by GENNA ROSENBERG, Founder, GennComm, GennComm ImaGENNation, Play with Purpose
This summer, I attended the Social Innovation Summit (SIS) in Atlanta, where more than 1,000 corporate leaders and change agents gathered to discuss some of society’s most serious challenges, from mental health and homelessness to inclusion, sustainability, and food waste. Yet one of my biggest takeaways wasn’t tied to a specific cause. It was a lesson in engagement from a playbook based on play.
For those of us in the toy industry, this shouldn’t come as a surprise. We don’t just sell products. We create anticipation, discovery, challenge, achievement, collectability, and reward. Just walk the aisles at Toy Fair. The busiest booths are often the ones inviting buyers to play, compete, discover, or win. People are more likely to engage when they become active participants. They may not always remember what they’re told, but they sure do remember getting in the game.
I loved seeing these principles applied to social impact. Organizations at the event created gamified experiences that kept attendees engaged and listening closely, increasing the odds they’d remember the mission after the event. It was a reminder that play can be the catalyst for serious work.
There were a few standout examples. Lululemon’s social impact work focuses on mental health and wellness, a natural extension of its brand values. The company also wanted to make an impression on prospective partners and chose to incorporate a giant, toy-industry-inspired vending machine to help achieve that.
The activation generated long lines of excited attendees who were more than happy to learn about the company’s support of more than 290 organizations and its progress toward investing $100 million in well-being initiatives by 2030 — all for a chance to win branded prizes. More importantly, the Lululemon team orchestrated a memorable experience that people eagerly embraced.
In the main conference hall, hundreds of attendees joined giant games of Simon Says led by Steve Max, the Master of Simon Sez. Adults playing Simon Says may have seemed unexpected at a serious social impact conference, but the activity got people moving and created a sense of community and genuine joy. People who had arrived as strangers bonded as they played together for the big win.
Other SIS partners gamified their experiences, reinforcing their missions through fun, play, and games that everyone could participate in. At the Amazon Web Services (AWS) booth, AWS used trivia questions, games, and prizes to demonstrate how it supports nonprofits and advances meaningful social impact. I also won a limited-edition AWS Odwalla water bottle — score!
It made me wonder: How might our industry continue to lead in this space?
Many toy and licensing companies already support charitable causes, educational initiatives, sustainability efforts, and community partnerships. They also create adaptive products. But what if we applied the same creativity we use to engage buyers to inform and inspire people around purpose?
A literacy program might use rewards to keep kids engaged in reading. A sustainability campaign could boost participation through games or prizes. Cause-related marketing could give people a meaningful way to take part, rather than just telling people that something matters.
The strongest social impact work will not always come from the company with the sharpest slogan or the biggest campaign. It may come from the companies that give people a reason to step in, join the effort, and feel connected to it. People see countless messages every day. The ones they act on are usually the ones that ask something of them. In other words, participation is what makes impact stick.
Stay on the Pulse of Play!
This feature is a digital companion to The Toy Book‘s 2026 Action, Adventure, & Mystery Issue. Read the full issue here!
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