Strands of Genius: Yash Egami + Gaming: No Longer Just A Side Quest For Brands
Strands of Genius: Yash Egami + Gaming: No Longer Just A Side Quest For Brands
featuring: an interview with our guest editor and a research report
Welcome to the Bonus edition of Strands of Genius! On Fridays, we’ll be publishing interviews from our guest editors, and sharing a research report. Thanks for being along for the ride. Oh and by the way, you look great today :)
:: STEAL THIS THINKING | RESEARCH REPORT ::
The biggest games in the world continue to drive massive, pop culture defining moments, while small independent games capture the hearts, minds, and time of dedicated player communities. Game ecosystems like Roblox, Fortnite, and Minecraft are platforms where players can create, share, and broadcast their creations to legions of fans and millions of community members. Some of the most successful movies, TV shows, and series are game adaptations —achieving both critical acclaim and box office success globally.
Player engagement and revenue continue to rise, and ad spending at scale is poised to break away from its genesis stage.
Now is the time for brands to fully harness the power of the gaming community by engaging with this group in authentic, meaningful, and rewarding ways. This engagement must be both culturally relevant and socially integrated into broader integrated marketing campaigns – which must be built upon a gaming strategy.
:: DIVE IN | THE INTERVIEW ::
YASH EGAMI, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, THE ONE CLUB FOR CREATIVITY
>> Yash Egami, guest curated Strands on October 31st 2024. Read it here.
Tell us a little bit about yourself and what keeps you busy. How did you end up doing what you’re doing today?
Born in England, grew up in Philly. Studied English at the University of Pennsylvania. Have lived in the New York area for the past 30 years and presently in Connecticut with two kids, two cats and a dog (I need the space). I play bass and a bit of drums and keyboard and other instruments. Started out in publishing, then worked for AOL when we were literally mailing out CD-ROMs so that people could log on to the internet (You've got mail!). Was always interested in advertising and found a job at a place called The One Club and the rest is history.
What excites you most about what you do?
Being surrounded by creative people and making a difference in people's lives. I know a lot of people like to say that but from our perspective, that's what we literally do. There are countless numbers of people who want to break into this industry but can't for various reasons. Some have job jobs that aren't a career. We've provided thousands of people the opportunity to finally get a job in advertising and succeed, and it's been fulfilling to see that.
What beliefs define your approach to work? How would you define your leadership style?
In business and in life, always do the right thing. Be human. Don't be shady. If it makes financial sense but doesn't feel right, don't do it.
What has been the most rewarding project you’ve worked on and why?
Our annual Creative Leaders Retreat, which we've been doing for over 10 years. We bring together top creative leaders from our industry and up-and-coming creatives from all over the country to learn how to become a better leader. It's been a fun and rewarding experience getting to know some really interesting people from our industry and bonding with them in places like New Orleans and the Arizona desert.
We are big believers in diversity -- Not only because we believe in equality, but because we also think it’s better for business. How do you frame these kinds of conversations, both internally and with clients? Is there an emphasis on action, or are the conversations really more about communication?
Diversity is at the core of what we do. We have many programs like Where Are All the Black People? and ONE School and Creative Boot Camps that focus on bringing more diverse talent into the industry. And whenever we curate programs and speakers and judges, we are always mindful of diversity and make sure they're balanced in terms of gender and race.
As a person of color, diversity is a no-brainer for me and is a natural way of thinking. But I also do recognize that there is still a lot of work to be done not just in this industry but throughout the world.
Switching gears a bit, how do you find time to balance personal interests with your career? Do you believe work/life balance is possible? Anything you’ve implemented that you recommend that others try?
No. I still haven't found it.
What’s your media diet? Where do you find inspiration?
I'm a news junkie, mostly online.
What’s the best piece of advice/knowledge you’ve stolen, and who/where’d you steal it from?
Haste makes waste. An elementary teacher taught me that.
You can keep in touch with Yash on LinkedIn.
If we can ever be of help to you, even outside of a formal engagement, please don’t hesitate to let us know.
rockON,
faris & rosie | your friends over at geniussteals.co
(still want more? @faris is still “tweeting” while @rosieyakob prefers instagram stories)