#174 – MINI at gamescom and cosnova on Roblox: How brands create real closeness – Martin Zhang, Global Business Director JvM NERD (German)

Damian and Thomas claim they’re not nerds.

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Martin, on the other hand, definitely is. He’s a proud nerd and also Global Business Director at Jung von Matt NERD.

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In this episode, we talk with him about everything that’s happening right now when brands try to connect with younger audiences. Some jump on K-pop or gaming just because everyone else is doing it. Others get it right.

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Martin shares how MINI presented its new car at gamescom – not at the IAA, but where the audience actually is. And how cosnova built its own game world on Roblox, where a lip gloss turned into a virtual island. The community could even take part in shaping it, instead of just watching.

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We also talk about Chinese pop culture, TikTok Shop, artificial intelligence – and what all of this has to do with smart brand management.

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And finally, the question remains: maybe nerds are actually a bit cooler than non-nerds?

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