Ayzenberg and [a]list have revealed the schedule and lineup for [a]list summit San Francisco 2013, kicking off the same week the Game Developers Conference (GDC) turns the city into the epicenter of the game industry.
Once again the summit turns its attention to an evolving trend in game marketing, this time covering how publishers and developers are coping with the most divided market in the history of games. Digital games on PC, tablets and mobile haven’t only segmented the marketplace, they’ve scattered gamers’ attention. The environment today is a fiercely competitive battleground for awareness.
The summit covers what it labels “The New Rules of Engagement.” It looks at how creative methods of content marketing are now part of the game marketer’s arsenal, from new approaches to videos to the still growing influence of social media and the rise of eSports. The lineup of speakers crosscuts traditional and digital game publishing. Senior marketers from stalwarts such as EA, Square Enix and Warner Bros. join those squarely in the digital space, such as Sony Online, Wargaming and Trion.
For this summit, [a]list is partnered with Game Connection, the hugely successful networking event for game publishers and developers now in its tenth year in the US. This year, Game Connection runs March 25-27, once again taking over the Sir Francis Drake Hotel.
The [a]list summit portion of the event is a full day of speakers and panel sessions scheduled for Monday, March 25. Capping the summit will be a ceremony for the winners of the [a]list-sponsored Game Connection Marketing Awards.
Those who register for [a]list summit SF also get access to the full lineup of sessions being offered by Game Connection America on Tuesday, March 26. (Register for “Conference Pass” here.)
Announced sessions and speakers for [a]list summit SF are as follows:
Let the Games Begin
The growth of eSports as a force in experiential game marketing is undeniable. The largest events now rival live sports. Despite the investment and resources they need, there is precedence that these programs are effective in generating mass awareness and genuine fandom. This panel gathers those who have successfully organized eSports events to discuss how to approach strategy, goals and execution.
Using Games to Sell Games
Branded apps, augmented reality games, incentive-based social sharing programs – more and more game marketers are using these to lure fans to their games. This session explores the effectiveness of digital engagements, whether online, on your smartphone or elsewhere, and how to discover the right approach based on your product and target audience.
Games as Community, not Commodity
Games as a service can be a misnomer, given that the core experience is entertainment. The real shift taking place with these types of games has less to do with how they are defined as a commodity. Like sports, it is more about how they engender fan community. This session looks at how the focus in persistent and multiplayer games should be on the lifecycle of the player and strategies for community engagement, not just community management.
Leading with the Right Trailer
Trailers are the original ‘original content’ tactic for marketing entertainment. Debuted 100 years ago by Lowe theatre ad manager Nils Granlund, they are now as much a part of game marketing as films. Nowhere are they more important than that first glimpse at announcement. In 2011, the completely unknown Dead Island took gamers by storm with a CG trailer. This panel looks at the right approach to game trailers, looking at the merits and the right timing for CG, live action and game play.
For up to the minute information on speakers and sessions, please go to the [a]list summit San Francisco information page.
