Ayzenberg Group's GROUP'S Inaugural [a]list summit Attracts Elite Panel Of Video Game Industry Insiders To Share Best Advertising Practices At Invitation-Only Conference March 27 - 29
Filled-to-Capacity Conference to Feature Opening Remarks by 42 Entertainment's Jordan Weisman, Five Panels, and 28 Speakers
PASADENA, CALIF. (March 20, 2008) - The invitation-only [a]list summit ( www.thealistsummit.com), hosted by leading interactive entertainment advertising agency Ayzenberg Group ( www.ayzenberg.com) has attracted an elite panel of video game industry professionals to share best advertising practices at the inaugural, filled-to-capacity conference March 27 - 29, 2008 at the Red Rock Casino in Las Vegas. Jordan Weisman, founder and principal creative advisor for 42 Entertainment, is giving opening remarks.
The first-of-its-kind event is a "summit for gamers by gamers" organized for brand and product managers representing key titles and campaigns. Twenty publishers are slated to attend including 2K, Activision, Capcom, Disney, DreamCatcher, EA, Gametap, Gravity Interactive, Highmoon Studios, LucasArts, Microsoft, Namco Bandai, Nexon, NHN, Real Networks, Sierra, THQ, Ubisoft, and Warner Bros.
The five-panel symposia, hosted throughout the conference by noted industry figures, covers topics such as: media planning, broadcast, online, creative and viral. Networking activities include an all-day forum presented in a "How did they do that?" style. Participants will hear first-account case studies of landmark advertising initiatives for some of the most influential products on the market. Other networking opportunities include a bowling tournament, cocktail parties and a day of golf.
"Game advertising is unique - it's not about following what Hollywood does with theatrical," said Ayzenberg Group Founder and Chief Strategist Eric Ayzenberg. "We hand-picked and personally invited advertising professionals from top videogame companies who are responsible for crafting the campaigns of AAA title releases so they would get the insider's perspective on how to do it right."
Event architect and VP of strategic planning Steve Fowler said he and the Ayzenberg team designed the summit to be a uniquely open forum for an intensely competitive industry. "Due to the sheer volume of product, the conference attendees are faced with the daunting task of launching titles into an extremely aggressive marketplace. Rising above the heat of competition, the [a]list summit provides an unparalleled opportunity to openly discuss and promote our craft - everyone is leaving their personal agenda at the door."
One of the highly anticipated elements of the conference is Weisman's opening address on Friday, March 28 at 9 a.m. Weisman founded a number of entertainment companies including FASA Interactive acquired by Microsoft in 1999 and WizKids acquired by Topps Inc. in 2003. While creative director for Microsoft's entertainment business unit, he pioneered the transmedia non-linear story-telling experience for Steven Spielberg's movie "Artificial Intelligence," which spawned the Alternative Reality Games (ARG) genre. Weisman and 42 Entertainment have remained at the forefront of ARGs with such experiences as "I Love Bees," "Year Zero," and "The Dark Night."
The conference features 28 panelists with diverse experience in the gaming industry participating on five panels:
Measuring Online Success moderated by Kym Nelson, VP of game sales, Fox Interactive Media
Thinking Big: Building Innovative Campaigns, Blockbuster Results moderated by Scott Steinberg, founder, Embassy Multimedia Consultants
Leveraging Viral and Word-of-Mouth Marketing moderated by Pete Parsons, Fyreball
Meeting the Media Fragmentation Challenge moderated by Aaron Boulding, videogame analyst, ESPN Video Games
Making the Most of Your TV Dollar, moderated by Pete Jacobs, director, videogame marketing, Spike TV
Event sponsors are GameSpot, EyeBlaster, EyeWonder, GGL and Intergi.
ABOUT Ayzenberg Group:
Founded in 1993 by Eric Ayzenberg, the Ayzenberg Group ( www.ayzenberg.com) is one of the 10 largest privately held interactive entertainment advertising agencies on the West Coast with more than $54 million in capitalized billing. The agency specializes in reaching the most advertising-adverse demographic to date - the young men and women of "Generation Now." Services included strategic leadership, creative, media, and production. Client experience includes: Atari Games, Atlus, Capcom, Disney, EA Games, Gravity, Gyration, Konami, Lucas Arts, Microsoft, Majesco Entertainment, Midway, Namco Bandai, Nestle, Nexon America, NHN, Nokia, Sega, Sonos, Sony, Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide Inc., THQ, Turbine, Ubisoft, Vivendi Universal, Warner Bros., and VTech.
MEDIA CONTACT: Karin Olsen / AMAZONpr / karin@amazonpr.com / 310-497-0052