ONLINE GAME, VIRTUAL EXPERIENCE (2022-PRESENT)
Spotify Island on Roblox
Spotify was the first music-streaming brand to have a presence on Roblox, a leading company in the metaverse with a significant Gen Z/Gen Alpha audience and 60+ million daily active users from 180 countries. Spotify created a place where fans can link up and create new sounds together, hang out in digital spaces, and gain access to exclusive virtual merch brought to fans by artists.
Simone was the brand lead for several key activations including the launch of a new music portal that celebrated hip-hop and its culture. She led the development of the game experience brand strategy and 2023 executional roadmap, which centered the pivot from one-off Spotify Island experiences to sustainable always-on franchises. In partnership with game development agency, The Gang, and cross-functional partners, she prioritized measurement systems around user traffic, ensuring efficiency and effectiveness on each activations’ creative and marketing, ultimately to keep Spotify’s experience top-of-mind and enticing Roblox users to come back to the Island.
Soundsphere Dashboard
The Soundsphere was created as the music destination on the Spotify Island mainland and an invitation to musicians everywhere to make and share music. With the Dashboard, gamers can experiment with audio and make unique tracks by mixing a collection of sounds, loops and one-shots exclusively from Soundtrap, a music-creation tool for beatmakers and songwriters.
Spotify Island Pets
The ultimate player companion. These pets are obtainable on the Island as rewards for unlocking new speed-level areas. Pets also help the players progress in the core game. With internal partners, Simone led the introduction of four instrument-inspired animals for players to discover and earn: TumTum (turtle x drum), Searhorn (seahorse x french horn), Tambo (tambourine x axolotl), and Zekey (zebra x keyboard).
Planet Hip-Hop
Fans were invited to discover Planet Hip-Hop, a universe dedicated to the world of genre. This portal was set apart from the Spotify Island mainland with its moodier tones and futuristic aesthetic.
Players are able to customize cars, drive them on the planet’s rings and race their friends at the portal’s Speed Shop. On the hovering dance floor, players can dance with their friends through unique parkour dance sets.
Doechii’s Swamp
In collaboration with hip-hop artist Doechii and her label Top Dawg Entertainment a curated space within Planet Hip-Hop for her was created, highlighting her music and her fandom through a fantastical lore. Doechii is a self-proclaimed “swamp princess,” and Simone worked with the creative team and game agency to create half-woman/half alligator Doechii avatar inspired by her Florida roots. Players could obtain virtual merch from Doechii’s collection.
As players make their way closer to the swamp princess herself, they can “persuade” Doechii (inspired by her hit track “Persuasive”) to let them pass through by answering a series of playful questions. With the right responses, players were then allowed to join her swamp and grow an alligator tail.
Name Crown - Doechii
Doechii Mullet
Princess Wig
Space Glasses
Crocodile Choker
Gator Boots
Alligator Tail - Chrome
Alligator Tail - Gold
Alligator Tail - Purple
Planet Hip-Hop was promoted with cinemagraphs of Doechii, introducing her presence on the island, and a launch trailer teasing the latest game-play experience to Roblox players.
Game Development & Design:
The Gang Sweden, Spotify.
Role:
Brand Manager - Brand Strategy, Creative Strategy, Project Management, Game Production with The Gang.
Creative & Production:
Edward Yeung, Dominique Wynne, Ron Lam, Steven Conaway, Carolina Perez-Siam, Reb Lim, Imani Dixon, Marie Roenn, The Gang Sweden.