Episode 70 is live!

This week, Nic Hill and Ely Santos sit down with John Benyamine, Co-Founder and Chief Innovation Officer at Moonrock, one of the top game marketing agencies. 

John has worked on everything from Comic-Con activations and Fortnite tournaments to custom Minecraft worlds for Walmart and Samsung. He shares why the future belongs to brands that dive into the culture, rather than just slapping logos on top of it.

In the news this week:
Meta's face-scan backlash: The friction surrounding their new facial recognition tech.

Game on: Netflix drops a FIFA World Cup game. ⚽

AI drama: Anthropic’s newest model is sparking heavy debate.

Is nothing sacred? A look at whether brands are ruining the charm of internet micro-dramas.

For this week's review, Nic takes us inside The Hospital of Emotions, a massive immersive art exhibit taking over an abandoned hospital in LA. Imagine 70 artists completely transforming 80 rooms to explore themes like joy, fear, love, and anger. It’s an incredible look at how physical, real-world experiences can still anchor deep emotional connection in a digital world.

If you're enjoying Brands In Play, make sure to follow the show. Every week we break down how brands, platforms and creators operate inside gaming and immersive media.

Brands In Play Episode 70 is now live on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and everywhere else!


Chapters:
Intro - 00:00 
Announcements - 01:28
News - 02:04
The Hospital of Dreams   - 15:19
John Benyamine Interview - 20:44
Subscribe - 42:22

Follow John Benyamine - https://www.linkedin.com/in/hammersuit/

Follow Moonrock - https://www.linkedin.com/company/moonrockbiz/posts/?feedView=all

Follow Us:

Co-Hosts:
Nic Hill -   https://www.linkedin.com/in/nic-hill-6553873/
Ely Santos -  https://www.linkedin.com/in/meta-ely/

Producer / Editor 
Edward Regue -   https://www.linkedin.com/in/edward-regue-%C2%A9-44b0421b2/

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

#BrandsInPlay #Moonrock

This week on Brands In Play, we’ve got a packed house! First up, Ely Santos (Founder of Vibe Glass and host of the Metavertising Podcast) is joining us as our guest co-host for the whole month of June.

Then, Nic sits down with Will Trowbridge, the Founder & CEO of Saylor, one of the fastest-growing creative agencies out there right now. Will drops some serious truth bombs on why you can't just buy consumer attention anymore, why every brand is now competing directly with entertainment, and how marketers need to rethink creativity and culture.

The News Breakdown:
Roblox rolls out Brand Links
Spatial steps away from the UGC creator space
Are YouTube creators the new Hollywood directors?
Snapchat teases its next-gen AR glasses

Real-Time Review: Nic breaks down the massive new Adidas football brand film. With a lineup featuring everyone from Messi and Bellingham to Timothée Chalamet and Bad Bunny, it’s a masterclass in how to fuse sports, culture, and entertainment into a moment people don’t scroll past. (Plus, it literally sent Adidas shares up!).

If you're enjoying Brands In Play, make sure to follow the show. Every week we break down how brands, platforms and creators operate inside gaming and immersive media.

Brands In Play Episode 69 is now live on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and everywhere else!

Watch the full episode  [Link In Comments]
#BrandsInPlay #Saylor

Chapters:
Intro - 00:00 
Announcements - 02:12
News - 04:10
Adidas Brand Film    - 17:05
Will Trowbridge Interview - 22:04
Subscribe - 54:37

Follow Will Trowbridge - https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-trowbridge/

Follow Saylor - https://www.linkedin.com/company/saylor-agency/

Follow Us:

Co-Hosts:
Nic Hill -   https://www.linkedin.com/in/nic-hill-6553873/
Ely Santos -  https://www.linkedin.com/in/meta-ely/

Producer / Editor 
Edward Regue -   https://www.linkedin.com/in/edward-regue-%C2%A9-44b0421b2/

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

This week on Episode 68 of Brands In Play, Morgan Pomish sits down with Derek Dabrowski, SVP, Head of Cold Brand Marketing at Keurig Dr Pepper.

