Alexandra (Alli) Guglielmino

Meta's integrating Generative AI into metaverse games to enhance gameplay mechanics and transform how users interact with virtual environments. GenAI promises to inject a new level of dynamism and personalization into metaverse experiences. Virtual worlds continuously evolve based on user behavior and preferences, creating unique, tailored adventures for every player. This technology opens doors to infinite possibilities, where content creation becomes adaptive and responsive, blurring the lines between virtual and real. #Meta #Metaverse #GenAI #VirtualReality #VR

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So digital can have real world outcomes. Behaviour change can stretch across commercial and social needs.

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You remember this Spider-Man drawing meme from a few years back? https://lnkd.in/gXwXApdd You know, the one that shows the level of quality you get when you give an artist 10 minutes vs. 1 minute vs. 10 seconds? I remember when it started doing the rounds, a lot of creative types used it as an example of how much worse their work is when it's rushed vs. when they get enough time to truly ideate. What's funny is, this isn't even the best depiction of that. Imagine instead if you started by giving someone 10 seconds to draw a *brand new* superhero — one that doesn't already exist. My guess is the result would go something like "Uhhhmmmmm.... I dunnnoo.... (hastily scribbles rough silhouette with a cape)". Then give them 1 min and watch more detail get added. And then 10 and watch really rich character and story elements emerge. I see this a lot in organizations that put a premium on sprints and MVPs. It's one thing to put time constraints on refinement, evolution and optimization of an idea. It's another to rush the ideation itself. That's typically not a good recipe for innovation, since (as my example illustrates) when people are rushed, they tend to regurgitate/replicate the familiar. There is something to be said for putting some time constraints on ideation as a generative exercise. And when facilitated with a focus on lateral connections sparking new combinations, there is a way to hack novelty at pace. But often the main value is in getting all the obvious ideas out of the way, and getting the gears turning in the back of brains to let time do its work of mental marination. Then the real gems that team members can't stop thinking about can be prototyped/MVP'd/etc. Have you seen rapid ideation produce novel concepts (in product, comms, org design, etc.)? Or has it tended to churn out ideas that feel like replications/regurgitations, logical/linear progressions and slight incremental improvements on what already exists? #innovation #creativity #ideation #agile #mvp #prototyping #poc

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"If Netflix couldn’t make AAA gaming work, who can?" ... uh, how about everybody else in the $214.2 Billion dollar gaming industry! This is just another example of a big entity buying up something they don't know a lot about, trying to apply their business mindset to it only to find out they should have left it alone if they wanted it to grow. HOW many times does "big company" buy "fast rising little company" which then touts all they're going to do with "increased resources" only to then have nothing happen, for too long, and then "big company" shutters what's left of "upstart" because it's not making expected revenues when "big company" applied "big company" policies to "little company." That's NOT what made them the fast rising little company you found so desirable. What no Big Company ever does is: A) ask little company what what they need B) provide just that, nothing else C) get out of the way. Maybe I'm wrong? What little company has been absorbed by big company and continued to thrive, even growing bigger, stronger, faster?

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Here comes the latest partnership with Roblox: users are now able to purchase movie tickets directly inside the platform. According to reporting from Alexander Lee of Digiday, this comes as a partnership between Warner Bros. Entertainment (WB) and Roblox, with WB looking to promote its upcoming film “Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice”, as well as Fandango which is operating the virtual box office in this Roblox experience. As a part of the partnership, tickets are available for sale for all U.S. Roblox users above the age of 13 and will remain open until September 16th. The purchase of a movie ticket also comes with extra perks like unique in-game items that have special effects in the “Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice” experience. The goal here is to test “purchase intent and conversion in a different consumer category” of entertainment, according to Stephanie Latham, Roblox’s VP of Global Partnerships. Cameron Curtis, Warner Brothers’ EVP of Digital Marketing, mentions the aim of this partnership is to “connect with Gen Z, where creativity thrives” and that this is “captivating a new audience and driving excitement for the theater experience”. Given Roblox has partnered previously with Walmart and E.L.F. BEAUTY for other physical item partnerships, it’ll be interesting to see how this converts for the audience as a marketing lever. Follow #MoreMark for #Business content in #Gaming, #Esports, and #Creators!

