Zachary Rozga: Gamers, AI, and the Quest to Make Advertising Fun Again

Zachary Rozga isn’t just another executive tossing jargon into the void. He’s the guy who looked at the modern advertising playbook—interruption-driven, uninspired, and as memorable as a middle school PowerPoint—and decided to throw it in the trash. Armed with a vision, a flair for gamification, and a mustache that could rival Burt Reynolds, Rozga is transforming ads into experiences people might actually want to talk about.

His company, Thece, short for The Consumer Engagement Company, isn’t about running the same old play. It’s about building campaigns that feel more like quests and less like desperate interruptions. Rozga is proving that authenticity isn’t a buzzword when it’s done right—and that the future of marketing might just look a lot more like gaming than we ever imagined.

Ads That Don’t Interrupt—They Invite

“Most advertising that takes place in games is interrupted,” Rozga said during our conversation. “What we’ve designed is a system where your favorite game—let’s say it’s FIFA—the only thing we ask you to do is play your favorite game with your friends, record it, and show us that you kicked their ass. And once you did, I’m going to reward you for that.”

Let that sink in. Rozga isn’t asking you to sit through a 15-second pre-roll ad for toothpaste before you can respawn. He’s meeting gamers where they already are, making their time and attention feel valued instead of hijacked. And here’s the kicker: The rewards aren’t just meaningless digital badges—they’re real, tangible prizes.

Take Thece’s Miracle-Gro Challenge. Yes, that Miracle-Gro. You might think a fertilizer company and gaming go together like pineapple and pizza, but Rozga saw an opportunity to bring the two worlds together. “Grow a garden in your favorite virtual game, make sure you use some fertilizer, and we’ll reward you in the real world,” he explained.

What could have been a corny, cringe-worthy campaign instead became a hit. Thece didn’t force Miracle-Gro into a game it didn’t belong in. Instead, they found authentic connections to games like Stardew Valley and Minecraft, where growing crops and cultivating virtual gardens are central to the experience. “It’s all about finding an element that resonates with what is already in the game and is authentic,” Rozga said.

Authenticity: The Buzzword That Actually Matters

If there’s one thing Rozga gets, it’s that gamers—especially Gen Z—don’t want to be sold to. They’ve grown up in a digital world filled with ads, and they’ve developed a finely tuned radar for anything that feels fake or forced.

“Gaming... it’s not just like a media diet. It’s actually like a habitual habit,” Rozga explained. “What brands have come to realize is that in order to integrate into gaming, you’ve got to find something that’s authentic.”

This isn’t just theory; it’s practice. Thece works to create campaigns that align with gamers’ interests and habits, crafting challenges that enhance the gaming experience rather than detract from it. “We ran a campaign where the call to action wasn’t ‘buy my toothpaste,’” Rozga said. “It was, ‘Hey, come play with us and win something epic.’”

But what happens when brands get it wrong? Rozga doesn’t shy away from the brutal honesty of gamers. During the Miracle-Gro Challenge, some critics accused Thece of ripping off Stardew Valley’s intellectual property. Rozga addressed the controversy head-on, pointing out that Thece had no intention of stealing from anyone and had even been endorsed by Stardew Valley’s business development team. “One thing is very, very true in gaming,” he said. “If you don’t get the trolls coming after you, you’ve not been heard or seen.”

AI: The Savior That Isn’t Ready for Prime Time

While the industry falls over itself to proclaim AI the next messiah of marketing, Rozga is a bit more skeptical. “There’s obviously a rush towards all these AI automated solutions,” he said. “But they’re not ready for prime time by and large.”

Rozga sees the potential in AI but warns that it’s no magic wand. “If you haven’t created a resonance with [your audience] and their community, they’ll ignore it and bash it,” he said. “But if you’ve already built credibility, they’re absolutely open to technology—and that includes AI.”

In other words, AI can’t replace the human element; it can only enhance it. Brands that rely solely on AI-driven automation risk alienating their audiences instead of engaging them. Rozga’s approach is simple: start with authenticity and trust, then use AI to scale those relationships—not the other way around.

