PARTICIPATION BEATS PLACEMENT

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 -   / hammersuit   Follow Moonrock - https://www.linkedin.com/company/moon... Follow Us: Co-Hosts: Nic Hill -   / nic-hill-6553873   Ely Santos -   / meta-ely   Producer / Editor Edward Regue -   / edward-regue-%c2%a9-44b0421b2   Website: https://www.brands-in-play.com/ #BrandsInPlay #Moonrock