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June 13, or 6/13, is 613 Day at 613 Originals. 6¢ 1-color single image + $13 Setup (9x12.75) $6.13 DTF gang sheet (22x12) If I didn't already work here, I'd try it. If you're not already a customer, here's how to unlock 613 Day pricing: 1/ Sign up for a free account: https://hubs.ly/Q02zzBJC0 2/ Place an order before 613 Day! That's it. ONE order—any value. You can buy a DTF gang sheet for $10.55. That's cheap admission for these prices. It's #613Day.

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Last week saw 2 BIG influencer mktg M&A deals. Publicis Groupe bought Influential, and Stagwell bought LEADERS. Today I write about the Influential deal. I est the forward revenue multiple at around 2.5x. Let's break it down... ---SELLER: Influential--- • IM platform for marketers and influencers • Founded 2013 by Ryan Detert, Piotr Tomasik 🌊, Daniel Steele • 300 employees • 3.5M influencer network • Access to 90% of influencers w/ 1M+ followers • AI-powered platform w/ 100B+ datapoints  • 300+ brand clients incl Disney, Hilton, Hulu, McDonalds ---FINANCIALS & CAP TABLE: Influential--- • $150M revenue in 2023 • 50% YoY revenue growth • $51.5M capital raised between 2014 to 2021 • Investors incl Paradigm Agency, Plug And Play, Ruttenberg, Capital Zed, Tech Coast Angels, WME, ECA Ventures, Regal Funds, ---BUYER: Publicis--- • Diversified agency holding company (#1 by net bookings) • Founded 1926 • Based in Paris • In 100+ countries • 103,000 employees • €13.1B 2023 net revenue ---FINANCIALS (in €): Publicis--- Stock performance as of 7.29 at 940am ET… • Share price: €97.72  • Mkt cap: €24.9B • Up 15.6% YTD • Up 33.1% YoY 1H 2024 YoY results per public filings (PE 6.30.24)... • Net revenue up 5.9% to €6.7B, from €6.3B • Operating margin up 6.1% to €1.2B, from €1.1B • EBITDA up 4.9% to $1.4B, from $1.3B  • €744M in free cash flow, up 2.6% YoY • €3.1B in cash • €3.2B in total debt (incl earnout/buyout) ---DEAL DETAILS--- • $500M purchase price • Expected to close Aug 2024 • 3.3x 2023 LTM revenue multiple ($500M / $150M) • If assume 2024 revenue growth slows to 30% from 50%, implies $200M forward revenue and a 2.5x revenue multiple  • Deal structure undisclosed (likely an earnout) ---DEAL VALUE PROP--- Overall, expand Publicis IM client services… • More creators to target any audience demo, niche • Better creator-client matching, campaign design via Influential AI + Publicis data businesses, Epsilon • Offer holistic digital campaigns that blend IM w/ digital, affiliate channels • Better ROI analysis of IM campaigns for brands, will drive more spend • Retain client media spend as moves away from linear TV and into social / streaming / other digital —IM MARKET NOTES— • $7B in 2023, up 17.4% from 2022 • Up more than 10.6% for all digital ad spend • Est to be $8.1B in 2024 and $9.3B in 2025 • Social spend to be $186B by 2025, exceeding linear TV spend – IM is fastest growing segment ---POST DEAL OPS--- • Influential will operate standalone • CEO Ryan Detert will stay on ---WHAT ELSE I FIND INTERESTING--- Following WPP's acquisition of Goat in 2023, and Stagwell buying LEADERS last week, I expect big agency IM M&A to continue ramping...though few scaled companies remain! I'll write more in my Friday newsletter. -- I'm the founder of RockWater Industries. We do M&A and strategy advisory for media, agencies, and creator economy. My DMs are open.

