Brands In Play

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 

Episode 60 of Brands In Play features a conversation with Mirjam Schuele, SVP of Marketing at Karl Lagerfeld, joining Nic Hill, Val Vacante and Gigi Casimiro to break down how one of fashion’s most iconic brands is navigating innovation. From early NFT drops that sold out in seconds to digital product passports and immersive campaign activations with Paris Hilton, Mirjam shares how Karl Lagerfeld is balancing heritage with experimentation and why you have already lost the audience if they think it is marketing. 

This week in the news: The Devil Wears Prada returns with deeper immersive brand integrations, Deloitte’s latest report highlights the growing power of fandom, a new immersive tech report signals market growth across AR, VR and spatial computing, and Meta’s latest smart glasses push intensifies the race for wearable dominance.

For our Real-Time Review, Gigi takes us inside Karl Lagerfeld’s Paris Hilton activation, an interactive, traveling mini “Maison” experience that brings the campaign to life through gamified storytelling, physical engagement, and immersive brand touchpoints across major fashion moments.
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 60 is now live on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and everywhere else!


Chapters:
Intro - 00:00 
Announcements - 01:31
News - 02:15
Karl Lagerfeld Review - 15:08
Mirjam Schuele Interview - 19:56
Subscribe - 45:55

Follow Mirjam Schuele  - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mirjam-schuele-6b405054/

Follow Karl Lagerfeld - https://www.linkedin.com/company/karl-lagerfeld/

Follow Us:

Co-Hosts:
Nic Hill -   https://www.linkedin.com/in/nic-hill-6553873/
Val Vacante -  https://www.linkedin.com/in/valerievacante/

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 #karllagerfeldparis 

Episode 59 of Brands In Play features an in-depth conversation with Charlie Fink, one of the earliest voices shaping the XR and metaverse space. Nic and Val unpack decades of perspective across immersive tech cycles, from early VR waves to today’s AI-driven storytelling.

This week in the news: Epic Games announces major layoffs; Roblox introduces a controversial new ad policy; Minecraft expands into physical space with a theme park in London, and Pokémon GO data powers real-world robotics, as Niantic’s mapping system begins enabling autonomous delivery.

For the Real-Time Review, the team steps into Excurio, a free-roaming VR experience blending education, entertainment, and immersion. From walking inside ancient pyramids to shared group exploration, the experience highlights both the promise of location-based VR at scale and the current limitations around interactivity, NPC intelligence, and physical fatigue.

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 59 is now live on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and everywhere else!

Chapters:
Intro - 00:00
Announcements - 01:34
News - 03:20
Excurio Review - 21:24
Charlie Fink Interview - 28:54
Subscribe - 49:00

Follow Charlie Fink - https://www.linkedin.com/in/charliefink/

Follow The AI/XR Podcast - https://www.youtube.com/ ⁨@TheAIXRPodcast⁩  

Follow Us:

Co-Hosts:
Nic Hill -   https://www.linkedin.com/in/nic-hill-6553873/
Val Vacante -  https://www.linkedin.com/in/valerievacante/

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 #Forbes #CharlieFink #roblox #epicgames 

Episode 58 of Brands In Play was recorded live at SXSW, with Nic Hill on stage alongside Val Vacante, who hosting a panel on the future of play featuring Chris Down (EVP, Chief Design & Innovation Officer at Mattel) and Mitchel Berger Executive Vice President, Global Commerce at Crunchyroll.

As discussed on stage, the role of a brand today is to bridge creators with audiences, aligning creative vision with real human needs, whether that’s escape, belonging, or emotional connection.

In this week’s news, Fortnite’s new season is full of cultural marketing gold. Meta Horizon’s VR shutdown sparked major questions around platform strategy and creator migration. Fortnite has returned to the Google Play Store globally after Epic’s legal fight with Google. Heineken is building its latest campaign around fandom, friendship, and human connection.

For the Real-Time Review, Val takes us on the ground at SXSW, the International Innovation Expo showcased a clear direction for immersive experiences: the convergence of physical interaction, storytelling, and emerging technology. Crunchyroll’s Sentenced to Be a Hero activation stood out with an animatronic character experience that translated anime IP into a tactile, emotional encounter, proving that physical installations still play a critical role in deepening fan connection. At the same time, Snap’s Spectacles and Lens Studio demos highlighted the growing role of spatial computing and creator tools, enabling more active, embodied forms of interaction.

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 58 is now live on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and everywhere else!

Chapters:
Intro - 00:00 
Announcements - 02:30
News - 06:00
SXSW Tech Review - 20:23
Future of Play Panel - 27:11
Subscribe - 53:19

Follow Mitchel Berger - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitchelberger/

Follow Crunchyroll - https://www.linkedin.com/company/crunchyroll/

Follow Chris Down -  https://www.linkedin.com/in/chdown/

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

Follow Us:

Co-Hosts:
Nic Hill -   https://www.linkedin.com/in/nic-hill-6553873/
Val Vacante -  https://www.linkedin.com/in/valerievacante/

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/

A big shoutout to Asa Barret for assisting us with the Real Time Review compilation this week. 

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

#brandsinplay #mattel #crunchyroll #sxsw2026