What Makes a Brand Culturally Relevant

00:00 – Introduction00:50 – Yuki's path from live sports broadcasting to global PR and marketing02:50 – Formats: adapting Japanese hits vs building new ones for the world04:15 – How Old Enough went from a 30-year-old Japanese show to a Netflix global release05:55 – Why audiences were divided on Old Enough, and how the show won them over09:15 – Relaunching Old Enough as a format, and the versions it has inspired11:55 – Inside Gyrokuro Studios: creating formats from zero with a global audience in mind14:45 – What makes a format travel across borders?16:40 – How much flexibility should local producers have when adapting a format?18:15 – The Hotspot on Netflix: why a very Japanese story has universal appeal21:35 – Managing character IP and taking a beloved Japanese brand global24:50 – The anime pipeline: from manga and series to film and merchandise27:05 – Why the opportunity for IP is "limitless" in the era of digital, social and VTubers29:05 – Viral Pocket: Nippon TV's push into vertical content30:15 – Sponsor integration and micro dramas: how Viral Pocket works31:40 – Why building vertical-first beats adapting horizontal content32:50 – Why Nippon TV is happy to be first to test new media36:40 – Advice for global partners looking to work with Nippon TV38:10 – Closing thoughts --🎧 Subscribe to The Speakeasy🌐 Visit our website: www.seg3.com📩 Join our newsletter for weekly deep dives into culture & technology: https://seg3.beehiiv.com/📱 Follow us on LinkedIn: @SEG3💬 Got a question or guest idea? Email us at: [email protected]

03:10 – Introduction03:45 – From Disney Japan to Scopely to SEGA: Justin's career journey05:10 – What does transmedia actually mean for a games company?07:40 – How do you manage IPs at different life stages? Sonic at 3510:25 – How Roblox introduced Sonic to a new generation of fans12:20 – Why the people buying Like a Dragon merchandise aren't the ones playing the game19:45 – How do you stay true to a franchise's DNA while bringing in new audiences?26:45 – Why building a franchise in Asia takes a different approach35:05 – Why fan events are about celebrating fandom, not making money39:45 – From Balenciaga to Walmart: how does SEGA balance exclusivity and accessibility?44:30 – How does SEGA decide which partnerships are right for an IP?49:25 – Why location-exclusive merchandise drives fandom58:50 – Why Sonic, Crazy Taxi and Stranger Than Heaven need different Netflix strategies01:05.00 – The first steps to turning a hit into a franchise01:10:30 – Why the games industry has reason to be optimistic01:13:00 – How Japanese IP is becoming a global play01:15:40 – Closing thoughts --🎧 Subscribe to The Speakeasy🌐 Visit our website: www.seg3.com📩 Join our newsletter for weekly deep dives into culture & technology: https://seg3.beehiiv.com/📱 Follow us on LinkedIn: @SEG3💬 Got a question or guest idea? Email us at: [email protected]

00:00 – Introduction1:50 – Why writing the newsletter revealed a skill Perla didn't know she had.3:55 – What The Odyssey's cultural takeover tells us about audience psychology.4:40 – Why core fandoms are a trusted channel, not a risk to avoid.5:45 – How empowering existing fan creators builds a new lease of life for a franchise.7:05 – What it means to give fans a literal seat at the table in game development.7:50 – Why brand loyalty and brand fandom are not the same thing10:15 – How to expand a brand story without replacing what fans expect.12:35 – What "being additive to the fan experience" actually looks like in practice.13:35 – Why “ownability” matters more than hype, and what brands get wrong about mental availability.16:05 – How Nike stakes an ownable claim in niche sports like calisthenics.23:45 – What does it mean to add depth to a brand: the case for (and against) getting on Substack.26:05 – How Red Bull became a media company in its own right.28:36 – Why shared cultural references work even for people who've never seen the source material.30:05 – Why reactive marketing vs. long-term strategy dos and don'ts need to be set long before the trend hits.32:40 – The mindset shift Perla thinks marketers need over the next five years.34:55 – Closing thoughts. --🎧 Subscribe to The Speakeasy🌐 Visit our website: www.seg3.com📩 Join our newsletter for weekly deep dives into culture & technology: https://seg3.beehiiv.com/📱 Follow us on LinkedIn: @SEG3💬 Got a question or guest idea? Email us at: [email protected]

