Your CFO Doesn't Care About Impressions

Your CFO Doesn't Care About Impressions

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

GTA 6 Could Become The Next Creator Platform

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

First Ever Hologram Ad Network

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

Brands Are Spending in the Wrong Places

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

IGN Entertainment Generations In Play Audience Report

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