Q&A with Natalia Vasilyeva, VP Marketing at Anzu.io

Natalia Vasilyeva, VP Marketing at Anzu.io has worked in the AdTech industry for nearly a decade. An Anzu team leader since day one, Natalia’s marketing acumen and deep expertise across business domains has propelled Anzu to its current status as the world-leading in-game advertising platform.

A multilingual speaker and writer, she writes extensively about AdTech and in-game advertising and appears frequently at industry events. Prior to Anzu, Natalia served as a project and marketing manager for global company Glispa and the world leader of mobile fitness apps, Sport.com. She has been passionately advocating for Anzu and its ability to change the face of the AdTech industry since day one.

MEDIA 7What inspired you to get into marketing?
NATALIA VASILYEVA
: From a young age, I was always fascinated by what motivated people to make certain decisions. I also had a keen interest in business, and saw over and over again how marketing played a key - perhaps the leading - role in helping transform budding companies to international success stories. As I grew into my career, I noticed that many people view marketing as just another way to sell products. But it's so much more than that--and that’s what I love, the diversity of the field. I see marketing as the starting point of a dialogue between a company and its existing and potential customers. This is a dialogue that can take place across channels, transcending the noise of today’s hyper-connected world. It's amazing to witness how small and calculated moves can change the course of a company for decades to come.

M7: What is the motto of Anzu.io? What does the company stand for?
NV:
We make advertising in games better.
Better for advertisers, who want and need to connect to their audiences in meaningful and non-disruptive ways.
Better for game developers, who want and need to monetize and collaborate across industries without disrupting the user experience.

And, most of all, better for gamers, who can continue to play without interruption, actually benefiting from the enhanced gaming experience that Anzu’s blended in-game ads bring.

We fulfill our mission by bringing real-world brand ads directly into the gameplay.

Our core team at Anzu has been involved in the digital advertising industry for many years. We came together to solve a major problem we all saw: fragmentation. At the same time, we saw the gaming industry advancing at light speed and knew it was time to bring the two worlds together. Now, we’re working to create a new standard in advertising--one that is well-received by audiences and performs at an extremely high level, all while tapping into the massive potential of the 3 billion-strong gaming market. Our mission of making advertising in games better was a natural outgrowth of what both industries needed and the solution we could provide.


"Gaming is now so deeply ingrained in popular culture--the time has truly come for advertising and gaming to meet, collaborate, and grow together!"

M7: In what way is Anzu striving to transform gaming?
NV:
This is an interesting question! We’re not trying to transform gaming itself--gaming is doing amazingly as is. What we are doing is bringing non-disruptive - and even well-received - advertising formats inside video game worlds, including console and esports (for the first time), for the benefit of advertisers, game studios, and gamers alike. The platform is a game-changer (literally!) for advertisers, empowering them with programmatic tools and capabilities that allow them to launch super effective in-game campaigns at scale. At the same time, it enables game developers to dramatically increase their sustainable income through non-invasive advertising. This is truly a win-win for everyone across industries, including the gamers themselves, who won’t be burdened with the cost of maintaining and upgrading the games they know and love, and who will benefit from realistic and personalized ads seamlessly blended into their gaming experience.

M7: What are the major challenges the gaming industry is facing, and how are you overcoming those?
NV:
The inefficiency of existing business models leads to a lack of revenues on the game developers side and dissatisfaction on the gamers side. When game developers lack the funds they need, they’re often forced to turn to gamers to foot the bill through things like premium memberships, in-game purchases, game costs, and sometimes intrusive methods such as lootboxes and popups. In such a dynamic industry, it's always a challenge to keep the right balance between pushing revenues and building genuinely cool products and tribes. Anzu is bringing a new, scalable revenue stream that benefits all the players: game studios, gamers, and the budding in-game advertising industry.


"We are bringing non-disruptive - and even well-received - advertising formats inside video game worlds, including console and esports (for the first time), for the benefit of advertisers, game studios, and gamers alike."

