Decent Marketing

Video Game Company Marketing VP Opening

From time to time I will post job openings here, as I hear from recruiters quite a bit.  In the past, I have just shared the jobs within my personal network, but I forgot about you, Decent Marketers.  So now, if the recruiter gives me the OK, I will share interesting openings with you.  In order for me to continue to get asked about such opportunities, however, it is important that you only apply for such positions if you meet the qualifications listed.  If you don't, please don't waste the recruiters time.  Thanks.

Position

VP of Sports Marketing

Description

The VP of Sports Marketing will oversee all marketing and promotional activities for 2K Sports®.  Build, manage and direct a world-class sports video game marketing organization; plan and track sports product marketing budget; guide brand strategy and consumer product positioning; oversee all packaging, advertising and marketing initiatives; direct marketing campaigns across all mediums including television, print, radio, online, event planning and trade shows; review and manage agency accounts; manage Licensing and Public Relations; and work closely with Product Development and Sales Departments.  The position will report directly to the President of Visual Concepts.

Requirements

The successful candidate will have a minimum of 7 years experience in a marketing role with 4 years of experience at the management or executive level.  The candidate will have a track record of creating marketing campaigns that drive consumer demand; proven experience elevating brands in a competitive marketplace; experience in both sports television and consumer product marketing; knowledgeable about the sports marketplace; experience managing a marketing team; the ability to think creatively; and outstanding written, verbal, interpersonal, presentation and communication skills.

Contacts

Shelby Cox, by email: [email protected]

Gregory A. Thomas, by email: [email protected].

PowerBlog Review: Decent Marketing

Hey kids! Decent Marketing is the featured blog this week at Small Business Trends' PowerBlog Review.

As editor Anita Campbell explains, designated PowerBlog weblogs " ... really are powerful. Many of them are downright superb. Each of them that we link to here at Small Business Trends offers something unique -- a fresh perspective, useful insights, great writing, or 'heart.'"

Thanks again to Small Business Trends for thinking of Decent Marketing and all of its readers!

Why

Johnnie Moore writes about Evelyn Rodriguez writing about the impact of celebrity vs. the impact of personal. These two blog posts are a great example of why I think experiential marketing should be used by more companies. Evelyn references a passage from "Soul Prints" by Marc Gafni:

Name the five wealthiest people in the world.

Name the last five winners of the Miss America contest.

Name the last five people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.

Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and actress.

Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.

How did you do?
I know I did horrendously. The point is this: We forget yesterday's headliners. These people are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Trophies tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and awards are buried with their owners.

Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one.

List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.

Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.

Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.

Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.

Name half a dozen heroes whose stories have inspired you.

Obviously for most people it's much easier to quickly reference the people who populate the second list, rather than the first. Why? Because with these people we have had experiences that were personally relevant, emotional and memorable. Why then is it that companies and brands always use celebrities and sports to market to people, but rarely attempt to reach people in more personal and more intimate ways?

In one of the speeches I give about experiential marketing, I show a picture of my grandmother from when she was in the first Women's Army Corps in World War II. She's drinking a Coke. (She's the one on the far left.)

I talk about all of the authentic, relevant and personal experiences she had with Coca-Cola in her life that she has shared with me. Then I ask the audience what exactly my teenage sister might tell her grandchild one day if they happen to share a Coke together? That Adrien Brody appeared in a diet Coke ad? That she always lost in those damn under-the-cap games? That they once offered a really cool prize in a sweepstakes? That they sponsor this or that sports league?

Recently I bought a box of Rice Krispies. I don't eat Rice Krispies. Ever. But I bought a jumbo box for the express purpose of making Rice Krispy Treats for the first time with my son. (For the unitiated, this involves melting marshmallows and butter together, mixing in the rice cereal until it turns into a pile of sticky goodness, and eating until one becomes pleasantly ill.) I will never forget having that experience with my son. And he is now pointing out the Rice Krispies in the grocery aisle when it's time to buy cereal. To my knowledge I don't recall Rice Krispies ever putting a celebrity on the box (unless you consider Snap, Crackle and Pop celebrities) or sponsoring a baseball team. (If I'm wrong, I'm sure someone from Kellogg's will inform me.) What they've done is allow me to enjoy a simple shared experience with the single most important person in the world to me. This is why I believe in experiential marketing.

No Customer Service = No Customer

I like this post from Keith Hammonds at Fast Company Now. Keith talks about the complete lack of service he receives from ADT and why it then becomes so easy for him to switch to a regional security company. If I were the head of ADT's Sales and Marketing, I'd be having a complete heart attack reading that, yet I bet it happens every day. Why don't these big companies get it? I'm beginning to think the best companies are the ones that make me do the least work.

Tag: marketing

Big Brand Theory

I'm happy to let you know that I'll be one of the three featured speakers at Creatas' Big Brand Theory conference, being held in five major cities throughout the year.  BBT is billed as an event where you'll learn "the backstory behind the best brands, understand the trends that affect your trademark, and discover the evolving role that emotional connections play in a brand's success."

Event dates:

• Boston  3/31
• Los Angeles  4/15
• Chicago 5/19
• New York 9/29
• Seattle 10/20
• Atlanta 11/03

It's All About the Experience

In Saturday's Atlanta Journal-Constitution, reporter Sandra Eckstein wrote about the explosion of experiential vacations among the travel and leisure industry, claiming that the newest status symbol is experiences. 

Eckstein explained that credit card companies were some of the first organizations to recognize that people want experiences on their time off.  She provided as examples Diners Club's recently-launched Ultimate Experiences, "... which allows customers to spend membership points on becoming a rodeo clown for a day or taking a tandem skydive", and American Express' program for its Blue Card holders that allows them to use points to " ... access an auction site and bid on experiences like meeting Sting backstage after a concert or taking private surfing lessons with champion Kim Hamrock."

She also highlighted a company called the Experience Store, which opened a few months ago in New York.  The company, run by Kevin Smith, helps plan experiential vacations for its clients. 

"Smith's catalog of experiences includes vineyard hopping across Tuscany in Italy on a hot-air balloon at $1,000 a day or taking a submarine down to the sunken Titanic for $36,000 per person ... his company [also] offers a drive through the Alps in a Porsche, three days of cooking classes at an elegant hotel in Italy or a chance to float in zero gravity in an airplane."

Eckstein quotes Pamela Danziger of research firm Unity Marketing about the reason behind the increase in the interest in experiences:

"It's realizing that all the 'things' in the world aren't going to make you happy.  It's doing things with other people, sharing experiences with those you love, learning new things.  That's where people get their greatest luxuries now."

Of course, long-time readers of Decent Marketing already knew this.  But I know you enjoy hearing about the increased traction experiences are getting in the marketplace, so I wanted to make sure to share this article with you.

Tag: marketing