When unpacking the success behind a branded Roblox experience, the event sidebar is a logical place to start. But this promotional feature, which has helped to make some of Roblox’s biggest brand activations, has recently been scrapped by the virtual gaming giant.
From traditional media buying and homepage takeovers, to free UGC items and in-experience portals, brands now have to get a little more creative when it comes to activating in Roblox. So, how did H&M do it?
A fresh approach
Launching in January 2023, clothing brand H&M created a permanent, branded experience, Loooptopia. Spread across four themed areas, users are able to collect raw elements that can be combined to create thousands of unique, in-game items, as well as trade with friends and recycle old clothes to earn new, rare elements.
In its first month, engagement lagged behind similar activations, with minimal promotion and no sidebar to feature in.
But one month in, as Loooptopia dropped a collection of UGC items (user generated content), interest in H&M’s activation skyrocketed.
A winning strategy?
So, how have free UGC items impacted Loooptopia? For starters, the most popular item, a puffer jacket, has been claimed by over 350,000 users, while over 60% of unique visits to Loooptopia have taken place since the UGC drop.
Following the UGC launch, H&M has simultaneously ramped up its sponsorships on Roblox to drive more visits to, and engagements with, Loooptopia.
The success of this strategy is clear. The brand spent the first month of Loooptopia’s existence optimising the experience and focusing on enrichment of the Roblox community, namely through user generated content – and it seems to have paid off.
Key takeaways
As H&M adopted a multi-faceted approach to Roblox that included traditional advertising and sponsorship, its focus on the community and UGC was arguably its most effective tactic. This had a direct impact on experience visits and favourites, with regular updates that encouraged users to keep returning.
For brands to win in Roblox, they must listen to the community. Many don’t, but H&M did.
With over 1.73 million views of organic content about Loooptopia by Roblox users, it seems that the absence of the event sidebar has only encouraged the likes of H&M to seek new ways to engage and listen to the community – and it’s working.
