Kids industry veteran Rob Doherty has set up a new company called Relevant Content to help clients bridge the gap between traditional media and social gaming platforms like Roblox. 

The goal is to help developers working in this space expand their brands into linear content and streaming—and also to help TV producers and broadcasters figure out how to build brands there. 

For the last two years, Doherty has been consulting with Uplift Games, the Roblox game developer behind Adopt Me! (36.7 billion visits). This experience has given him a deep, first-hand look at how Roblox audiences connect with brands in more interactive and gamified ways, which he says most of the kids TV industry doesn’t fully understand yet. Doherty launched Relevant Content to fill that knowledge gap. He’s also keen to connect producers with social gaming creatives, who think about building brands and connecting with children in fresh ways. 

Developing IPs on Roblox first could give companies more ownership for longer before they need to seek outside financing and give up some rights, he says. Doherty also sees Relevant playing a role in shaping how content is distributed in the future by being involved in creating brands that live on and off these platforms. 

With more than 77 million active daily users worldwide in Q1 2024 (up 17% from the same period last year), Roblox, in particular, is a place where brands have to be to connect with kids. Young digital natives simply expect their favorite IPs to be there. The platform also generated US$923.8 million in quarterly revenue from sales fueled by its virtual currency (a.k.a. bookings), which is a 19% year-over-year increase and a solid indication that Roblox consumer spending is on an upward trajectory.  

“The possibilities of [platforms like Roblox] are exciting to me,” says Doherty, who has previously worked at companies such as CAKE (SVP of production), ITV (producer), Disney (creative manager) and Turnip + Duck (head of content). “I’m in a unique position where I’m immersed in this world and see more and more companies interested in its opportunities.” To those companies, he says: “Let me help you start the process, connect with partners and build content that would work well in Roblox.”