/lex-alexander-media-and-beards/

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Nic Hill -   https://www.linkedin.com/in/nic-hill-6553873/
Albane Prioux -   https://www.linkedin.com/in/albaneprioux/
Edward Regue -   https://www.linkedin.com/in/edward-regue-%C2%A9-44b0421b2/
Dr. Giovanna Casimiro https://www.linkedin.com/in/ggcasimiro/

Website: https://www.brands-in-play.com/

#brandsinplay

[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.

And in our Real Time Review, Nic jumps into ParaNorman Tower Defense on Roblox. Expect a great-looking experience with smart use of the tower-defense genre. 

Follow Rick Hack https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickhack/

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Nic Hill -   https://www.linkedin.com/in/nic-hill-6553873/
Albane Prioux -   https://www.linkedin.com/in/albaneprioux/
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Website: https://www.brands-in-play.com/

#brandsinplay  

[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 Q3 readout is punchy: DAU at ~151M with the biggest growth in 13+, and rising creator/safety spend signaling a long-term growth push over short-term profit.

And in our Real Time Review, Albane jumps into the The Simpsons x Fortnite takeover. Expect a Springfield map reskin, Battle Pass track, and Disney+ tie-ins. 

Follow Anne-Margot Rodde https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-margot-rodde/

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Nic Hill -   https://www.linkedin.com/in/nic-hill-6553873/
Albane Prioux -   https://www.linkedin.com/in/albaneprioux/
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Website: https://www.brands-in-play.com/

#brandsinplay  #CreatosCorp  #fortnite  

[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 Netflix posts record ad growth while testing AI-driven recommendations.

And in our Real Time Review, Nic checks out the Dallas Cowboys x Lenovo activation inside Fortnite, spanning multiple community maps, new in-game rewards, and a full AT&T Stadium recreation.


Follow Ross Crump https://www.linkedin.com/in/ross-crump-87464168/

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Nic Hill -   https://www.linkedin.com/in/nic-hill-6553873/
Albane Prioux -   https://www.linkedin.com/in/albaneprioux/
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Website: https://www.brands-in-play.com/

#brandsinplay  #ardent #fortnite 

[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-fidelity build with fully voiced characters.

Follow Magali Huot https://www.linkedin.com/in/magalihuot/

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Nic Hill -   https://www.linkedin.com/in/nic-hill-6553873/
Albane Prioux -   https://www.linkedin.com/in/albaneprioux/
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Website: https://www.brands-in-play.com/

#brandsinplay  #dentsu  #sesamestreet 

This 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 Adweek reveal how entertainment-first content has had an impact on marketing.

And in our Real Time Review, Nic takes us inside the Gabby’s Dollhouse immersive experience at CAMP! A Story-driven world where kids bring the Netflix hit to life, proving that even the youngest fans crave IRL extensions of their favorite IPs.

Follow James Reevell https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-reevell-04067260/

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Nic Hill -   https://www.linkedin.com/in/nic-hill-6553873/
Albane Prioux -   https://www.linkedin.com/in/albaneprioux/
Edward Regue -   https://www.linkedin.com/in/edward-regue-%C2%A9-44b0421b2/

Website: https://www.brands-in-play.com/

#brandsinplay  

This 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 across Vibes, Sora, and YouTube Shorts. Netflix reopens its gaming ambitions with an interesting job posting. And Meta doubles down on automating the advertising industry with new Business AI and Advantage+ tools.

Finally, in our Real Time Review, The Great British Bake Off comes to Roblox! A perfectly replicated tent, chaotic mini-games, and a tidy voting loop.
Watch the full episode  [Link In Comments]

Follow Christian Lau https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianlau/

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Nic Hill -   https://www.linkedin.com/in/nic-hill-6553873/
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Website: https://www.brands-in-play.com/

#brandsinplay  #lafc  

On 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 expansion

Real-Time Review: LEGO’s Expedition Antarctica activation on Roblox. We talk seamless integration, sharp brand alignment, and key lessons in attribution.

Follow Matt Edelman https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattedelman/

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Nic Hill -   https://www.linkedin.com/in/nic-hill-6553873/
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#brandsinplay #superleague #roblox #lego

This 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 cover Ubisoft’s Tom Clancy IP heading to Netflix, The Conjuring’s holographic OOH ads, and Amazon x Netflix’s surprise advertising alliance.

And in our Real Time Review, we take you inside Meta Connect, where Meta laid out its Horizon roadmap, new glasses, and bold AI experiments.

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Nic Hill -   https://www.linkedin.com/in/nic-hill-6553873/
Albane Prioux -   https://www.linkedin.com/in/albaneprioux/
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#brandsinplay #meta  #fortnite #uefn