Observed Signal · Sep 10, 2026 · Opinion / Interview · Source: The Drum · Impact: 1/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Brand Strategy & Design Market: Roblox Brand Design Should Be Woven into Architecture: HOURS CCO
Maryna Semioshyna, co-founder and chief creative officer of HOURS, a studio specializing in immersive Roblox brand experiences for clients like Lancôme, adidas, and Barbie, discusses her design philosophy ahead of her role as a juror at The Drum Awards Festival. She argues that brand identity must be integrated into the architecture of virtual worlds rather than applied superficially. Semioshyna emphasizes the importance of authenticity over trend-chasing, the need for design, product, and marketing teams to collaborate from the start, and the growing significance of interactive, gameplay-driven design for reaching Gen Z and Gen Alpha. She also comments on AI's role in accelerating production while acknowledging its limitations in understanding empathy and emotional nuance, and predicts that future creative leaders will treat AI as a collaborator.
The article is an interview with a creative studio executive discussing design philosophy and trends in virtual worlds. It provides opinion-level insights rather than hard news or major industry developments. The news is relevant to AdTech/MarTech as it touches on brand engagement in gaming environments, but lacks significant impact.
Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Maryna Semioshyna is co-founder and chief creative officer of HOURS, a studio creating Roblox brand experiences for Lancôme, adidas, and Barbie.
- She is a juror for the design category at The Drum Awards Festival 2026.
- Semioshyna advocates for brand identity to be woven into virtual world architecture rather than applied as an overlay.
- She identifies interactive, immersive, and gameplay-driven design as essential for engaging Gen Z and Gen Alpha.
- She believes AI can speed up asset production but cannot replicate human empathy in design.
Connected Companies & Entities
2 Entities mappedRoblox
Gaming platform with creator economy and native in-game advertising.
“the studio behind immersive brand experiences on Roblox for clients including Lancôme, adidas and Barbie....”
adidas
Global sportswear brand selling footwear, apparel and accessories.
“HOURS, the studio behind immersive brand experiences on Roblox for clients including Lancôme, adidas and Barbie....”
Ontology Mapping & Concepts
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