After nine seasons of Dr Pepper’s micro drama series Fansville, Derek explains why most marketers kill great ideas too early, why consumers need consistency more than novelty, and why CFOs don't care about impressions, engagement rates, or video completion rates.

The conversation explores how Dr Pepper transformed Fansville from an ad campaign into a long-term business asset, the difference between being visible in culture versus being chosen by culture, and why the brands that win are the ones that can connect creativity, data, technology, and commercial outcomes.

In the news:
• Microsoft hires gaming analysts and author Matthew Ball as Chief Strategy Officer
• Spotify and Universal launch AI-generated covers and remixes
• Take-Two shuts down GTA mod platform RageMP
• Meta launches its new Reddit-style community app, Forum

For our Real-Time Review, Morgan explores Roblox's new avatar makeup system and how e.l.f. Cosmetics and NYX are using platform-native self-expression to connect with players.

If you're enjoying Brands In Play, make sure to follow the show. Every week we break down how brands, platforms and creators operate inside gaming and immersive media.

Brands In Play Episode 68 is now live on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and everywhere else!


Chapters:
Intro - 00:00 
Announcements - 01:50
News - 04:00
e.l.f + NYX Makeup on Roblox    - 17:23
Derek Dabrowski Interview - 24:41
Subscribe - 45;48

Follow Derek Dabrowski - https://www.linkedin.com/in/derekjdabrowski/

Follow Keurig Dr Pepper - https://www.linkedin.com/company/keurig-dr-pepper-inc/


Follow Us:

Co-Hosts:
Nic Hill -   https://www.linkedin.com/in/nic-hill-6553873/
Morgan Pomish-  https://www.linkedin.com/in/morganpomish/

Producer / Editor 
Edward Regue -   https://www.linkedin.com/in/edward-regue-%C2%A9-44b0421b2/

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

#brandsinplay #drpepper #elf #nyxcosmetics 

This week on Brands In Play, Nic Hill and Morgan Pomish are joined by Alexander Lee, Lead News Writer at GamesBeat, to unpack one of the biggest questions in gaming right now:

Could GTA 6 become the next major creator platform?
From Rockstar's growing interest in UGC and creator monetization, to what brands should be doing before launch day. We get into creator ecosystems, platform economics, brand safety, and why GTA may become much more than just another game release.

News headlines this week:
• Google reveals new XR smart glasses powered by Gemini
• Wordle heads to primetime television
• Publicis announces its planned acquisition of LiveRamp
• YouTube doubles down on creator-led programming and connected TV

Real-Time Review:
Nic and Benjamin Wiener break down Village Rescue! A Minecraft-powered AR experience in Chicago that turns physical space into a playable world.

Watch now and join us every week as we break down how brands, platforms, and creators operate across gaming and immersive media.

Brands In Play Episode 67 is now live on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and everywhere else!

Chapters:
Intro - 00:00 
Announcements - 01:54
News - 04:20
Minecraft RTR  - 15:04
Alexander Lee Interview - 19:06
Subscribe - 37:23

Follow Alexander lee  - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexander-lee-82013a101/

Follow GamesBeat - https://www.linkedin.com/company/gamesbeat/posts/?feedView=all


Follow Us:

Co-Hosts:
Nic Hill -   https://www.linkedin.com/in/nic-hill-6553873/
Morgan Pomish-  https://www.linkedin.com/in/morganpomish/

Producer / Editor 
Edward Regue -   https://www.linkedin.com/in/edward-regue-%C2%A9-44b0421b2/

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

#BrandsInPlay #gamesbeat #gta6

In Episode 66 of Brands In Play Morgan Pomish and Nic Hill are joined by David Nussbaum, Founder and Chairman of Proto Hologram. We unpack the world's first always-on holographic advertising network and how brands are turning malls and public spaces into immersive channels. We also get into AI agents, holographic storytelling, and whether these systems become infrastructure rather than novelty.

