Explore every episode of the podcast The Speakeasy
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fun, Audience, and Franchise: How Subway Surfers Made it to the Oscars | 27 août 2026 | 00:59:36 | |
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 -- 🌐 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: info@seg3.com | |||
| From Bluey to Doctor Who: How BBC Studios Grows its Iconic IP | 20 août 2026 | 00:59:36 | |
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? -- 🌐 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: info@seg3.com | |||
| Racing, Roblox, and Building Fandom of Formula E | 13 août 2026 | 00:56:13 | |
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? -- 🌐 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: info@seg3.com | |||
| How Ubisoft turns Video Games into Transmedia Franchises | 06 août 2026 | 00:49:20 | |
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 -- 🌐 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: info@seg3.com | |||
| Storytelling as Strategy: Inside Banijay Branded Entertainment | 30 juil. 2026 | 00:48:36 | |
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 -- 🌐 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: info@seg3.com | |||
| Behind the Scenes of the World’s Largest Marathon | 23 juil. 2026 | 00:56:22 | |
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 -- 🌐 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: info@seg3.com | |||
| The AI Innovation Bringing Hasbro's Characters to Life | 09 juil. 2026 | 00:45:48 | |
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? -- 🌐 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: info@seg3.com | |||
| How Wimbledon Balances Heritage and Innovation | 02 juil. 2026 | 01:02:31 | |
00:00 – Introduction 02:20 – How Wimbledon is serving their 750 million global fanbase 05:30 – The shifting media landscape, and Wimbledon's distribution strategy 08:15 – Wimbledon's 35-year partnership with IBM, and how its helping them drive innovation 11:10 – Wimbledon's AI journey 12:10 – Match Chat, Live Likelihood to Win, and the AI features redefining the on-court experience 17:35 – Why a multi-year delivery cycle is key to fan retention 21:00 – How Wimbledon is leveraging data, fan research and pilot programs to decide on where to place their bets 28:00 – Why ticket accessibility is so fundamental to the Wimbledon Brand 32:30 – The 100+ year partnership with the BBC, and their new launches for the 2026 Championships 43:10 – Wimbledon's gaming strategy, and their new launches on Roblox for the 2026 Championships. 44:00 – Wimbledon's approach to storytelling and entertainment 52:10 – The KPI's that Wimbledon are judging success in gaming around 58:00 – The vision for the next 5 years, and how they plan to serve every type fan a relevant, curated experience at scale -- -- 🌐 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: info@seg3.com | |||
| The Era of Immersive Marketing | 16 avr. 2026 | 00:35:57 | |
00:00 – Introduction 03:00 – Nic's journey from indie filmmaking to Fortnite builds 06:00 – Why meeting players inside the experience itself matters most. 08:30 – The real benefit that today's biggest platforms offer to brands. 10:00 – Why certain brands should opt for owned, always-on experiences vs integrations 13:00 – Inside Sawhorse’s biggest brand partnerships. 15:45 – What made the How to Train Your Dragon activation a success? 18:45 – What can gaming learn from music when it comes to fan relationships? 24:00 – The pitfalls of building for your brand, not your audience. 28:40 – What does the future of in-game advertising look like? 33:00 – Why the gamification of entertainment matters for brands trying to reach younger generations. 35:00 — Closing thoughts. -- 🌐 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: info@seg3.com | |||
| Investment, Innovation & Growing Bandai Namco’s Franchises | 02 avr. 2026 | 00:45:02 | |
