This week, Nic Hill is joined by special March co-host Val Vacante for a conversation with Katie Pereira, Director of Conference Strategy at SXSW. The interview explores the ideas shaping SXSW 2026, with a focus on AI and human connection, the return of creativity as a competitive edge, fandom as a force in modern marketing, and the growing importance of immersive brand experiences that people can actually feel, remember, and respond to.

In the news, Amazon Kills ‘King of Meat’ Just Months After Launch and Doubles Down on Cloud Gaming, Mattel’s dual-platform UNO expands across Roblox and Fortnite, 10,000 Creators Apply to Tell Dick’s Sporting Goods’ brand story and Anime Characters Become AI Companions. 

For this week’s Real-Time Review, Nic jumps into The Sandbox Season 7 to assess where the platform stands today, from its Web3 ownership model and creator rewards to the ongoing friction around onboarding, community scale, and gameplay depth.

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

Chapters:
Intro - 00:00 
Announcements - 01:46
News - 03:45
Sandbox Season 7 - 16:18
Katie Perera Interview- 25:14
HIT, MISS & BET - 49:11

Follow Katie Perera -  https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-perera/

SXSW - https://www.linkedin.com/company/sxsw/

Follow Us:

Co-Hosts:
Nic Hill -   https://www.linkedin.com/in/nic-hill-6553873/
Aida Andersson -  https://www.linkedin.com/in/aida-a-807781a4/

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  #sxsw