The 10th Annual Game Marketing Summit takes place this Wednesday, April 22 in San Francisco, providing a full day of informative sessions, top-notch networking, and capped with the presentation of the Game Marketing Awards in the evening.
The general manager of the Game Marketing Summit, Marci Yamaguchi Hughes, took a few moments away from her busy pre-Summit schedule to graciously answer some questions for [a]listdaily about the Game Marketing Summit.
Marci Yamaguchi Hughes
What should marketers expect to learn from the Game Marketing Summit?
Marketers will walk away with actionable information about the latest tools and techniques that their fellow game marketers are successfully using. They will get in-depth information on a wide-range of topics, including psychological marketing, the most recent consumer data, how to connect with player communities, influencer marketing, the future of mobile marketing, and much more. We hope they walk away a little inspired too… with Bing’s keynote on monetization hacking as well as James Buckhouse’s on storytelling and how one can use story driven design to create the most amazing brands and marketing strategies. It is a packed two-track schedule this year!! Our attendees will also have an exceptional opportunity to network with the companies and leaders who can really impact their successes.
How has the Game Marketing Summit changed in its 10 years?
The core goal of providing a place for the amazing community of game marketers to learn and connect has remained constant. GMS’s mission is to arm game industry marketers and creative leaders with the newest and most impactful tools and knowledge — shared by inspirational experts in an environment tailored for optimal career growth and business success. Topics of discussion have of course changed to keep up with the changing industry, but overall GMS remains the industry’s must-attend, and only, conference exclusively for marketing professionals in the interactive game business. And of course, we end the day with the prestigious Game Marketing Awards where we celebrate the finest work by marketing and creative professionals in the interactive game marketing community.
What are the hot topics this year for game marketers to be keeping an eye on?
Monetization Hacking — There are now more ways than ever to monetize and market your company’s content. But how do you navigate all of these options and figure out which one is right for your business Bing Gordon will provide insights on how to do just that during his morning keynote address.
Virtual Reality — Why VR is important as a new form of entertainment and how the experience is different from anything else the audience sees everyday. Getting the folks in the room to understand how they can use VR for their marketing efforts.
The Battle for Influencer Influence in Marketing, What Really Works — Everyone in game marketing is talking about influencers and their increased value to brands. Every company in the world is telling game marketers that they hold the keys to unlocking influencers and their value. This panel will explore and compare leveraging multi-channel networks, talent agencies, versus forging direct relationships with influencers, in both paid and earned models as well as using media dollars and media companies to build brand value and impact. We will feature experts from each approach together on stage to debate the various models, and we’ll talk to brand marketers who have experience in using all of them.
If marketers aren’t able to be at the GMS, will the sessions be available online at some point?
Yes, the Game Marketing Awards will be live streamed for the first time ever on Twitch, and the sessions themselves will be available after the event on our web site, www.gamemarketingsummit.com.
How have the Game Marketing Awards changed in the last ten years?
The awards have always been about shining the spotlight on the most creative, most ground-breaking game marketing campaigns and their creators. This hasn’t changed, and won’t change in the future — it’s the core, and unique, mission of the GMAs. With that said, we have seen an evolution of some award categories over the years as the technologies of both marketing and games have changed — for instance the addition of categories related to mobile games, free to play games, social media, and so forth. And, for example, this year, for the first time, we’ve introduced a “fan favorite” category for best trailer, to give consumers a chance to get involved.
