Dive Brief:
- Dentsu Group is supporting the next generation of content creators with a new House of Creators initiative, according to a press release. The global effort makes its debut on gaming platform Roblox.
- The initiative consists of four programs — Creator Acceleration, IP Integration, Partnership and Acceleration, and IP Expansion — that support creators from the process of discovery to business expansion.
- In total, 30 Roblox creators will be selected to take part in the Creator Acceleration program by the end of 2024. The holding company’s move is a sign of the rising influence creators have within the marketing landscape.
Dive Insight:
Dentsu is tapping into hype around content creators with House of Creators, an offering that will support next-gen creatives by providing them with financial support and mentorship. Creators have become an integral part of channels like social media and gaming and, in turn, a major asset for marketers. Forty-four percent of advertisers plan to increase their investment in creators this year, according to a report from the IAB and TalkShoppe.
With House of Creators, Dentsu is currying favor with creators who will “lead the way in solving marketing issues,” including challenges around finding content that generates enthusiasm and strong engagement, the release said. Four programs are included in the initiative, starting with Creator Acceleration, which includes steps like identifying promising creators, supporting content development costs and offering creative business mentoring.
The IP Integration program includes matching existing intellectual property (IP) with creators and holding creative contests. Next, the Partnership and Acceleration program will include investment in existing games and the matching of creators and brands, while the IP Expansion program will offer support for secondary development, such as the extension of content formats, using creators as a starting point.
House of Creators makes its debut on Roblox, with 30 creators to be selected for the Creator Acceleration program by the end of the year. All four of the programs under the initiative will be offered to creators on the gaming platform. As part of the IP Integration and IP Expansion programs, a manga contest in collaboration with publisher Kodansha will be held for Roblox creators, who can submit their original worlds to the contest for the chance for their content to be further developed and made available to readers across the globe as an off-platform IP through Kodansha’s Creators’ Lab editors.
Roblox has continued to be a popular platform for digitally native audiences like Gen Z and is home to a global community of millions of creators. The company in its latest quarter reported a 31% year-over-year boost in revenue for a total of $893.5 million, while daily active users reached 79.5 million, a 21% improvement from the year-ago period. A number of brands have sought a presence on the platform, from E.l.f. Cosmetics to German fashion house Hugo Boss.
A focus on the thriving creator space could help Dentsu as it angles for a bounce back. The holding company saw organic revenue decline 3.7% year over year to $183.8 billion in the first quarter of its fiscal year, including a 6.6% dip in the Americas. Dentsu’s leadership expects an upswing in the remainder of the year, forecasting 1% organic growth.
