Brand Panel Real-Use Cases: What’s Working with Metaverse Brand Activations

Robin Rowe is a metaverse producer at Heroic Robots, the metaverse producer of Medics of M.C.A.R.E., an open source AR/VR hospital simulation created at the United Nations World Health Organization. He's also animation software designer for the Disney Marvel motion picture "Spider-Man Far From Home" and Mattel's Barbie Vlogger hit cartoon. A Lenovo ThinkReality AR glasses strategist and software prototype developer, Rowe is also an SAIC chief technologist, enterprise manager and AI research lab director, as well as a DARPA principal investigator with expertise in AI speech recognition and digital video. His work history includes experience as a Navy research scientist, VR war gaming and flight simulation, roles at NBC-TV as a technical director broadcast news and broadcast engineer. He's worked with brands ranging from GoPro and Universal Entertainment to Hollywood Today, Linux Journal, DreamWorks Animation and others.

Jeff Klein is a Senior Executive Director at DKC, one of the nation’s top independent public relations and integrated marketing firms. He oversees the agency’s technology/media division which lives at the intersection of technology and culture. DKC clients in the technology/media division span both blue chip industry leaders and trailblazing start-ups that are disrupting the way we live, the way we consume entertainment, and the way we play.

Tamra Knepfer is the founder and president of Metabrands. The agency helps usher brands into the metaverse, with services ranging from strategic planning to execution across virtual events/concerts, gaming, NFTs and more.  Metabrands is an extension of TK Brand Group LLC, a licensing and influencer marketing agency that Tamra founded in 2010, with clients including Microsoft/Nokia, Comcast, NBCUniversal, Disney, Sony and WaveXR, a company that produces live, interactive virtual concerts. Previously, she was senior vice president at Branded Entertainment Network (BEN), which is privately-owned by Bill Gates. In addition to overseeing Greenlight, a global leader in rights representation and merchandise licensing for classic icons including Albert Einstein, Steve McQueen, Sophia Loren and more. Her career began at The Walt Disney Company, where she managed marketing and licensing programs for Disney Consumer Products. Following Disney, she held various senior-level roles with other major brand owners, including Sesame Workshop, American Greetings, Rodale and Iconix Brand Group/Peanuts Worldwide.

Brian Pittman is an event producer for Ragan Training and a regular contributor to PR Daily, where he interviews industry leaders to help readers improve their careers as communicators. A seasoned journalist and publisher, he's the former editorial director for Bulldog Reporter, CommPRO.biz and Utah Business Magazine, among others. He's also a digital marketer and content strategist with LA-area agencies, as well as an executive producer on multiple films and documentaries.