0:35 – Introduction:  how Mathias Gredal Nørvig became CEO of SYBO 3:20 – Unpacking almost 5 billion downloads: what gave Subway Surfers its "lightning in a bottle" spark 6:25 – The moment Subway Surfers stopped feeling like a hit game and started feeling like a franchise 8:30 – How SYBO knows when an IP has broken into the wider cultural conversation 11:15 – Why Easter eggs and cultural nods were built into Subway Surfers from day one 14:00 – Defining SYBO today: game studio, IP owner, or entertainment company? 16:15 – How SYBO finds the right tone for IP expansion and measures success beyond game metrics 19:40 – How platform mechanics, from TikTok to Instagram, shape the way SYBO tells stories 22:35 – Why balancing UGC freedom with protecting the Subway Surfers DNA is key to fan engagement 25:00 – Where overexploitation begins: lessons from SYBO's licensing journey 30:50 – How SYBO manages one breakout IP alongside new bets like Blades of Brim and Subway Surfers Cities 38:00 – Inside the Brawl Stars x Subway Surfers collaboration 41:10 – How SYBO turns a viral spike into lasting retention once the crossover hype fades 43:40 – What Mathias would advise to anyone starting a new mobile-first IP today --🎧 Subscribe to The Speakeasy🌐 Visit our website: www.seg3.com📩 Join our newsletter for weekly deep dives into culture & technology: https://seg3.beehiiv.com/📱 Follow us on LinkedIn: @SEG3💬 Got a question or guest idea? Email us at: [email protected]

0:00 – Who is Shelley Macintyre, and what does BBC Studios' Brands & Licensing division actually do? 1:10 – What does "show to shelf" mean in practice? 3:00 – How did a career at Unilever, Coca-Cola, and SipSmith prepare Shelley to build entertainment franchises? 12:10 – With such a wide catalogue of IP, how does BBC Studios decide what fits where? 12:45 – What's the three-step journey from cultural relevance to fan demand to commercial conversion? 15:00 – What makes Bluey's storytelling work for toddlers and their exhausted parents at the same time? 18:00 – How does a 60-year-old IP like Doctor Who stay relevant to new fans and nostalgic ones alike? 21:25 – What does it mean for a brand to have "permission" to stretch into new territory? 26:20 – What were the earliest signals that Bluey was becoming a global franchise, not just a hit show? 30:00 – How does BBC Studios think about fan-made content it doesn't control? 34:10 – Beyond sales, what actually signals a franchise is healthy? 36:50 – How different is the platform strategy for Doctor Who's core fans versus Bluey's stretch audiences? 40:35 – How do you localise a global franchise like Bluey without losing what makes it "Bluey"? 43:45 – With the Bluey movie landing in 2027, how do you keep a franchise from becoming overexposed? 47:55 – What are the first questions Shelley asks when a new IP shows franchise potential? 53:20 – What can traditional media learn from creators building their own IP — and what can creators learn back? 59:00 – Where is Shelley least confident the industry is getting it right? --🎧 Subscribe to The Speakeasy🌐 Visit our website: www.seg3.com📩 Join our newsletter for weekly deep dives into culture & technology: https://seg3.beehiiv.com/📱 Follow us on LinkedIn: @SEG3💬 Got a question or guest idea? Email us at: [email protected]

00:00 – Introduction 00:30 – From strategy consulting to Formula E: how does that background shape building a commercial operation inside a sports series? 07:45 – Fans regularly ask for a standalone Formula E game. What's the thinking behind not building one? 09:10 – What did the NFT racing game in Season 7 teach the team about evaluating new opportunities? 11:35 – Without revenue pressure on the gaming side, how does that change who Formula E chooses to partner with? 19:00 – Why the team baked creative flexibility into their Roblox IP activation from day one 20:25 – What is Brainrot, and what made it the right fit for Formula E's Roblox audience? 22:20 – What did the response to the Brainrot trailer teach the team about which channels suit which content? 23:15 – How a brand can actually get discovered on Roblox 27:50 – Beyond player numbers, what does a gaming partnership deliver for a team or sponsor's media value? 31:10 – Why does the physical Gaming Arena remain Formula E's most popular fan village activation? 35:45 – Is gaming simply another distribution channel for Formula E's IP, or something fundamentally different from broadcast? 40:05 – Where does Sanjay see the biggest untapped opportunity for Formula E's IP right now? 47:10 – How well do brands currently understand the value of a gaming audience? 53:25 – What's the mindset shift that separates sports properties building lasting IP ecosystems from those simply accumulating licensing deals? --🎧 Subscribe to The Speakeasy🌐 Visit our website: www.seg3.com📩 Join our newsletter for weekly deep dives into culture & technology: https://seg3.beehiiv.com/📱 Follow us on LinkedIn: @SEG3💬 Got a question or guest idea? Email us at: [email protected]

