Brands In Play

Episode 74 of Brands In Play features hosts Nic Hill and Ely Santos as they break down the biggest stories shaping gaming, immersive media, and brand innovation before Nic sits down with Rory Byrne, Founder of the creative innovation studio LocationXR, to explore why the future of immersive marketing will be built around places people already gather.

Rory shares why "the metaverse was a destination with no address," how entertainment retail complexes are changing the way brands think about physical spaces, and why creating memorable experiences will always outperform simply delivering messages.

We also cover this week's biggest headlines:

Meta launches Pocket, an AI-powered social feed built around user created mini games.

Xbox signals a major shift as Minecraft moves closer to becoming a creator or UGC gaming platform.

Smart glasses startup Even Realities reaches unicorn status with a privacy-first approach.

Claire's partners with Roblox creator Lana Ray, showing how physical retail and digital rewards are becoming one connected experience.

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

#BrandsInPlay #LocationXR

Chapters:
Intro - 00:00 
Announcements - 01:14
News - 02:02
Rory Byrne Interview - 18:14
Subscribe - 35:05

Follow Rory Byrne - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rory-byrne/

Location XR - https://www.linkedin.com/company/locationxr/

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

This week on Brands In Play, we're joined by gaming journalist, creator, and cultural connector Gerard "HipHopGamer" Williams for one of our most energetic conversations yet.

We unpack why every company should have a gaming division, why relationships always matter more than follower counts and how brands like Chase are making a positive impact through their game marketing strategy. Gerard also shares his thoughts on representation in gaming, the future of creator marketing, and drops exclusive insights into what players can expect from GTA VI.

This week's news:

• PUBG Mobile kicks off its FIFA World Cup integration.

• Claude Opus 5 returns after Anthropic patches major security concerns.

• Sony invests $100 million into immersive entertainment company Cosm.

• Samsung's upcoming smart glasses leak ahead of launch.

Real-Time Review:

We break down McDonald's new Snapchat World Cup AR activation with a special guest appearance from Frank Shi, Co-Founder of Paper Triangles, the studio behind the experience. He explains how the campaign was built, why low-friction AR experiences outperform traditional ads, and where immersive brand marketing is heading next.

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

#brandsinplay  #hiphopgamer

Chapters:
Intro - 00:00
Announcements - 01:30
News - 02:36
Paper Triangles McDonalds Snap Lens  - 16:10
HipHop Gamer Interview - 21:05
Subscribe - 54:59

Follow HipHopGamer - https://www.youtube.com/ ⁨@hiphopgamer⁩  

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/hiphopgamer/

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

This week on Brands In Play, Nic Hill and Ely Santos sit down with Chris Mann, SVP of RevXP at sports marketing agency rEvolution. Chris takes us behind the scenes of major branded activations with Chipotle and more, explaining why authenticity, community trust, and understanding gaming culture are now essential for brands.

This week's headlines:

• Meta launches its first smart glasses line beyond Ray-Ban with a new Kylie Jenner collaboration.

• GTA 6's launch plans are revealed, including pricing and release strategy. 

• Apple is reportedly targeting 2027 for its own smart glasses.

• Dentsu expands its global fandom intelligence platform. 

Real-Time Review:

Ely Santos breaks down Adidas' ambitious World Cup inspired collaboration with Brawl Stars. From in-game tournaments and exclusive digital rewards to physical apparel, loyalty integration, and live fan experiences. This campaign has everything!

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

#BrandsInPlay #rEvolution #Chipotle #Supercell

Chapters:
Intro - 00:00 
Announcements - 01:21
News - 04:32
Adidas in Brawl Stars  - 18:23
Chris Mann Interview - 23:56
Subscribe - 49:04

Follow Christopher Mann - https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrismannsports/

Follow rEvolution - https://www.linkedin.com/company/revolution

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

This week on Brands In Play, Nic and Ely sit down with Doddz, the AR artist and founder of Dime. From Disney, Nike, Amazon and beyond, Doddz breaks down how brands can use augmented reality to create experiences that feel like moments of magic. The conversation gets into smart glasses, AR fatigue, data capture, creative R&D, and why bad AR is usually the problem and not AR itself.

In the news:
EA launches a new in-game advertising platform, GTA 6 pre-orders and release date spark the next big entertainment moment, Chipotle partners with Riot’s 2XKO and the US government pushes Anthropic over access to Fable 5.

For the Real-Time Review, Nic takes us inside AWE in Long Beach, where smart glasses, spatial AI, Snap Specs, Qualcomm’s latest chips, Google and Xreal’s Aura glasses, digital twins, AR discovery apps, physical-to-digital triggers and open metaverse standards all point toward one thing:

The next brand interface may not be a screen. It may be on your face.

Nic also chats with:

• Stacy Tyrell (Allsides) on scalable digital twin creation for brands
• Luis Contreras (Uon) on AR-powered location discovery and social connection
• Ian Harrison (Sneakr) on bridging physical products and digital experiences
• Sean Mann (RP1) on open metaverse standards and the future of spatial browsing

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

#BrandsInPlay #Doddz #Dime

Chapters:
Intro - 00:00 
Announcements - 01:18
News - 02:28
AWE 2026  - 13:41
Doddz Interview - 28:50
Subscribe - 48:45

Follow Doddz - https://www.linkedin.com/in/doddz/

Follow Dime - https://www.linkedin.com/company/dimecompany/

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

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