News headlines this week:
 • Lay's uses WhatsApp as part of its FIFA World Cup sponsorship strategy
 • EA Sports and Visa announce a major multi-year in-game partnership
 • Fortnite brings animated moms into the Item Shop for Mother's Day
 • GameStop attempts to acquire eBay but fails

For this week's Real-Time Review, we're heading to the Think LA Gaming Brunch to hear directly from industry leaders, marketers, and gaming executives on one question: What can gaming offer marketers that no other channel can? Expect perspectives on attention, participation, community, and why gaming still remains one of advertising's most under-invested spaces.

If you're enjoying Brands In Play, make sure to follow the show. Every week we break down how brands, platforms and creators operate inside gaming and immersive media.

Brands In Play Episode 66 is now live on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and everywhere else!


Chapters:
Intro - 00:00 
Announcements - 01:30
News - 03:09
ThinkLA Brunch 26 - 14:33
David Nussbaum Interview - 19:26
Subscribe - 51:42

Follow David Nussbaum  - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dnussbaum/

Follow Proto Hologram - https://www.linkedin.com/company/portl-inc/


Follow Us:

Co-Hosts:
Nic Hill -   https://www.linkedin.com/in/nic-hill-6553873/
Morgan Pomish-  https://www.linkedin.com/in/morganpomish/

Producer / Editor 
Edward Regue -   https://www.linkedin.com/in/edward-regue-%C2%A9-44b0421b2/

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

#brandsinplay  #protohologram #thinkla

What happens when attention moves… but brand budgets don't?
This week, Nic Hill and Morgan Pomish sit down with Zoe Soon, Head of Creator and Gaming at the Interactive Advertising Bureau. 

Zoe unpacks why outdated assumptions about "gamers" are still shaping brand decisions, why interactive media hasn't yet earned the measurement standards it needs to unlock serious budget, and why creators are better understood as media ecosystems than sponsorship line items. The bigger question running through all of it: will advertising catch up to where culture already is?

Also in this episode: The week's biggest news, including Meta's 10% workforce reduction, Webtoons and Genies bringing AI characters to mobile, Porsche's move into League of Legends: Wild Rift, and Roblox increasing creator payouts by 42% for 18+ content.

And in the Real-Time Review, Nic heads into Fortnite to break down the Star Wars activation and content drop! A fascinating case study in UGC, creator tooling, and what entertainment IP feels like in a playable world. 
If you are liking the show, give us a follow. We break down how brands, platforms, and creators operate inside gaming, UGC Platforms and Immersive media.

The Brands In Play Episode 65 is now live on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and everywhere else!

Chapters:
Intro - 00:00 
Announcements - 02:03
News - 03:41
Star Wars on Fortnite - 19:57
Zoe Soon Interview - 29:43
Subscribe - 47:39

Follow Zoe Soon - https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoe-soon/

Follow The IAB - https://www.linkedin.com/company/iab/


Follow Us:

Co-Hosts:
Nic Hill -   https://www.linkedin.com/in/nic-hill-6553873/
Morgan Pomish-  https://www.linkedin.com/in/morganpomish/

Producer / Editor 
Edward Regue -   https://www.linkedin.com/in/edward-regue-%C2%A9-44b0421b2/

Creative Director 
Ben Caro https://www.linkedin.com/in/caroprofile/

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

#brandsinplay  #brandsinplay  #iab 

This week on Brands In Play, Nic Hill sits down with Karl Stewart, SVP of Worldwide Marketing and Head of IMAGINE AI at IGN Entertainment, Tate Fiebing, Senior Director of Business Intelligence at IGN, and Brent Koning, Global Head of Gaming at Dentsu, for a sharp breakdown of the new Generations In Play audience insights report.

Want the full IGN Entertainment Generations In Play Audience Report? Get the FULL REPORT at https://www.ign.com/special/generationsinplay/

The conversation looks at how different generations engage with entertainment, where habits overlap, where they sharply diverge, and what marketers continue to misunderstand about gaming audiences at scale. It’s a grounded look at audience behavior, platform choice, and why gaming now sits at the center of modern media strategy rather than at its edges.

