MI6: Marketing Interactive Conference Speakers

Geoff Keighley, MI6 Evangelist & Writer, Entertainment Weekly

Geoff Keighley, who has been writing about videogames for 12 years, has been called the dean of the gaming press. He currently covers the industry for Entertainment Weekly and Business 2.0 magazines. He is also a contributing editor at CNET's GameSpot.com where he writes the acclaimed Behind the Games series of feature articles. On television, he is a correspondent on “Electric Playground,” produced for MTV Canada and G4TV. His expertise is frequently sought by media outlets such as CNN, NBC, EXTRA, USA Today and the Los Angeles Times; he speaks at conferences such as DICE, GDC, Jupiter GameWatch, Stanford's Future of Entertainment Conference, and E3.

 

Robin Kaminsky, Head of Global Brand Management, Activision

Robin Kaminsky serves a multitude of functions at Activision including developing multi-tiered, cross-platform product strategies for each of the company's brand franchises, identifying unique brand and new product development opportunities, and driving brand growth objectives. She has held various marketing leadership positions within Pepsi-Cola North America where she oversaw program development and execution of the company's promotional and partner programs, national customer programs and customer marketing.

 

Steve Allison, Chief Marketing Officer, Midway

Steve Allison brings more than ten years of interactive entertainment marketing experience to Midway. Previously, he was vice president of marketing and business development at Atari, Inc., overseeing all of the Atari branded products including the “Driver” series, “Enter the Matrix,” “Neverwinter Nights,” “Test Drive,” and the “Unreal” series. Before Atari, Allison held a number of senior management positions with Infogrames, Inc., including vice president of new business development, vice president of licensing and director of product marketing.

 

Julie Shumaker, National Dir. of Sales & Video Game Advertising, Electronic Arts

Since joining EA. Shumaker has leveraged both EA’s videogame and community properties to deliver integrated marketing programs for EA’s advertisers. She established the industry’s first seven-figure product placement deals with McDonald’s and Intel in EA’s The Sims Online, and also helped successfully implement a five-title advertising program with Procter & Gamble. In addition, Shumaker collaborated with Daimler Chrysler to successfully execute the first videogame subscription product offered to consumers gratis by Dodge. In ’05, Shumaker introduced top tier advertisers in 13 EA videogames and their respective online community properties, driving year-on-year revenue growth by over 60%. Shumaker was named in The Ad Age 2005 Women To Watch Report: Twenty-Five Executives Who Made a Difference.

 

Bill Nielsen, Senior Director, Xbox Global Partnership Marketing

Before joining the Xbox team, Bill Nielsen recorded an enviable track record in advertising for major brands in the packaged goods industries. His insight into the discipline necessary for connecting with consumers when market challenges occur has been invaluable when applied to the game space — delayed platforms, retail softness and the host of other factors that we all face.

 

Geoff Calnan, SVP, Domestic Theatrical Audio Visual, The Cimarron Group

Geoff Calnan oversees production of trailers for the industry's biggest movies including “War of the Worlds,” “The Day After Tomorrow,” “I Robot,” “ The Longest Yard,” “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” and more. You may be surprised to hear his take on the biggest enemy in building a big opening for movies or games. Prior to his present position, Calnan headed promotion departments at Fox and ABC.

 

Kevin Carroll, Founder, The Katalyst Consultancy, Author of “Rules of the Red Rubber Ball”

As Chief Katalyst for Nike, Kevin Carroll was charged with building a winning corporate attitude. Currently working with Starbucks, his mantra will soon be seen on millions of coffee cups. An author, lecturer and consultant to ESPN among other cultural icons, Carroll has also been a former assistant coach for both the Philadelphia 76ers and a U.S. Olympic team. He will share his perspectives with your team on how to improve your odds of winning at every assignment.

 

Doug Scott, Director of Sports Entertainment & Lifestyle Marketing,
Electronic Arts

Scott focuses on building deep and mutually beneficial relationships with EA’s consumers, including the translation of EA's assets and marketing strategies into entertainment programs in television, mobile, online, film and other media; developing sports programs and events that further EA’s reputation as a fan amongst fans in the sports world, and extending the reach of EA’s grassroots networks, including street and college teams. He also helped found and grow EA’s Music Marketing and Entertainment Marketing groups. Prior to joining EA, Scott worked in the wine and consulting industries in various strategic and marketing capacities.

