Justin Hochberg, CEO of Virtual Brand Group, discusses his career in storytelling, technology, and commerce, highlighting his work with brands like Barbie, Forever 21, and NBC. He emphasizes the importance of brands leveraging new platforms like Roblox and Fortnite for product development and engagement, citing Forever 21's success with virtual fashion that led to physical product lines. Hochberg also addresses the evolving role of AI in entertainment and the impact of global content distribution, noting the shift from traditional Hollywood models to a more decentralized, creator-driven landscape. He advocates for brands to focus on innovative storytelling and strategic partnerships to stay relevant.
Justin W. Hochberg is the CEO and co-founder of Virtual Brand Group (VBG), an award-winning strategic growth agency that “gamifys” brands, transforming corporate messages and products into experiences that make Gen. Z and Alpha feel your “vibe”. Global brands like Barbie, NBC, Forever 21, and The Voice trust us to as to deliver better ROI marketing, deepen their consumers relationships and create new revenue streams across Roblox, Sandbox, virtual fashion platforms and on television where we originated $350MM in brand integrations.
They launched the 3rd brand ever on Roblox and are responsible for the first product created there that then sold physically nationwide, first integration of virtual products with a brand’s e-commerce platform and creating original IP characters that are becoming TV series. Speed to impact is essential today. Let’s get started.
Time Stamps:
0:00 - Justin's career beginnings and Virtual Brand Group
2:19 - Emerging Trends in Gaming and the Metaverse
5:58 - Brands embracing Gaming and AI Hype
9:51 - AI's Role in Entertainment and Hollywood's Evolution
14:54 - Virtual Brand Group's Projects and Successes
19:24 - The Future of Reality TV and Creator Economy
27:09 - Justin's Passion for Storytelling and Content
35:44 - Closing thoughts from Justin