Roblox hires Meta ad exec to lead partnerships with brands

Roblox has hired Stephanie Latham, a former Meta advertising executive, to lead its effort in courting brands to the virtual platform. Latham’s new role as VP of global partnerships began this week, according to Roblox. She will report to Christina Wootton, chief partnerships officer at Roblox. Check out the latest Ad Age events and award programs With Latham on board, Roblox continues to ramp up its efforts to be a leading gaming destination for brands. Earlier this month, the platform rolled out new loyalty opportunities, including subscriptions accessible to players within experiences. An expansion of NFT-like assets called Limiteds, which have digital scarcity baked into them, will be aimed at bringing more brands into Roblox’s thriving wearables economy. The platform has seen over 200 activations from brands since 2021, accounting for a total of roughly 2.3 billion user visits, according to company data. Barbie this week is launching its first Roblox world, joining the ranks of other big names including Walmart, Lowe’s, Nike and Paris Hilton. Related: Paris Hilton aims to change brands’ view of the metaverse Latham will also be in charge of scaling Roblox’s true advertising product, Immersive Ads, which launched just over one year ago. The offering allows brands to reach consumers inside experiences, without having to create an entire world. Banner ads function like in-game out-of-home placements, appearing on virtual billboards or bus stops. For marketers that have built branded experiences, portal ads promote these worlds and offer a direct link to entering them. Roblox in June rolled out a partners program with the goal of setting up more brands with immersive ad placements. Dentsu and Vayner3 are among the program’s launch partners that have committed to building on Roblox, as well as educating prospective marketers. Meanwhile, Roblox has come under fire for ambiguous advertising standards. Following an FTC complaint filed jointly with watchdog organization Truth in Advertising last year, the platform made adjustments to its policies, including an explicit reinstatement of its ban on advertising to users under the age of 13. Latham’s experience with Meta should make her familiar with navigating a precarious advertising ecosystem. She spent 12 years at the tech giant, her last role being VP of global advertising partnerships for Meta’s entertainment, tech and telecom division. Latham also has worked at agencies Barbarian Group and Ogilvy.

Roblox hires Meta ad exec to lead partnerships with brands

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