Day in the life of
Head of Esports and Gaming – Paul Mascali
My typical day starts with researching the latest news and trends on gaming and esports from Twitch, YouTube, and Reddit. I will flip through different streams and content to see what games and influencers are gaining traction on the platform and what fans are getting most excited about.
Much of my time is spent reaching out and speaking directly with partners (Video Game Publishers, Esports Leagues, Esports Teams, and Influencers) to understand what new opportunities are available from a brand perspective. This includes discussing logistical details for product placements, advertising campaigns, influencer partnerships, event collaborations, contests, promotions, and more. I work as an extension of the different in-house brands – including MTN DEW, Doritos, and Rock Star – and I am responsible for developing gaming strategies and leading endemic partnerships. This includes working with partners to ensure they are extracting value, following our influencers on what’s the latest, and meeting key performance indicators with strategic initiatives.
As a side note, I do my best to spend some time gaming each week. I think it’s important to stay immersed in this community and to better understand what is resonating with our consumers. Unless you truly understand why people play games or what specific aspect they enjoy, it is difficult for us to develop marketing strategies that will be effective.
Pros
The pros are that I am lucky enough to have turned my passion for gaming into a career, and get to engage directly with leading industry partners/influencers like Call of Duty, Dr Disrespect, OpTic Gaming, and more. Something that is simultaneously a challenge and an opportunity is that gaming is still an emerging form of entertainment. We are developing new playbooks and marketing strategies in real-time which requires strategic thinking and patience.
Cons
The cons are that there simply there aren’t many “cookie-cutter” approaches or opportunities in this industry that would be effective. This means taking greater risks as there are fewer tried-and-true methods for success and being willing to fail when trying something new. That said, it also provides the chance to be creative, think outside the box and be an industry pioneer in our approach.