 

Wes Craven, Director of “Scream” and “Red Eye”

Wes Craven is one of a handful of Hollywood masters whose very name has become a brand. Millions of rabid fans eagerly await and create the buzz for the next installment from this icon of today’s suspense/horror film genre. Time and again Craven has demonstrated that he is a filmmaker with heart, guts, humor and a mind for marketing, as well as an unbridled imagination expanding into films, television, and other platforms. Among his mega hits are the “Nightmare on Elm Street” film series, “Scream” (1996), “Scream 2” (1997),“Scream 3” (2000), “The Hills Have Eyes,” and last year's sleeper hit “Red Eye.”

 

Mike Benson, SVP Marketing, Advertising and Promotion, ABC Entertainment

Benson oversaw two of the most successful launches in television history: “Desperate Housewives” and “Lost.” See how using inexpensive online and on-the-ground guerilla marketing can create free media and a hit with consumers. Named “Entertainment Marketer of the Year” by BrandWeek magazine for his efforts on behalf of ABC, Benson previously served as senior vice president, Promotion & Program Planning at VH1/MTV Networks where he was responsible for all promotion and program scheduling as well as network image and brand, and was ultimately instrumental in redefining the network’s position as a cable music channel.

 

Mona Hamilton, VP of Marketing, Midway Games

Mona Hamilton joined Midway after working at Ubisoft Entertainment where she held the position of group brand manager and oversaw products such as Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, Beyond Good and Evil and the Rayman series. Prior to Ubisoft, Hamilton managed product development with Galoob Toys and was a buyer with Warner Bros. Studio Stores.

 

Jason Anderson, Director of Research, International Development Group

International Devleopment Group serves over 70 key clients in the gaming and interactive market space with research, market analysis and strategic consulting services. Join Jason and his team as they give you results of the latest market data and sales forecasts for 2006, 2007 and beyond.

 

Helene Juguet, Director of Marketing, Ubisoft

Helene Juguet started with Ubisoft as international brand manager in Paris. After moving to the U.S. to oversee promotions for all Ubisoft’s video game franchises, she became group brand manager and launched “Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon” and “Splinter Cell” brands. Today, Juguet oversees marketing strategies for all Ubisoft’s titles including “Prince of Persia,” “Brothers in Arms” and “Rayman.”

 

Brent Magid, CEO, Frank N. Magid Associates

Magid brings his custom MI6 Study conclusions to the conference; the findings of which will undoubtedly cause some rethinking of preconceived notions. All attendees will receive a free copy of the Magid-MI6 Study — another valuable benefit and take — away for those seeking to gain a competitive edge.

 

Chris Di Cesare, Director of Xbox Marketing

With so many marketing options, Chris Di Cesare, the marketing lead for the Halo 2 launch and a key player in the Xbox 360 release, will talk about his learning from these two major product launches and review new technologies available to marketers throughout the world today.

 

Frank Cooper III, Vice President of Marketing, Pepsi-Cola North America (PCNA)

Frank Cooper oversees PCNA's entire non-cola soft drink portfolio  (including the Mountain Dew and Sierra Mist trademarks) representing over $6 billion in revenue on an annual basis. He directed the execution of the Pepsi promotion "Call Upon Yoda," in conjunction Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith, spearheaded the nationwide "Every 10 Minutes" sweepstakes partnership with Microsoft for the launch of the Xbox 360 gaming console, initiated the Pepsi Ringtones program (which featured original ringtones created by celebrity artists and producers), and crafted the groundbreaking alliance between Mountain Dew and Halo 2, which opened a new retail channel to promote the Xbox title in thousands of 7-11 stores nationally during the game launch window.

 

David Anderson, Senior Director of Business Development and Licensing,
Activision, Inc.

Among David Anderson’s duties at Activision is forging strategic relationships with consumer products companies to develop promotional and in-game sponsorship opportunities, as well as assessing emerging gaming platform opportunities (ie: wireless, interactive TV, broadband and narrowband) and developing a strategy to leverage the company’s content on those platforms.

 

Saneel Radia, Group Director, Play, a division of Denuo

By successfully leveraging videogames as content platforms, Saneel Radia has forged meaningful connections between brands and consumers. His digital media expertise can be attributed to his extensive client work, encapsulating both IP and gaming applications for clients such as GM, Best Buy, P&G and Miller

 

MI6 Conference Chair: Dale Hopkins, Chief Operating Officer, G4 Television

Part of the core team that created and launched G4, COO Dale Hopkins previously led all the company’s advertising and affiliate sales efforts and spearheaded significant subscriber growth, which included the acquisition of TechTV. Previously, Dale launched the E! and Style networks as a member of both the company’s operating committee and management teams.

More speakers to be announced shortly! Check back for updates!