00:00 – How connecting with fans leads to monetisation. 03:00 – What does a winning IP strategy look like with legacy franchises? 10:30 – What does a typical day look like across partnerships, licensing, and venture investing? 13:50 – How the Zero to One Fund helps Bandai Namco to keep ahead of the industry. 16:40 – Should gaming companies invest in content or technology? 19:50 – Where does the best deal flow come from in gaming? 21:40 – How to decide whether to build, buy, invest, or partner? 25:00 – What gives a company a competitive edge in gaming in 2026? 27:30 – Where is the next generation of gamers playing? 30:45 – The strategy to generating long-term success in a hit-driven entertainment and games business. 35:00 – How is the industry adapting to UGC and shifting platform models? 39:00 – Why fandom and community engagement more important than ever. 42:30 – How do legacy IPs like Pac-Man and Gundam stay relevant for decades? 44:30 – Closing thoughts. -- 🌐 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: info@seg3.com | |||
| Star Wars, Emerging Technology, and Immersive Storytelling | 19 mars 2026 | 00:41:25 | |
0:00: Introduction 01:00 Why being okay with failure is the key to innovation. 4:00: What does it actually take to build a franchise? 6:00: How do you grow an iconic franchise without losing its core fans? 8:50: The secret to keeping your IP cohesive across films, series, games, and merchandise. 12:00: The steps to avoiding franchise fatigue. 14:00: The challenges translating IP into immersive experiences 19:30: How do you measure success on emerging platforms? 27:00: Why knowing what platform to choose is as important as the story itself. 35:15: What does it take to build and sustain a franchise for generations? -- 🌐 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: info@seg3.com | |||
| Building at the Frontier: How AI Is Reshaping Games, Creativity and the Future of Play | 05 mars 2026 | 00:44:01 | |
00:00 – Introduction 04:00 – How mobile gaming and traditional gaming really differ. 06:00 – What it takes to make a 'mega hit game' and the commercial opportunities with mobile-first companies. 11:10 – Fitting AI into gaming and its impact on content, production, and development. 14:45 – How AI addresses the biggest bottleneck: the ability to produce high-quality content. 17:30 – What an "AI-native game" looks like, providing a failed prototype example. 23:00 - Finding the balance between IP Protection & use of AI. 25:50 – How AI can accelerate designing of games? 30:40 – Where the divergence of "games as art" and "games as a business" comes in. 35:00 – What are the capabilities in AI beyond LLMs? 40:00 – Managing investment downturns and negative consumer sentiment around AI adoption in games. 43:30 – Final thoughts. -- 🌐 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: info@seg3.com | |||
| The Economics of Fandom: Sports Loyalty Programs Explained | 19 févr. 2026 | 00:41:07 | |
00:00 – Intro 02:30 – From selling attention to building relationships 06:00 – Why loyalty in sport feels underdeveloped 09:00 – What modern loyalty could look like 12:00 – Making it simple for fans 15:00 – Why “cool” ideas using blockchain aren't enough anymore 18:30 – How Starbucks & airlines do loyalty 22:00 – The Cleveland Cavaliers case study 26:00 – From passive watching to active participation 30:00 – Why sponsors care about this shift 34:00 – Owning the fan relationship 37:30 – What's the commercial potential of loyalty programs? 40:00 – Final thoughts & wrap up ---- -- 🌐 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: info@seg3.com | |||
| The Clipping Economy: Driving Social Proof at Scale - Yuriy Yarovoy | 05 févr. 2026 | 00:42:14 | |
--- 00:00 – Welcome & the rise of the clipping economy 03:00 – Attention is earned, not bought 06:40 – Belonging as a growth strategy 10:20 – From funnel to leapfrog 13:45 – The psychology of shared moments 17:20 – Designing for trust-based discovery 21:00 – Community building in low-friction environments 24:15 – The Three R's to measure growth beyond views and clicks 28:00 – Designing campaigns that create culture 32:30 – Rethinking brand presence in gaming 36:00 – Lessons for anyone building community-led platforms 40:20 – Final reflections --- -- 🌐 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: info@seg3.com | |||
| Inside Dentsu: A CMO's Guide to Investing in Gaming - Brent Koning | 21 janv. 2026 | 00:50:46 | |