M7: How does Anzu’s cross-platform advertising and monetization solutions help game producers?
NV:
Many game developers traditionally shied away from advertising for a number of justifiable reasons: hardcoded ads, disruptive pop-ups, and a general lack of scalable technology that would suit their needs and keep the user experience intact.

Anzu is helping game producers add a completely new revenue stream, one that won’t disrupt their existing streams and, most importantly, won’t disrupt the gaming experience. Right now, Anzu is being employed as a premium revenue generator for game studios of all shapes and sizes across the globe, including Vivid Games, Axis Games, and Ubisoft.

More and more, brands are interested in reaching the ever-growing gaming audience base. Our cross-platform solution serves as a meeting place between these international brands and the games their audiences are playing. In addition to sustainable revenues, Anzu also allows games to partner with brands that can enhance their visibility and solidify their reputation. One extremely successful recent example of such a partnership was the Travis Scott concert inside the global phenomenon game Fortnite, during which more than 12M players tuned in to witness this epic brand partnership in action. Gaming is now so deeply ingrained in popular culture--the time has truly come for advertising and gaming to meet, collaborate, and grow together!

M7: What marketing channels do you use, and which ones do you see as the most promising given your target customers?
NV:
We’re present on most social media platforms, but the most effective marketing we’ve employed centers around sharing our messages and educating our audiences via thought leadership articles, interviews, conference appearances, collaborations with our partners, and other authentic content initiatives. We find that the best way to reach our audiences is through helpful market and industry analysis and engaging examples of in-game advertising.

M7: What does the platform offer to brand advertisers?
NV:
Now more than ever before, consumers are looking for authentic experiences from brands. The old “buy me” methodologies are just not effective with younger audiences. For that reason, brand awareness campaigns are becoming more popular as they brand affinity and loyalty over a period of time, rather than relying on one-off messages relating to a product’s features or benefits to sell. Another benefit to brand awareness campaigns is that they can be employed across touchpoints, creating an integrated experience. Video gaming, with an audience of 3 billion people worldwide, is clearly becoming one of those key touchpoints.

More people are spending more time inside virtual worlds and brands cannot afford to miss out on this unprecedented opportunity to connect with these engaged users. Anzu’s blended in-game advertising solution seamlessly integrates non-intrusive ads into the gameplay, allowing brands to reach previously undiscovered audience groups in a more immersive way.
As opposed to intrusive ads that interrupt gameplay and offer low brand visibility, blended in-game advertising brings realism to games through advanced product placement.

In addition to creating a completely immersive environment, in-game advertising with Anzu offers advertisers significant benefits that were never before possible due to limitations in technology. These include the ability to launch scalable campaigns programmatically across platforms (mobile, PC, console), to create personalized and even hyper-targeted campaigns (think ads for local restaurants wherever the player is in the world), to utilize existing buying protocols, and, perhaps most importantly, to measure campaign performance by utilizing advanced AdTech tools. These tools include the first-ever in-game ad verification solution in partnership with cybersecurity firm CHEQ, brand lift measurement in partnership with Nielsen Connectivity, and fraud detection in partnership with Forensiq, among others. Additionally, Anzu is the first and only in-game advertising company to bring the highest level of security clearance to in-game advertising with its ISO 270001 security certification. This combination of technologies gives advertisers the confidence they need to leverage the massive gaming audience.

Brand safety is also a major concern for modern-day advertisers. In-game ads are by nature brand-safe because there is no risk of user-generated content. Brands can derive great value for their campaigns by advertising in top-line premium games that carry a reputation as high-value channels.


"More and more, brands are interested in reaching the ever-growing gaming audience base."

M7: How do you see the AR and VR space evolving in future?
NV:
VR and AR have been buzz terms for the past few years. There were a lot of expectations that VR would really take off, and Anzu had also originally anticipated a large chunk of their activities would be VR related.

I still believe VR is the future. It's clear that the entire world is striving to become more connected and more efficient than ever before. The biggest issue remains the tech constraints and comparatively high pricing. I’m sure that COVID-19 has given another boost to VR tech, given that everyone is looking for more ways to connect virtually for business and personal purposes. This place of connection is where I see VR can really shine.

