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Brands In Play: Episode 58 — Live from SXSW

Episode 58 was recorded on stage at SXSW, where Nic Hill joined Val Vacante right after her panel on the future of play with Chris Down (EVP, Chief Design & Innovation Officer, Mattel) and Mitchel Berger (EVP, Global Commerce, Crunchyroll).

The conversation centered on a core truth shaping the industry:
Brands are bridges — connecting creators with audiences and meeting real human needs like escape, belonging, and emotional connection.

This Week’s Headlines
• Fortnite’s new season is packed with cultural marketing moments
• Meta Horizon’s VR shutdown raises big questions about platform strategy and creator migration
• Fortnite returns to the Google Play Store globally after Epic’s legal battle
• Heineken’s latest campaign leans into fandom, friendship, and human connection

Real-Time Review: SXSW Edition
Val takes us inside the International Innovation Expo, where immersive experiences pointed toward a clear direction: the convergence of physical interaction, storytelling, and emerging technology.

Standout moments:
• Crunchyroll’s Sentenced to Be a Hero activation — an animatronic character experience that turned anime IP into a tactile, emotional encounter
• Snap’s Spectacles and Lens Studio demos — showcasing the rise of spatial computing and creator tools enabling more active, embodied interaction

If you’re following the evolution of play, creativity, and connected experiences, this episode breaks down how brands, platforms, and creators operate inside gaming, UGC ecosystems, and immersive media.

Episode 58 is now live on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and everywhere you listen.

Val Vacante Brands in Play Live from SXSW - The Future of Play

🚀 Experience‑Driven Retail Drivers for What’s Next at CES, the global stage of innovation.

Valerie Vacante presents the Experience‑Driven Retail Drivers for What’s Next briefing, outlining the core areas of growth, innovation and real‑world activation across the retail landscape.

CES 2026: Experience‑Driven Retail - Five Drivers for What’s Next by Val Vacante Experience‑Driven Retail at CES explores how AI, emerging technologies and consumer behavior are transforming the future of retail. This official CES session...

Don't miss dentsu USAs Valerie Vacante and Jacqueline Touma of ServiceNow in the session "Dominating the Digital Landscape of Modern Marketing," hosted by Friends of the Metaverse

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/friends-of-the-metaverse-season-of-innovation-2023-tickets-626692733837