As Roblox expands its advertising business, WPP has become the latest industry player to announce a partnership with the metaverse platform.
WPP and media buying arm GroupM have today officially been inducted into the Roblox Partner Program. The giant agency holding company is the first new member to join the program following the announcement of its expansion at the Roblox Developers Conference last month. It is the second holding company to join the Roblox Partner Program, following Dentsu, who was one of the seven original players when the program started last year.
“Some partnerships are based on what you hope to do together,” said Roblox vp of global brand partnerships and marketing Stephanie Latham. “Our partnership builds on the existing success that WPP and GroupM are already having with many of their clients on our platform, and will also help us at Roblox push the boundaries of what is possible in the immersive media space.”
Features of the Roblox-WPP partnership include the joint development of a certification program designed to help marketers become Roblox experts, as well as the formation of an “advisory council” to help improve the standards of Roblox’s three-dimensional in-game advertising inventory. .
WPP and Roblox also plan to collaborate on a series of customer sprint days bringing together experienced Roblox community developers and development studios with interested advertisers.
“The joint council brings together the best of both worlds: Roblox’s platform expertise paired with leading clients from GroupM who have a clear understanding of consumer needs,” said WPP chief creative officer Rob Reilly. “WPP and GroupM will collaborate with Roblox as they develop new metrics on the platform, helping to inform vendor selection and product roadmaps based on our customers’ needs.”
WPP’s official partnership with Roblox represents the company’s continued interest in the metaverse – and efforts to educate investors about the opportunities it represents. In 2022, WPP partnered with Epic Games to teach its employees how to take advantage of the Unreal Engine 3D production platform. And in 2020, WPP became the first investor in the in-game advertising network Anzu.
GroupM’s apparent involvement in the WPP-Roblox partnership also reflects WPP’s interest in Roblox’s programmatic advertising inventory. After signing an agreement with PubMatic earlier this year, Roblox has gradually expanded its programming business, and some observers predict that demand-side platforms will begin to offer Roblox software as early as the end of this year.
“I think Roblox’s commitment to building a strong marketing ecosystem, including the news of its programs, shows the commitment of their team in creating a sustainable environment for brands to grow and explore new opportunities,” Reilly said.
Although gaming is fast becoming one of the most popular forms of entertainment, the quality of in-game advertising has not yet risen to match the level of users and engagement within video games.
Historically, brands have seen a lot of value in the integration of cultural games or popular countries, which is common within metaverse platforms such as Roblox and Fortnite. As major media buyers such as GroupM turn their attention to the marketing program part of Roblox, their involvement can help bring more marketers to content-in-game marketing, within Roblox and beyond.
“It’s a powerful statement that these top organizations, who have the media power to finish, recognize the importance of the strategic metaverse of brands within the media mix,” said Ricardo Briceno, chief brand officer of Roblox studio Gamefam. “Because of their power, they will shine more on the reach that Roblox can offer their customers with the key Gen Z and Alpha audience; this will allow other brands to enter the space.”
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