And although VR and AR are grouped together all the time, the technologies and their applications are actually quite different. As a marketer, I see a lot of value in AR as a brand “extension” and another efficient way for advertisers to communicate and give value to their audiences. I love the way IKEA played with AR, offering its customers to “try on” the furniture with their phones. Some clothing brands are also now offering customers the ability to “try on” clothes, shoes, and accessories using AR technology. What a great idea and an efficient way to spend time, money, and resources!

M7: What quote has changed your perspective?
NV:
Well, I can definitely cite marketing or advertising gurus like Ph. Kotler or D. Ogilvy, but it’s more than a quote that changed my perspective.

I’ve been inspired by brands that take marketing further, becoming more than just another name. These innovative brands become widely associated with a set of values or even emotions. A good example is Starbucks! I've been in love with them for a long time and  have often wondered, “why them? Why not any other coffee shop?” When I started to dig in and study their values, corporate culture, business approach, and such, I found answers to all my questions. Indeed, they don’t sell just coffee, they sell emotions :) Such cases of how brands become distinguished have inspired and shaped my vision as a marketer.

ABOUT ANZU.IO

Anzu.io is a leading in-game advertising platform that brings real-world brand ads to video gaming and esports. Backed by BITKRAFT Esports Ventures, WPP and Axel Springer Digital Ventures, Anzu redefines digital advertising through seamless integration of non-intrusive ads into the gameplay. Bringing real-time data and programmatic to the video gaming world, the platform promises native advertising, brand safety and ad viewability. For more information visit www.anzu.io.

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Announcing the new division, Consello Group Founder, Chairman and CEO Declan Kelly said: "We believe that Consello Strive has the potential to change the entire global landscape of sports, entertainment and leadership development because of the opportunities that exist in the marketplace today and the unique experience, relationships and track record of the team we have assembled. Over the coming months we will be expanding our presence and partnerships further and rolling out a series of new services as part of the overall platform. We couldn't be more excited to have this senior group come together to build this groundbreaking new business." Tom Brady added: "Since the start of our journey at Consello our mission has been very clear – to make the best in the world even better. With Consello Strive we are bringing the very best in the world together to help advise people everywhere in the fields of sports and entertainment in ways that have never been done before. I am especially passionate about the launch of our leadership development vertical because working with leaders to drive them to search for improvement in whatever they do is something my partners and I have been devoted to our entire careers." Serena Williams added: "I am excited to deepen my relationship with Consello by joining Consello's Strive platform as a partner. The next chapter of my life will be as exciting and fulfilling as the last one, and I have no doubt that the team we have assembled here will help me do just that. I am also excited to help Consello Strive as a business to grow and expand around the world." Pau Gasol said: "I've seen firsthand the lasting impact that sports can create, both on and off the court. Joining Consello Strive as a partner is a natural step for me because of my passion for growth, mentorship, and creating impactful change, just like I am already doing through Gasol16 Ventures, my investment vehicle, and through the Gasol Foundation, whose mission is to eradicate childhood obesity. I'm excited about embarking on this journey, and I will additionally be focusing on building out our offering in the Spanish-speaking world where some of the greatest athletes, entertainers and leaders show us daily what it means to be truly great." Mark Dowley, Chairman of Consello Strive, said: "We have assembled an unstoppable team of athletes, trusted advisors to the world's business leaders, and proven global operators, who together will bring a broad-based set of perspectives, experiences and skills to the fore on behalf of the sports, entertainment and media leaders across the world. Consello Strive is unlike any other business in the market; my partners and I look forward to applying our knowledge and expertise to help our clients identify and unlock their full potential in the high growth sectors of sports, entertainment and media." Consello partner Janey Whiteside said: "Consello's unparalleled connection to the world's business leaders paired with the incomparable expertise of the sports icons involved, gives Consello Strive a unique opportunity to partner, advise and invest across the dynamic $550bn landscape that we see in front of us today in sports and entertainment. Commercializing that opportunity is something we believe we are better positioned to do than anyone else in the world today." Consello partner Mindy Grossman said: "I have spent my entire life working with and mentoring emerging leadership talent across multiple different businesses and industries, and that has taken me on an unforgettable journey through retail, sports, television, media and entertainment, and health and wellness. Launching Consello Strive today brings all those passions and interests together into one place and one platform and I truly believe we can and will change lives as part of what we are doing. I am especially thrilled that my friend and collaborator of more than 20 years, Serena Williams, is expanding her role with us on this journey and I am very confident we all can change the world together." Consello was launched less than two years ago and already has more than 100 employees and advisors, with offices in New York, London, Miami, Barcelona and Atlanta. About Consello The Consello Group is a financial services advisory and strategic investing platform. At Consello we invest capital to grow companies, we execute for our banking clients across industries, and we provide business development and marketing services to help companies grow and evolve. We also advise across sports, entertainment and leadership development, and our digital assets advisory business helps companies participate in the global digital financial services ecosystem. Consello offers these six distinct but integrated lines of businesses all on one platform: Sports, Entertainment and Leadership Development; M&A Advisory and Investment Banking; Investing; Growth and Business Development; Marketing and Brand Advisory; and Digital Assets Advisory.