In the news this week:

Overwolf launches Gamer Grid, The Walt Disney Company employees are increasingly using AI tools internally, IKEA builds a branded store inside 
Pokémon Pokopia  and new social media restrictions in Indonesia could have a ripple effect for Roblox.

For our Real-Time Review Nic takes a closer look at GoGo SqueeZ’s new activation on Roblox - Go-go Climb. He breaks down what works, where the engagement hooks are, and what brands should notice about how players are being guided through the experience.

And as we move into May, this is our final episode with @Lee Keebler! Thanks for holding down the fort Lee.  

The Brands In Play Episode 64 is now live on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and everywhere else!

Chapters:
Intro - 00:00 
Announcements - 02:33
News - 07:19
Go Go Climb on Roblox - 25:55
IGN Entertainment Generations In Play Audience Report - 31:51
Subscribe - 01:28:18

Follow Karl Stewart  - https://www.linkedin.com/in/stewartkarl/

Follow Tate Fiebing  - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tate-f-23332432/

Follow Brent Koning - https://www.linkedin.com/in/brentko/

Follow IGN Entertainment - https://www.linkedin.com/company/ign-entertainment/

Follow Dentsu - https://www.linkedin.com/company/dentsu/posts/?feedView=all

Follow Us:

Co-Hosts:
Nic Hill -   https://www.linkedin.com/in/nic-hill-6553873/
Lee Kebler -  https://www.linkedin.com/in/leekebler/

Producer / Editor 
Edward Regue -   https://www.linkedin.com/in/edward-regue-%C2%A9-44b0421b2/

Creative Director 
Ben Caro https://www.linkedin.com/in/caroprofile/

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

#brandsinplay  #brandsinplay  #sawhorseproductions  #IGNEntertainment #dentsu 

Episode 63 of Brands In Play goes straight to the source.

Recorded live at World Builders Summit, Nic Hill and Brandon Iverson sit down with Roblox leaders Julie Piskin and Nick McLachlan for one of the clearest conversations yet on where immersive advertising is heading.

From why creators should be valued like media companies, to Roblox’s controversial new ad revenue share model, to the bigger push toward measurement standards that unlock traditional media budgets. Don’t miss out!

In the news this week we cover Sanrio launching its own gaming studio, Roblox officially leaning into the word “games” over “experiences,” and a bold prediction on whether GTA 6 could become the most overhyped launch in entertainment history.

For this week’s Real Time Review, the team breaks down FIFA Super Soccer on Roblox, including Adidas’ branded Football Festival integration, why FIFA’s always-on platform strategy is smarter than short campaign bursts, and what happens when brands stop building one-off worlds and start embedding themselves inside proven games with scale, retention, and community already built in.

If you are liking the show, give us a follow. We break down how brands, platforms, and creators operate inside gaming, UGC Platforms and Immersive media.

The Brands In Play Episode 63 is now live on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and everywhere else!

Chapters:
Intro - 00:00 
Announcements - 02:38
News - 04:36
FIFA Super Soccer - 16:44
Roblox Interview - 21:43
Hit, Miss, Bet - 52:24

Follow Julie Pisken  - https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliepiskin/

Follow Nick McLachlan  - hhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/nickmclachlan/

Follow Roblox - https://www.linkedin.com/company/roblox/posts/?feedView=all

Follow Us:

Co-Hosts:
Nic Hill -   https://www.linkedin.com/in/nic-hill-6553873/
Brandon Iverson -  https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-iverson11/

Producer / Editor 
Edward Regue -   https://www.linkedin.com/in/edward-regue-%C2%A9-44b0421b2/

Creative Director 
Ben Caro https://www.linkedin.com/in/caroprofile/

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

#brandsinplay  #worldbuilderssummit #roblox  #sawhorseproductions 

In Episode 62 of Brands In Play Lee Kebler and Nic Hill are joined by Cathy Hackl, CEO & Founder of Future Dynamics and Futurist in Residence at Nokia. 