00:00 – Intro & welcome 02:00 – Brent’s background & career journey 08:30 – What dentsu’s gaming role actually looks like 14:30 – Why gaming has been misunderstood by marketers 21:00 – Gaming’s role in the modern marketing mix 27:30 – How brands should think about entering gaming 34:30 – Brand integrations, culture & UGC 41:00 – IP, fandom & the future of games 47:30 – Final advice for brands & CMOs 50:00 – Wrap-up & closing -- 🌐 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: info@seg3.com | |||
| Inside NASCAR: Innovation & Gaming in Sports with Mitch Rasmussen | 08 janv. 2026 | 00:47:43 | |
Inside NASCAR: Innovation & Gaming in Sports with Mitch Rasmussen 03:10 – The pace of innovation 06:40 – Small wins vs big swings 10:15 – Where NASCAR is investing attention right now 14:20 – Youth audiences vs traditional audiences 18:10 – NASCAR’s UGC gaming strategy 21:30 – Driving Empire: breaking down the numbers 25:40 – Integrating sponsors authentically 30:05 – NASCAR's Broadcast work with FOX Sports, Meta & Xtadium 35:10 – How to evaluate disruptive tech 41:20 – Lessons for other brands and rights holders 44:30 – Closing thoughts -- 🌐 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: info@seg3.com | |||
| Inside Abstract: Fans, Culture & Consumer Crypto with Michael Lee | 25 sept. 2025 | 00:55:38 | |
0:00 - Intro and Michael's background 55:00 - Close -- 🌐 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: info@seg3.com | |||
| Inside Coca-Cola: The Key to Culture Marketing with Stefan Rothenbuehler | 11 sept. 2025 | 00:37:28 | |
00:00 – Intro & Stefan’s background 03:20 – Coke’s philosophy on partnerships 07:45 – Balancing heritage with staying relevant 12:10 – Activating partnerships authentically 18:35 – Case Study: Beetlejuice Beetlejuice x Fanta 25:15 – Why Halloween matters 31:40 – Chalk Talk 38:50 – Closing thoughts -- 🌐 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: info@seg3.com | |||
| Inside Major League Soccer: Growing Fandom through Technology & Innovation with Chris Blivin | 28 août 2025 | 00:51:16 | |
Soccer’s booming in the US - and with the World Cup on the horizon and momentum building toward the 2028 Olympics, Major League Soccer is right at the heart of it. - How the MLS is taking its IP beyond soccer and into pop culture - Their partnerships across gaming, collectibles & web3 - Their fan engagement strategy for the 2026 World Cup - What tech businesses really need to know to succeed in the sports industry - His career journey from Sportfive to PGA Tour to Major League Soccer - And plenty more along the way… -- 🌐 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: info@seg3.com | |||
| Inside Roblox: Growing the World's Largest Gaming Platform with Lisa Willett | 14 août 2025 | 00:32:39 | |
Roblox & Growing the World's Largest Gaming Platform – Lisa Willett With over 100 million daily players, Roblox isn’t just a game — it’s where millions of people hang out, create and shape culture every day. From building worlds with friends to joining virtual concerts and sports events, it’s become a playground for imagination and a powerful stage for brands looking to connect with the next generation. In this episode, Lisa Willett, Roblox’s Director of Global Partnerships, lifts the lid on how the platform works to integrate global brands — from NFL and Netflix to Lionsgate and Warner Bros. — and why UGC gaming is becoming one of the most important tools in the marketing playbook. Exploring how brands can show up authentically, the strategies driving fandom, and how Roblox is professionalising into a billion-dollar creator economy, as well as:
🎬 Filmed at Sky Guild Gaming Centre in the Ginx TV Studio
-- 🌐 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: info@seg3.com | |||
| Trailer - The Speakeasy: Inside Roblox | 11 août 2025 | 00:00:49 | |
The Speakeasy is a podcast that takes you behind-the-scenes at your favourite sports, entertainment and gaming brands, giving you a glimpse into the day-to-day of the people running the show. Follow now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favourite podcast app! -- 🌐 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: info@seg3.com | |||