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CORSAIR Launches K70 CORE, The New Standard for Mainstream Gaming Keyboards

Business Wire | October 25, 2023

CORSAIR, a world leader in high-performance gear for gamers and content creators, today announced the launch of a new keyboard that delivers premium play for every gamer: the K70 CORE. Debuting with CORSAIR MLX Red linear mechanical switches, the K70 CORE offers a refined playing and typing experience in a full-size profile. Whether you’re a casual player or an aspiring esports pro, your ambition starts with K70 CORE. K70 CORE introduces CORSAIR MLX Red linear switches, an ultra-responsive mechanical switch that offers smooth, satisfying keypresses ideally suited for keyboard enthusiasts and gamers. Factory pre-lubrication ensures that each keystroke exhibits silky-smooth travel, and switches are tightly constructed to reduce stem wobble. Along with CORSAIR OPX optical and MGX magnetic switches, CORSAIR Reds round out the lineup of original CORSAIR mechanical switches that give discerning players a trio of fantastic options. Surrounding the switches are two layers of premium sound dampening foam, eliminating annoying pings and clacks that take you out of the game. Instead, you’ll enjoy softened acoustics that make gaming sound as good as it feels. The K70 CORE makes it easy to personalize your play. More than just a volume knob, the keyboard’s multi-function rotary dial can adjust RGB brightness, scroll through webpages, and zoom. Next to the dial is a programmable button for controlling media with ease. CORSAIR iCUE software unlocks the keyboard’s full power, granting you the ability to customize per-key RGB backlighting, program macros, remap keys, and more. Beyond superior sound and feel, the K70 CORE delivers on high-caliber durability and design. CORSAIR Red switches reside in a robust aluminum top plate and topped by resilient double-shot keycaps. This bolstered construction provides you peace of mind to play freely, knowing your keyboard won’t quit. With such tremendous performance at a tidy price, the K70 CORE line empowers gamers to ambitiously play, win, and have fun. Availability, Warranty, and Pricing The CORSAIR K70 CORE gaming keyboard is available immediately from the CORSAIR webstore and the CORSAIR worldwide network of authorized online retailers and distributors. The CORSAIR K70 CORE gaming keyboard is backed by a two-year warranty, alongside the CORSAIR worldwide customer service and technical support network. For up-to-date pricing of the CORSAIR K70 CORE gaming keyboard, please refer to the CORSAIR website or contact your local CORSAIR sales or PR representative.

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Anzu.io

Anzu.io is an in-game advertising platform that brings the sophistication of advertising into video gaming and esports. Our Blended In-Game Advertising solution seamlessly integrates non-intrusive ads into the gameplay. With Anzu’s state-of-the-art programmatic technology and real-time data, brand a...

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