The landscape of advertising is shifting away from traditional static trailers and forced placements. Today, audiences, especially younger demographics, crave immersive, interactive experiences where they can actively participate with their favorite franchises.

In a recent behind-the-scenes discussion at RDC26 with Jessica Thomas, Associate Creative Director and Lead Art Director at Sawhorse, an LA-based production company located right across the street from Universal Studios, she shared how they transformed from traditional Hollywood marketing into pioneers of Roblox brand integration.

The Birth of Sawhorse

Sawhorse originally worked with entertainment giants like Universal and Warner Bros. Jessica shared how the team successfully launched their debut Roblox experience, Alloy Sanctuary, which garnered over a million plays on its debut night. That flood of engagement proved that the audience was hungry for deep, interactive brand experiences, opening the floodgates for brands eager to enter the metaverse.

Why Roblox Outperforms Traditional Trailers

Brands approaching Roblox today have various Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), ranging from direct monetization to deep brand awareness. However, the real power lies in immersion.

Instead of forcing a trailer in front of a viewer’s face, games allow players to actively engage with the intellectual property. Jessica emphasized that successful activations move away from static trailers to interactive experiences, driving higher conversion rates and authentic connections through native gameplay.

The Recipe for a Successful Roblox Integration

What makes a brand activation actually work on Roblox? Jessica highlights that successful integrations require deep platform authenticity and creative fit. Brands cannot simply take real-world assets and paste them 1:1 onto the platform expecting players to love them.

Successful integrations require crafting something unique that respects the platform’s culture and keeps the community engaged without breaking game mechanics.

Expanding the Ecosystem: Cross-Platform Campaigns

Sawhorse’s work extends beyond Roblox. They leverage cross-platform campaigns, including Discord and web-based activations, to build interconnected fandoms.

By linking digital touchpoints seamlessly across Discord, web browsers, and Roblox, brands can build a massive, interconnected fandom that thrives long-term.