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MrBeast bought Vouch, a “LinkedIn for Creators”. Its the creator's first M&A deal. A sign of more to come? Let's break it down... ---SELLER: Vouch--- • Online networking tool for content creators • Founded 2021 by Marty Pesis, 5th Cameo employee • Has matched > 35,000 candidates with jobs • Competition includes Roster, CreatorEconomyJobs, YTjobs, YT.careers • Used by creators like Yes Theory, Jesser, Stokes Twins, Safiya Nygaard • Investors include Seven Seven Six, Liquid 2 Ventures, Shrug Capital, Niche Capital, WorkPlay Ventures, and angels ---PRODUCT OVERVIEW: Vouch--- • Candidates create profiles to showcase skills, list past creator employers • Creator can view applicant’s profile page and app, and DM them • Careers pages and job boards for creators to showcase their teams • AI-powered matching engine for candidates and creators • Tool for creators to launch custom-targeted job posts ---BUYER: MrBeast--- • YouTube’s most subscribed creator • Based in NC, hundreds of team members • Started posting videos in 2012 • Multiple biz lines, from content production to brand partnerships and CPG • Has faced recent controversy about work culture, productions • Estimated biz value of $700M+ (likely a low estimate) ---PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS: MrBeast--- • Lunchly, a Lunchables competitor, with Logan Paul and KSI • Feastables, a chocolate candy bar, estimated $100M+ revenue • Host of upcoming game show on Amazon Prime • Philanthropy: Team Trees, Team Seas • Various investments ---DEAL DETAILS--- • Announced 10.3.24 • No deal details were disclosed ---DEAL VALUE PROP--- • MrBeast's head of talent, Kara McCloud, said acquisition will improve MrBeast’s hiring experience ---POST DEAL OPS--- • Vouch.app website in on pause • MrBeast will use Vouch to supercharge internal hiring efforts before continuing to scale it externally • Vouch CEO will focus on other company Troveo, a content licensing biz that helps creators get paid by AI companies who seek content to train their models WHAT ELSE I FIND INTERESTINGA ABOUT THE DEAL? I'll do a deeper deal breakdown in my Friday newsletter. Not a lot of data to work with, but I'll provide POV on why this is MrBeast's 1st company acquisiton, and what that potentially signals for planned future M&A. Signup for our newsletter here: https://lnkd.in/gsCaH6eM -- I'm the founder of RockWater Industries. We do M&A and strategy advisory for media, agencies, creator economy. My DMs are open. https://lnkd.in/guMRxD4n

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What’s Captifying the Paris 2024 Olympics? Captifys real-time onsite search data shows that skateboarding is taking off and swimmer Léon Marchand is making a splash. Dive into our latest trends piece for the scoop on the hottest topics of the first week of the games; https://buff.ly/46DibT1 #Paris2024 #Olympics #BrandMarketing #SearchTrends #ShiftHappens #SearchIntelligence

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Luma labs have released their Dream Machine text to video generator (lumalabs.ai). There is a lot of talk amongst the AI nerds about this one. Naturally I had to give it a go. My prompt: Dogs walking across the screen singing. Outcome: 👇 🤣 these creepy dogs need work (as does the prompt probably). #AI #sarahspeaksai #digitalmarketing

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K-POP is on a decline and there is one big reason.   2024 has been a lacklustre one for K-pop with recent reports indicating a drop of 9.4 million copies in the first half of 2024 alone. The four top K-pop agencies, managing top talent share prices have dropped by 50%   Although factors such as South Korea's inflation and a slowdown in China’s economy have been mentioned as contributing causes for this downturn, the key insight seems to be linked to brand BTS!   It’s been a year since BTS members began mandatory Korean military service, and the effects are being felt across the K-Pop industry.   BTS has brand power that extends beyond music, boosting Korean inbound travel and promoting food and culture. They play a key role in the Korean economy, contributing approximately $5 billion each year. This accounts for roughly 0.55% of the national economy. Their revenue stream encompasses album sales, ticket earnings from concerts, merchandise sales, licensing and collaborations with various brands. Fans will await their return and the revival of the business in the coming years! #BTS #KPop #MilitaryService #AlbumSales #MusicIndustry Image generated by AI for inspiration