Cathy reframes the entire AI conversation away from models and toward networks. Positioning companies like Nokia as critical to enabling agentic and physical AI. The key idea: AI doesn’t scale without connectivity, and that’s where the real moat is forming.
This week in the news: Walmart enters AAA gaming with FC 26 integration, Allbirds pivots to AI infrastructure as “NewBird AI”, Roblox introduces new child safety account tiers + creator subscription model and Snapchat pushes conversational commerce as a TikTok alternative. 

For the Real-Time Review, Lee takes us into Dove’s “Beauty Machine” activation! An IRL installation designed to challenge standardized beauty norms by contrasting algorithmic “ideal faces” with real human diversity.
If you are liking the show, give us a follow. We break down how brands, platforms, and creators operate inside gaming, UGC Platforms and Immersive media.

If you are liking the show, give us a follow. We break down how brands, platforms, and creators operate inside gaming, UGC Platforms and Immersive media.

The Brands In Play Episode 62 is now live on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and everywhere else!


Chapters:
Intro - 00:00 
Announcements - 02:53
News - 08:00
Dove Beauty Machine - 30:07
Cathy Hackl Interview - 36:14
Subscribe - 01:02:27

Follow Cathy Hackl  - https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathyhackl/

Follow Future Dynamics - https://www.linkedin.com/company/futuredynamicslab/

Follow Nokia - https://www.linkedin.com/company/nokia/

Follow Us:

Co-Hosts:
Nic Hill -   https://www.linkedin.com/in/nic-hill-6553873/
Lee Kebler -  https://www.linkedin.com/in/leekebler/

Producer / Editor 
Edward Regue -   https://www.linkedin.com/in/edward-regue-%C2%A9-44b0421b2/

Creative Producer
Dr. Giovanna Casimiro https://www.linkedin.com/in/ggcasimiro/

Creative Director 
Ben Caro https://www.linkedin.com/in/caroprofile/

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

#brandsinplay #marketingpodcast #cathyhackl #nokia 

On Episode 61 of Brands In Play Nic sits down with Sara Apaza, Digital Brand Experience Manager at Cosnova, to unpack how Essence built one of the most effective beauty activations on Roblox with Kingdom of Essentia.

Sara breaks down the internal reset from a campaign-led mindset to a community-first strategy, shifting from brand expression to player value. The result: sustained growth across engagement metrics, including ~25-minute session times, 96% approval rating, and a player base shaped directly through Discord and in-game feedback loops.

News Headlines

Meta debuts new AI model “MuseSpark”, Fanta partners with Xbox for a global immersive campaign tied to gaming IP, UGC gaming platforms face pressure as monetization challenges hit and alcohol brands experiment with immersive IRL activations to reconnect with Gen Z audiences

This week, we explore Daisy Beauty’s activation on Roblox, a multi-game integration strategy across titles like Paradise RP.

Instead of building a standalone world, Daisy plugs into existing ecosystems, using lightweight mechanics like guided scavenger hunts and in-game rewards to drive participation.

If you are liking the show, give us a follow. We break down how brands, platforms, and creators operate inside gaming, UGC Platforms and Immersive media.

The Brands In Play Episode 61 is now live on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and everywhere else!

Chapters:
Intro - 00:00 
Announcements - 03:07
News - 06:07
Daise on Roblox Review - 32:11
Sara Apaza Interview - 39:06
Subscribe - 01:10:14

Follow Sara Apaza  - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sara-apaza/

Follow Cosnova - https://www.linkedin.com/company/cosnova/

Follow Us:

Co-Hosts:
Nic Hill -   https://www.linkedin.com/in/nic-hill-6553873/
Lee Kebler -  https://www.linkedin.com/in/leekebler/

Producer / Editor 
Edward Regue -   https://www.linkedin.com/in/edward-regue-%C2%A9-44b0421b2/

Creative Producer
Dr. Giovanna Casimiro https://www.linkedin.com/in/ggcasimiro/

Creative Director 
Ben Caro https://www.linkedin.com/in/caroprofile/

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

#brandsinplay #marketingpodcast