DDB WORLDWIDE PRESIDENT/CEO CHUCK BRYMER AND CSI CREATOR ANTHONY E. ZUIKER TO DELIVER KEYNOTES AT 3rd ANNUAL MI6 CONFERENCE

Speakers Among Highlights of Two Full Days Packed with Sessions,
April 8-9

Los Angeles, CA – February 19, 2008 – MI6 has announced agenda highlights for its upcoming 3rd Annual MI6 Conference & Awards (April 8-9, San Francisco). The two-day, must-attend event features a packed and insightful session lineup with keynotes by DDB Worldwide President/CEO Chuck Brymer and CSI Producer/Writer Anthony E. Zuiker.

Delivering the Marketing Keynote is Chuck Brymer, one of the foremost experts on brands, corporate identity, advertising and brand valuation. As President/CEO of DDB Worldwide, Brymer helms the most awarded advertising agency in the world. DDB is known for constantly finding new ways of reaching consumers through traditional advertising, direct marketing, sales promotion, strategic consulting and digital marketing. Also the co-author of Brands and Branding, Brymer is uniquely qualified to bring MI6 attendees new ideas for establishing and maintaining brand recognition in the constantly evolving field of game marketing.

As creator and executive creative producer of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Anthony E. Zuiker will deliver the Creative Keynote, drawing from his experience as the guiding force behind one of the entertainment industry’s most successful and sustainable franchises. Along with CSI: Miami and CSI: NY, Zuiker’s programs have taken up regular residence in Nielsen’s weekly Top 10 broadcast ratings and have earned 28 Emmy nominations. Zuiker has also used his passion for gaming to evolve the shows into a multi-platform entertainment phenomenon, including board, mobile and online games. Zuiker is at the forefront of online gaming with a Second Life presence for CSI that gives viewers three gaming options including “Murder by Zuiker,” a murder plot that can be solved by users finding clues. For MI6, Zuiker will bring his unparalleled insight into involving the consumer and keeping franchises fresh.

"MI6 has emerged as the most important event for creative and strategic professionals dedicated to the art of video game marketing,” said MI6 President Jonathan Block-Verk. “Through keynotes, sessions and workshops we have put together a great way to affect an essential understanding of how best to monetize this dynamic business.”

This year’s comprehensive schedule of presentations, discussions, and debates targets game marketers at all levels in their careers. Highlights include:

• Going Global – An exploration of the varying global launch strategies of gaming, television and film marketing executives, with a look at both the challenges and solutions each faced.
• New Marketing Avenues – A thorough analysis of the New Achievement Systems of seventh-generation consoles and how to make the most of these emerging technologies as marketing solutions.
• Perfecting the Agency-Client Paradigm – A discussion among leading agency and game marketing executives on successes and failures as they debate best practices in managing the agency-client dynamic.
• Power to the People: Tapping into Community Marketing – A look at how consumers are being tapped as marketing “volunteers” with a special focus on community and email marketing.
• Gaming’s Advertising Age – An understanding of the eco-system of the game advertising market and consideration as to how to create efficiencies/economies of scale to grow it to its projected size of $1 billion by 2010.
• Understanding the Video Game Consumer – A demographic breakdown of video gamers, their usage trends, behaviors and more, as well as analysis on video game buzz volume, social media trends and demo downloading, etc.

The MI6 Conference, which takes place at the Grand Hyatt Union Square April 8-9, continues to attract the support and participation of top game marketing, advertising and entertainment executives. These companies include EA, Activision, ABC Entertainment, YouTube, The Nielsen Company, Ubisoft, Google, Microsoft, LucasArts, Electronic Entertainment Design & Research, Double Fusion, Nintendo, McCann Erickson, Sony, Spike TV, IGN, Codemasters, Sony Online Entertainment, Vivendi Games, DDB, Ayzenberg Group, Blizzard Entertainment, Nokia, Xbox, AKQA, DirecTV, Ziff Davis, 2K, Petrol Advertising, Ignited Minds, The Ant Farm, Nvidia, Eidos, Midway and THQ, among many others.

The MI6 Conference Committee continues to finalize the 2008 session schedule, check back to this site for details.

About MI6
MI6 is a non-profit association dedicated to maximizing the effectiveness and supporting the success of marketing, promotion and advertising professionals involved in the interactive entertainment community. The MI6 Conference & Awards celebrates marketing excellence overall, while providing an all-inclusive forum for common thought, bond and community.