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What a Roblox weekend with Dress to Impress’s MASSIVE 🎃 update - that was so much more that just that. Hop here for the TL,DR: 𝓨𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓯𝓪𝓷𝓼 𝓯𝓾𝓮𝓵 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓰𝓪𝓶𝓮 🔄 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓬𝓸𝓶𝓶𝓾𝓷𝓲𝓽𝔂 𝓬𝓻𝓸𝓼𝓼-𝓬𝓱𝓪𝓷𝓷𝓮𝓵 First, let me paint you a picture about DTI: 👗 DTI hit 1,000,000+ CCUs on 10/19 🤯 Concurrent Users 👗 DTI won Game of the Year at Roblox Dev Conf in Sept 👗 DTI turned 1️⃣ Friday, 10/18/24 Secondly, let’s talk 🎃 update: 🎃 An entirely new experience • Items & UI have updated (67 new items, a new house, new runway, new dressing rooms, new obbys, new codes, 39 new hairstyles, new gamepacks, new pose packs - the list goes on) 🎃 Introducing a 3-chapter Lana Lore quest that is an entirely different game genre built right inside DTI - w/ new limited edition UGC While these 🏆s are great milestones, I want to share a peek into something that is not only more impressive but essential to understand if you are a brand or a developer thinking about heading into the space: 𝓨𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓯𝓪𝓷𝓼 𝓯𝓾𝓮𝓵 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓰𝓪𝓶𝓮 🔄 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓬𝓸𝓶𝓶𝓾𝓷𝓲𝓽𝔂 𝓬𝓻𝓸𝓼𝓼-𝓬𝓱𝓪𝓷𝓷𝓮𝓵 Here’s the rinse & repeat path: Roblox > Groups | Discord > TikTok > X > Instagram > YouTube > Roblox Roblox: Where you play DTI (& hang w your group chat) Groups: Access the store and other topline stats and notes Discord: The 470,000 fans inside are🔥 Why? Bc the team has dedicated resources (mods) to: • Drop tons of programming (exclusive) • Share BTS & peeks (special) • Invite us to take polls (empower) • Give insight into new (rarity) • Host #gamenight challenges where the mods play but only so many can access the server (scarcity) • Encourages social sharing (activation) TikTok @dtionroblox (3M followers) While they do a lot less than the diehard Discord, the organic shares & convos are on 🔥eg @lanaslifee has 7,000,000 super present followers. • Her videos rack up millions of likes & comments X / Instagram /YouTube: See above Why does this matter? The socialization through play has brought millions of people together inside an inclusive community where the game (devs) 🫶 the fans/players and the fans/player 🫶 the game (devs) ▶️ For some of my play & check out more of my @TheRealBloxMom DTI here: The DTI secret that’s not: 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gUWgYX5K DTI in the NYT 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gpdvqQCE The massive DTI Summer update 🔗 https://lnkd.in/e2GayXPV The DTI 🍏 Charli XCX Event is coming 🔗https://lnkd.in/ee45uMRq The DTI 🍏 Charli XCX Event Recap 🔗 https://lnkd.in/ej_Gun2z TikTok's Viral Apple Dance & DTI on Roblox 🔗https://lnkd.in/efF2Aj9d Dress to Impress WINS at the Roblox Innovation Awards at RDC 2024 🔗https://lnkd.in/espG7rhS Live Stream of the Roblox Innovation Awards inside DTIs Discord 🔗https://lnkd.in/efB2jU76

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IF Assembling a team for XR Metaverse Studios , I am reminded of a poem by Rudyard Kipling. How to be a leader... The importance of perseverance, humility, self-belief, and integrity. Kipling advises the reader to maintain integrity and not let success or failure define one's character. He encourages the reader to trust oneself when others doubt them and to be able to handle both praise and criticism with equanimity. Humbly, as the CEO of XR Metaverse Studios , I find these words to guide and protect in business battle, foreign and internal. if you know this poem, hear it again. if you have never, hear it many times. See what we do at XR Metaverse Studios for Education | Entertainment | the Wine Industry | Training | Business | Shopping www.xrmetaversestudios.com #Metaverse #Education #business #Entertainment #wine #training PLEASE CLICK TO PLAY https://lnkd.in/gsPqw47v

