Today we're thrilled to welcome Max Albert, CEO and co-founder of Adrenaline Interactive, an Ann Arbor-based startup revolutionizing in-game advertising.
Max went from software engineer at Ford to creating a top 10 mobile game with tens of thousands of daily players—then discovered the massive opportunity to help brands like FIFA, Dr. Squatch, and Chipotle reach Gen Z gamers through seamless product placement in Fortnite, Roblox, and Discord.
In this episode, Max shares how he's building the future of advertising in gaming's $250 billion industry.
Key Topics Covered:
• How Max quit Ford to build Deep Pass Jam, a top 10 NFL mobile game
• Why interstitial ads ruin the gaming experience (and what works instead)
• The Sydney Sweeney Dr. Squatch campaign that reached 500K+ Fortnite players
• How brands can reach Gen Z where they actually spend their time—in games
• Brand safety considerations for gaming advertising
• The "platformification" of gaming: Roblox, Fortnite, Genshin Impact, and what's next
• Why gaming is now bigger than movies and music combined
• Building Adrenaline Interactive from manual service to automated platform
• Real-time bidding coming to in-game ads in 2026
• Michigan's growing gaming and startup ecosystem
• Practical advice for brands considering gaming advertising
Links:
Adrenaline Interactive: https://www.adrenalineinteractive.ai
Game Jam Podcast: https://www.gamejampodcast.com
Max Albert on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/max-albert-4b0b02a9/
Deep Pass Jam: Available on iOS and Android
What is The Ryan Morrison Show?
Welcome to The Ryan Morrison Show.Each week, I sit down with CEOs, founders, and unconventional thinkers to unpack the stories behind their success — and the inner work it took to get there. We go beyond the highlight reel to explore mindset, leadership, business, and what it really takes to build something that matters.If you're building a business, a brand, or a better version of yourself — you're in the right place.🎙️ New episodes weekly💡 Unfiltered insights from the front lines📍For CEOs, founders, unconventional thinkersSubscribe now.