Dentsu Hosted Session Titled “Igniting with Creators” with UGC Creator and Roblox at Cannes Lions

Dentsu (Brand: dentsu; Headquarters: Dentsu Group Inc.; Location: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President & Global CEO: Takeshi Sano, hereinafter Dentsu Group Inc. and its group companies are collectively referred to as “dentsu”) hosted a session titled “Igniting with Creators” that focused on the evolving relationship between communities and the content business for companies and brands, in Cannes, France, during the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity 2026, the world's largest creativity festival.

During the session, multifaceted discussions explored how the expansion of content creation from corporations to individuals is giving rise to new possibilities through the convergence of technology, entertainment, and next-generation creators, and how these developments can help drive the future growth of the content business.

From the left:
Moderator: Aoi Yamamoto, Global Business Development Office, Dentsu Group Inc.
Speakers:
Dominik Hadlow, Founder, DOMZ 　
Lisa Willett, Senior Director Global Strategic Partnerships, Roblox
Sigmund Bjørnhaug, Executive Director, GeekOut Studio

At the outset, dentsu’s Global Business Development Office introduced its co-creation platform, “House of Creators^*1.” Highlighting how the rapid advancement of AI is dramatically increasing the volume of content, the session emphasized how building engagement and trust with communities has become more important than ever. Against this backdrop, the session highlighted UGC (User Generated Content) creators active across various platforms, exploring the potential of content co-created with them and how their creativity can deepen community engagement. 

As a concrete example illustrating the strong interrelationship between creativity, community, and engagement, Sigmund Bjørnhaug of GeekOut Studio, a studio operated by GeekOut, introduced “Egg Hunt,” a large-scale adventure RPG event that has long been popular on Roblox^*2. Originally launched on the Roblox in 2008, the event experienced a hiatus before successfully achieving its community-led crowdfunding goal within 48 hours at the end of last year and is now aiming to launch in summer 2026. This initiative was shared as a symbolic example demonstrating the community’s sustained passion and deep engagement over the long term.

Lisa Willett of Roblox introduced “Roblox Brand Link,” an official matching and co-creation program that connects companies and brands with popular creators and game experiences on the platform, along with specific examples of brand and IP collaborations. From a platform perspective, she highlighted the importance of designing collaborative opportunities that connect brands, IP, and creators in ways that feel natural to the community while delivering meaningful value.

Furthermore, Dominik Hadlow, a UGC creator with a strong track record of collaborations with leading global companies, shared insights from his own experience on how companies and brands should engage and communicate with creators. He also discussed the potential for new value through co-creation with next-generation creators, while offering perspectives on how companies, brands, and agencies can more effectively harness their creativity.

During the panel discussion, participants exchanged their distinct perspectives, highlighting the importance of viewing creators as key partners in value creation. It was also demonstrated that building relationships that maximize their creativity, thereby enhancing community engagement, will be a critical factor shaping the future growth of the content business.

Going forward, dentsu will continue to expand the possibilities for new content businesses and value creation through co-creation with next-generation creators and diverse partners, thereby contributing to its global growth.

*1 “Dentsu Launches ‘House of Creators’ to Inspire Excitement Worldwide by Supporting Next Generation Content Creators” (News Release from Dentsu Group Inc., September 11, 2024)
URL: https://www.group.dentsu.com/en/news/release/001305.html

*2 Roblox is an immersive gaming and creation platform that offers people millions of ways to be together, inviting its community to explore, create, and share endless unique games.
Its vision is to reimagine the way people come together– in a world that's safe, civil, and optimistic. To achieve this vision, we are building an innovative company that, together, with the Roblox community, has the ability to strengthen our social fabric and support economic growth for people around the world.
For more about Roblox, please visit their website (https://corp.roblox.com/).

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Contact:
Jumpei Kojima, Akiko Shimadzu, Emi Harada
Group Corporate Communications Office, Dentsu Group Inc.
Email: group-cc@dentsu.com