The Death of Boring Ads: Inside Immersive Marketing with Sawhorse’s Nic Hill

Nic Hill has spent the last decade helping brands evolve from traditional spots to immersive, interactive experiences. As co-founder and Chief Innovation Officer at Sawhorse, he’s worked with Walmart, Alo, and other major brands to build worlds on platforms like Roblox and Fortnite that audiences actually choose to spend time in. In this episode, Nic joins host Will Trowbridge to unpack how Sawhorse went from a scrappy production company to a leader in interactive marketing, why Gen Z audiences are forcing brands to rethink everything, and what it really takes to create branded experiences that feel like entertainment instead of ads. They get into the risks of going all‑in on a creative company, what metrics actually matter in immersive environments, and how AI fits into the future of production without replacing human storytelling. In this episode, we cover: 00:00 – Introduction & welcome 02:02 – From filmmaker to co‑founder and the pivot into interactive 04:20 – Early days of Sawhorse and landing bigger brand work 05:22 – The “this could work” moment and going all‑in on the company 09:12 – Why nothing can fully prepare you for entrepreneurship 09:49 – How Sawhorse became a leader in interactive marketing and gaming 11:00 – Why traditional entertainment marketing is being disrupted 13:00 – What immersive marketing really is (and why Nic hates most ads) 15:21 – Inside Walmart’s Roblox world and multi‑platform campaign strategy 17:34 – Being both innovation partner and ROI‑driven marketer for brands 18:43 – Defining success: KPIs, flywheels, and always‑on campaigns 24:30 – What Gen Z actually wants and how UGC communities “vote” on content 26:15 – Busting the “gamer = teenage boy in a basement” stereotype 26:28 – Gaming as mainstream behavior across every demographic 27:02 – How Sawhorse is thinking about AI in production 29:58 – Looking ahead: the future of immersive marketing and Sawhorse’s next chapter About Nic Hill: Nic Hill is the co-founder and Chief Innovation Officer at creative agency Sawhorse, where he leads award-winning branded content, gaming, and immersive marketing work for some of the world’s biggest brands. He’s also the co-host of Brands In Play, an immersive marketing podcast exploring how culture, technology, and play are reshaping the future of advertising. On the show, Nic interviews leaders from brands, platforms, and agencies about what’s next for consumer engagement. He’s passionate about the evolving marketing landscape and the role emerging technologies play in how audiences connect with brands.  About This Could Work:  This Could Work, a Webby-award winning podcast hosted by Saylor CEO Will Trowbridge, celebrates creative risk-taking and the people reshaping the future of brands.  Follow Saylor:  Website: www.sayloragency.com Instagram: @SaylorAgency LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/saylor-agency/