Situation: Roblox isn’t a gaming platform anymore but a place for digital self-expression. In 2023, nearly 1.6 billion clothes and accessories were bought in the Roblox marketplace. Additionally, 56% of Gen Zers now consider avatar styles more important than real-world styles. That the Roblox universe over-emphasises looks is an understatement.

Brief: JBL, the pioneering audio brand, wanted to give self-expression a new form on Roblox. The brief was to create a unique virtual space emphasising sound over visual appearance.

Objectives: JBL aimed to redefine self-expression on Roblox by shifting the focus from virtual looks to sound. Through JBL Land, the brand sought to attract the Gen Z audience by providing a new form of self-expression, challenging the prevailing aesthetics of avatars.

Until JBL Land, looks had always taken the spotlight on Roblox. For players to believe sound could be a strong substitute for style we had to show its potential in an attention-grabbing way. To do so, we took inspiration from an experimental new form of entertainment - movies shot in Roblox!

We created a 20-minute cinematic spectacle - shot entirely inside JBL Land. It was the first ever full-fledged movie made by a brand on Roblox. We teamed up with the creator Robuilds, an up-and-coming creator, to script and direct ours. The story followed her on a daring quest to find her sounds on JBL Land while overcoming significant hurdles along the way. This interplay between storytelling and game mechanics allowed us to showcase JBL Land as a place ripe for exploration and self-expression.

The strategy targeted Gen Zs Roblox users and creators, recognising the platform's emerging trend of movie-making and its appeal to a diverse audience. The relevance to the social platform lies in Roblox's unique culture of self-expression and creativity, aligning with JBL's goal of pioneering innovative brand experiences. By embracing long-form storytelling, JBL differentiated itself from other brands on Roblox, tapping into a new wave of cinema that prioritises storytelling over anything traditional. This approach resonated with the platform's audience, challenging assumptions about short attention spans within the audience and offering a new immersive experience. JBL's strategy aimed to position the brand as a leader in self-expression, driving engagement and relevance in the evolving landscape of social platforms like Roblox.

Compared to regular filmmaking, a Roblox movie follows totally different rules.Implementation involved adhering to Roblox's unique constraints, such as using emotes for facial expressions and the Free Cam mode for shooting. Dynamic zooms, closeups, and experimental angles were employed to maintain engagement despite these limitations. Additionally, Robuilds and supporting characters were cloned to enable simultaneous directing and acting. Four community members were enlisted as co-actors to assist in the filming process. The timeline spanned four days, during which all content was shot inside JBL Land. This approach ensured efficient production while maximising creativity and authenticity. The resulting movie successfully showcased JBL Land's uniqueness within the highly social Roblox platform, offering an entertaining and immersive experience for players.

Our ambitious movie resulted in an outpour of love, appreciation and headlines. We were covered by outlets across the globe, including an Editor’s pick and a ‘Top 5 Metaverse Moments You Should Know’ feature on the marketing publication Adage.

The campaign led to -

- 25M+ views

- 22M impressions

- 500K+ land visits

- 1.1M engagements

Impact: Enhanced brand perception and solidification of JBL's influence within the Roblox community.

Global PR Coverage: 53 Clippings.

Change in behavior: Virtual looks ceased to be the sole means of self-expression.

Community comments such as “This is literally one of the BEST Roblox movies I have ever watched, and is one of my favourites. If only life could be just like that, good vibes, adventure, and good music. DAYUM I am truly impressed. Keep up the good work” or “5/5".