EPISODE NOTES 0:00 – Introduction 0:40 – 28 years at Ubisoft: from assistant brand manager to running Film & Television 2:55 – Why there's never really been a "playbook", and why one would be obsolete within six months anyway 6:00 – What The Last of Us as can teach about timing that you just can't manufacture 7:55 – Why Assassin's Creed on Netflix and Five Nights at Freddy's require completely different playbooks 10:20 – What really makes a game IP "cinematic"  13:25 – 4 Million views on TikTok: how the Rabbids clips overtook the game as the entry point to the IP 19:45 – Why sometimes ignoring fan backlash is the right move. 20:36 – Why creator passion for the IP matters more than industry pedigree 23:11 – The current gold rush of game adaptations, and why "movie number two" is where the real franchise test happens 26:49 – Fandom over format: why book, game and creator-economy audiences are all the same asset 27:56 – How Ubisoft keeps its own creative talent, and audiences, from franchise fatigue 34:26 – How a local-first strategy can help beat over-saturation 35:15 – What actually separates a franchise from a one-hit wonder 37:40 – Managing fan expectations (and leaks) on IP that's always "in development" 42:00 – Where games and entertainment convergence goes next 44:52 – Why turning fans into co-creators is the key to keeping them for life --🎧 Subscribe to The Speakeasy🌐 Visit our website: www.seg3.com📩 Join our newsletter for weekly deep dives into culture & technology: https://seg3.beehiiv.com/📱 Follow us on LinkedIn: @SEG3💬 Got a question or guest idea? Email us at: [email protected]

EPISODE NOTES 00:00 – Introduction 02:45 – What did it take to build Banijay Branded Entertainment from scratch? 03:50 – Just how big is Banijay, and where does branded content sit within that scale? 05:35 – How does sport fit into Banijay's storytelling strategy? 07:15 – What's the real difference between branded entertainment and advertising? 09:45 – How branded entertainment plays the long game when younger audiences are choosing brands based on values. 11:55 – How do you find the right genre match for a brand? 12:35 – Why telling a values-led story always trumps selling a product. 15:40 – How do you actually measure success in branded entertainment? 17:00 – What did Changing Rooms x Dulux prove about branded content driving real sales? 19:40 – Are more brands building branded entertainment into their strategy from day one? 23:40 – Why does timing matter so much, and why is coming in early the key to a natural, non-invasive integration? 26:00 – Why is branded entertainment becoming more important as commissioning budgets shrink? 32:55 – How do you extend content into live experiences without losing the heart of your IP? 43:30 – What are the two biggest misconceptions brands have about branded entertainment? 45:00 – Where is branded entertainment heading next, and will it become a standard line in every brand's marketing mix? 47:55 – Closing thoughts --🎧 Subscribe to The Speakeasy🌐 Visit our website: www.seg3.com📩 Join our newsletter for weekly deep dives into culture & technology: https://seg3.beehiiv.com/📱 Follow us on LinkedIn: @SEG3💬 Got a question or guest idea? Email us at: [email protected]

0:00 – Introduction 0:15 – The numbers behind the ballot: 1.3 million entries and counting 2:00 – Why "inspiring activity" is the mission, not just running a race 3:15 – The enduring power of broadcast in a declining-audience world 7:40 – What London Marathon Events actually does for the other days of the year 8:45 – Inside the year-round product and tech cycle behind race day 12:45 – How LME approached building its app: from blank page to tracking thousands of runners 15:00 – How to choose vendors, and the red flag that ends a pitch 16:50 – How to turn ballot rejections into on-ramps for engagement 20:00 – Why it’s key to build products for every kind of runner 24:55 – Where AI actually will disrupt the most 32:35 – What happens when organisations bet everything on AI 37:25 – How LME builds a roadmap in a fast-moving world 45:35 – What dwell-time data really proves 47:00 – What's next: fusion events and expanding LME's reach --🎧 Subscribe to The Speakeasy🌐 Visit our website: www.seg3.com📩 Join our newsletter for weekly deep dives into culture & technology: https://seg3.beehiiv.com/📱 Follow us on LinkedIn: @SEG3💬 Got a question or guest idea? Email us at: [email protected]

0:00 – Introduction 1:35 – Why Trivial Pursuit Infinite was the experiment that changed everything 3:00 – Inside the moment that led to an AI Ouija board with 250,000 interactions in 72 hours 4:20 – Why iconic IP lands completely differently with AI voices 5:00 – Why traditional licensing isn't built for characters that speak in real time 5:40 – What is the character operating system — and what is the golden record? 8:20 – How Behavioural licensing came to be, and why it didn't exist before Sixth Wall 8:45 – Why infringement at scale is actually a signal, not just a problem 9:40 – What happens when you ask an LLM "Peppa, do you like bacon?" 15:15 – What happens when your characters run their own 24-hour station, and how it informs character deployment 18:50 – Why Hasbro got talent compensation right before going to market 23:35 – 12 characters live now, vaults full of IP to come — what's the roadmap? 28:40 – How inbound and outbound moderation keeps characters in canon and safe 31:30 – Why CEO buy-in and a culture of experimentation are so important 38:01 – Sixth Wall is open for business: character-as-a-service, and what that actually means 40:40 – What is the vision for the future of Hasbro's AI characters?  --🎧 Subscribe to The Speakeasy🌐 Visit our website: www.seg3.com📩 Join our newsletter for weekly deep dives into culture & technology: https://seg3.beehiiv.com/📱 Follow us on LinkedIn: @SEG3💬 Got a question or guest idea? Email us at: [email protected]