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Informa, a UK-based media and events biz, bought VidCon. Goal is to revitalize the company as both the creator market opportunity, and competion for live events, rapidly grows. Let’s break it down… ---SELLER: Vidcon--- • Live events business for digital media content creators • Founded by brothers Hank and John Green in 2010 • Team based across LA, NY, Missoula MT • Focuses on 5 audiences: fans, aspiring creators, industry pros, featured creators, sponsors • Each event has 3 distinct tracks: Community, Creator, Industry  • Expanded to int’l cities in 2017; Mexico City, Sao Paulo, London, Melbourne, Singapore, Anaheim, Baltimore • Shut down 2020-2021 due to COVID, launched virtual biz Vidcon Now • Growing competition from digital-native events like VidSummit, Creator Economy Live, Twitchcon, and new creator economy tracks from SXSW, Cannes Lions, ComicCon • Recent struggles incl canceling 2024 Vidcon Baltimore • Est team size of 15-25 people ---PERFORMANCE HIGHLIGHTS: Vidcon--- • Est annual revenue of $18M (per growjo) • Revenue from (1) sponsors / advertising (2) ticket sales (3) subscription • Est 50-100 annual sponsors • Rumors of unprofitability • 85,000 attendees across events network in 2023 • 55,000 attendees of flagship Anaheim event for 2024, flat YoY • Peak attendance was 75,000 attendees in 2018 (up from 1,400 in 2010!) ---M&A HISTORY: Vidcon--- • 2018 Viacom (part of Paramount) acquired Vidcon to expand live events biz • 1Q 2024 hired bank to explore sale  • Aug/Sep 2024 sold to Informa ---SELLER OWNER: Paramount Global--- • Diversified media conglomerate • In process of $8B merger w/ Skydance • Core TV business in massive decline ---BUYER: Informa--- • UK-based media and events company • Publicly traded on LSE • Growing focus on fandoms via “Fan Expo HQ”: Toronto Comicon, Game Developers Conference • Bid $1.6B for Cannes Lions owner Ascential earlier in 2024 ---FINANCIALS: Informa (in GBP)--- Stock price as of 8:45AM PT on 9.16… • Stock price: £846.6 • Mkt Cap: £11.3B  • Up 9.5% YTD • Up 12.9% YoY YE 2023 financials as of 12.31.23 vs 2022... • Revenue: £3.2B, up from £2.3B • Adj Op Profit: £854M, up from £496M • FCF: £632, up from £418M • LT DEBT: £1.5B, about same YoY • C&CE: £389M, vs £2.1B (will have to dig in to see how used) ---DEAL DETAILS--- • Undisclosed • No public comments from either side about sale I'll write more about the deal value prop, and thoughts about how Vidcon can newly succeed under new ownership and amongst growing competition. As the first creator economy event I ever attended starting back in 2013, Vidcon is near and dear to my heart! More to come in my Friday newsletter, sign up link in comments below 👇 -- I'm the founder of RockWater Industries. We do M&A and strategy advisory for media, agencies, and creator economy. My DMs are open.

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Luma AI released its new keyframe feature within its Dream Machine. The software update allows for better narrative control - like changing lighting and seasons, control perspectives, morph subjects, and "impossible" transitions. TLDR: You can let Luma define the start and end frames then use simple text prompting to guide the journey. We are watching image2video rapidly improve video editing with better visual control and image composition. As always, another step toward using AI as a tool to enhance human creativity, rather than replace it. Can't wait to explore these new updates with our Directed Today directors.

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Jo’s post is insightful and important. The rapid decay of the audience’s willingness to be marketed to is clearly changing the income equation and that will shake distribution systems to their foundations and ask for rapid evolution within brand companies. Story and authentic content are at the center of how to connect but…brand companies diving into content can be a mixed bag. Relevance and quality is so key whether it’s short or long content. Not all brands have the competencies to shape narrative relevance. Reach out to find those people and think deeply about how to do this. Narrative is different from marketing or classic brand management.

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