Gamers as the Heartbeat of Culture

For Zachary Rozga, gaming transcends mere entertainment. It’s not just something you do to kill time or unwind after work—it’s a global cultural phenomenon that unites people across demographics, geographies, and generations. “Esports is a subset of competitive gaming,” Rozga explained. “Competitive gaming is much bigger than esports because people play games because they’re competitive, because they have this competitive spirit.”

This insight highlights something crucial: gaming isn’t confined to the flashy tournaments and pro players you see on Twitch. Sure, esports gets a lot of attention with its million-dollar prize pools and celebrity gamers, but it’s just the tip of the iceberg. Beneath it lies a vast and vibrant world of competitive gaming—spanning everything from casual mobile gamers battling it out in Candy Crush to diehard fans competing in niche strategy games. It’s this broader competitive gaming landscape that Rozga sees as fertile ground for brands to connect authentically.

Rozga is laser-focused on the communal and deeply human aspects of gaming. “What binds everybody together is that experience of me combating you, you combating somebody else,” he said. “And that’s what generates that sort of community.” Gaming isn’t just about winning; it’s about the shared thrill of competition, the camaraderie of teaming up, and the bragging rights of a well-earned victory. These are universal human experiences that resonate beyond the screen, creating emotional connections that brands can tap into—if they do it right.

Thece is designed to amplify this energy. By creating gamified challenges that reward players for their skills and achievements, Rozga’s team builds campaigns that don’t feel like ads—they feel like extensions of the gaming experience itself. These challenges aren’t just about giving players something to do; they’re about celebrating what players already love. Whether it’s showcasing their expertise in a specific game, competing against friends, or simply being part of something bigger, these experiences tap into what makes gaming so powerful: the sense of belonging.

Rozga also points out that gaming, as a cultural touchstone, is much more diverse and inclusive than many people realize. “We often have this rigid idea of what a gamer is,” Rozga noted. “But gaming today spans everything from the person grinding in Call of Duty all night to someone quietly solving puzzles in Candy Crush while waiting in line at Starbucks. It’s a habit, a part of everyday life, for people of all kinds.”

This inclusivity is a key part of why gaming has become a cultural heartbeat. It’s not limited to one type of player or one kind of experience. It’s a shared language that connects people, whether they’re competing in a virtual soccer match, building digital worlds in Minecraft, or even playing low-stakes games like Wordle.

And for brands? The potential is limitless—if they’re willing to show up authentically. “Thece doesn’t try to reinvent what gaming is,” Rozga said. “We find ways to fit into what gamers are already doing and enhance it. That’s the secret sauce.” By respecting the culture and focusing on experiences that feel organic, Thece creates campaigns that resonate in ways traditional advertising never could.

In a world where ads are often viewed as an unwelcome intrusion, Rozga’s approach is refreshingly different. Gaming isn’t just a channel; it’s a culture. And Rozga is proving that when brands engage with that culture authentically, the results can be game-changing.

Building a Brand That Matters

For Zachary Rozga, the goal of marketing isn’t just to churn out campaigns that check a box. It’s about creating something that actually matters to the people involved—whether they’re employees, clients, or the end consumer.

“If you’re not happy in your job, you won’t do a good job,” Rozga said, quoting his late mentor Len Cordiner. “What you do should add value to not only yourself, but your employees and your customers, regardless of whether or not that is going to drive to a billion.”

Rozga’s approach to success goes beyond dollar signs. “This age of AI will only make authenticity more valuable,” he explained. “If you can truly bring your best self—and your best work—to your clients, you’ll be rewarded for that.”

It’s a philosophy that prioritizes connection over conversion, proving that when work has meaning, the results are more than just numbers on a spreadsheet.

The Future of Thece

Looking ahead, Rozga isn’t content to rest on his laurels. He’s already thinking about how to make Thece’s campaigns even more innovative, even more impactful. Whether it’s introducing prizes that money can’t buy or partnering with brands to create unforgettable experiences, Rozga is always looking for the next big idea.

And if his mustache could talk? It would probably say, “Hang on tight, because we’re just getting started.”

WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW ON YOUTUBE