Joanie Kraut 🔜 Gamescom

We just applied to Trey Bowles' Techstars Anywhere Remote Accelerator program for Fall 2024. For gamers and explorers seeking wonder and community, we present Elderwild Dream Park — a life-sized live-action fantasy role-playing game disguised as a highly themed indoor park. Players build their characters, go on adventures, crawl dungeons, and explore over 220,000 square feet of space filled with secrets, mysteries, adventure and discovery. This game is unlike any other that exists today. It is played live. In person. No apps. No devices. No VR. Just a phenomenal immersive experience. We make money through ticket sales, immersive retail, and from feasts and libations. A single day in our park costs our players just $39! Are you ready to play? https://lnkd.in/eRZ2nTkY

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My Top 5 Insider Tips To Master Event Networking With VidCon only 2 weeks away, I wanted to share some of my top tips to maximize your time and get the most out of the event. As the Programming Director of VidCon for the past 6 years, I’ve been lucky enough to work on over 14 VidCons across 5 different continents. I've seen both speakers and attendees achieve huge success at these events through networking, leading to brand deals, job offers, business partnerships, and investments. A lot of opportunities start at VidCon, and I always love hearing these stories. But how do you meet people and put yourself in a position to win at the event? Here are my top tips to get the most out of the event: 1️⃣ Download the app! Our networking tool is a great way to connect with other attendees. Take some time to build your profile ahead of the event and reach out to others to set up on-site meetings. 2️⃣ Get prepped. Know which sessions you want to attend ahead of time. A lot is happening once you arrive, so it’s easy to miss important sessions if you haven’t made a note of them. 3️⃣ Hotel Bars are gold mines for networking, in the case of VidCon, The Hilton & The Marriot hotels are the spots to meet and network with other industry attendees. In the evenings, many attendees congregate there. 4️⃣ Use LinkedIn; I've already seen a lot of people in my network posting about attending VidCon and sharing information about gatherings and networking opportunities. Reach out to people and set-up a time to chat IRL while on-site. 5️⃣ Most importantly, HAVE FUN!!! VidCon is a unique event, bringing everyone from the Creator Economy together in one place. Dive in feet first and talk to people—you never know who you might meet. I hope this helps. What are your top tips? Let's help each other out by sharing them below. 📢 Also, comment below if you're attending VidCon, this could be another good way to connect with others ahead of time. P.S. If you see me running around, please come say hi. I love connecting with you all. P.P.S. Do you have any stories about doing a deal, meeting a business partner or getting hired through attending VidCon? Please share your stories!!!

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Just finished "Measure What Matters: Succeeding with Objectives and Key Results (OKRs)" by Measure What Matters, John Doerr, and Ryan Panchadsaram! Check it out: https://lnkd.in/eigRzG_d #objectivesandkeyresults.

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In Episode 3, Game Changers share how they help grow our diverse portfolio of games and industry partnerships. Game Changers: Vineet Rastogi, Katrina Green, Monty Hernandez, PMP, MS, and Michelle Jang Featuring Sarah Bond, President of Xbox

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Your Creator Economy News From The Week! --> Twitch is now rewarding streamers with its own version of YouTube’s Play Button. At TwitchCon Rotterdam, the platform announced its Streamer Achievement Awards program. This program will award statues to Partner streamers when they hit 5 million, 50 million, and 250 million hours watched. ---------- --> 'Noplace' like social media… New app goes from invite-only to No. 1 on the Apple App Store. “I think that part of the magical, fun part of the internet is gone now. Everything is very uniform,” says founder TZ (Tiffany Zhong). Aiming to bring the “social” back to “social media,” a new app called noplace (fka nospace) is here for the younger crowd and anyone who wants to connect with friends or around shared interests. Positioned as the modern-day Myspace, it features colourful, customisable profiles, allowing users to share everything from relationship status to what they’re listening to, watching, reading, or doing. It’s early days for the app, but what a start! ---------- --> The Sidemen tap ‘Madden’ streamer Sketch to star in a ritzy ad for Best Cereal Check out The Gold Studios “Creator Ad of The Week,” which details the viral ad! Link in the comments! ---------- --> From TikTok creator to wannabe Hollywood star - Helped by Tubi. Khaby Lame, the most-followed creator on TikTok with 62 million followers, is starring in a new Tubi series. *Khaby Is Coming To America* is a three-part travel show that depicts its titular star’s travels across the United States. 👀 INSIGHT: At Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, Tubi mentioned creating more content, especially comedy and diverse comedy, as a core focus, making this series with Khaby a perfect fit! ---------- ---> Tubefilter releases their weekly Top 5 Branded Videos of the Week, where SHORTS have taken over! Brands involved were Top Eleven (very fitting with the Euros), Eight Sleep, Squarespace, and Vessi - (Link to the post in the comments!) ---------- Have a great week ahead!

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🎉 It's that time again! Time to get ready for WIA's upcoming Fall 2024 Mentorship Circles Program! Preview the circle descriptions as we release them starting this week: ➡https://lnkd.in/gTPE6NcN 😍 This session we have more than 50 Circles available! 🔴 Applications open July 31, 2024. 🎯 ARE YOU READY TO APPLY? Here are our top tips to prepare: 🔸ACCOUNT: Have an active Creator-Level WIA Membership. ➡https://lnkd.in/eWQCsnM 🔸DECIDE which circle to apply to (You can only apply to ONE - click the link above to view the circles and descriptions) 🔸REVIEW the Application Process. 🔸KNOW the date your circle opens for applications. 🔸PREPARE any supplemental application materials ahead of time. 🔸DOUBLE CHECK: After you apply, make sure you go into your profile and ensure your mentorship-specific profile is 100% complete (you can't access the mentorship profile until you have an active application in the system - DON'T SKIP THIS STEP). 🔴 The WIA Mentorship program connects people of underrepresented gender identities at all professional levels to dedicated mentors who can help them achieve the next steps in their careers. Don’t miss out on this opportunity! #WIAMentorship #WIAnimation #Animation #mentorshipCircles #fall2024Mentorship #career

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Music Videos? Do you watch them? This article discusses whether it makes sense for artists to still create them... If you're a big artist, Yes, you absolutely should. Otherwise, I would let the streams lead and take it from there. If they pop off like Dasha's "Austin", then go make that video and get those YouTube Streaming Dollas!

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Disney+ added more than 6M subs in the most recent quarter, while the company's streaming unit lost $18M. That's compared to a loss of $659M in the prior year quarter. This comes on the heels of working to aggressively cut costs, limiting password sharing, improving its recommendation engine, and integrating a new Hulu tile into Disney+. The path to profitability is near

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This #Juneteenth, we recognize organizations like The Black In Gaming Foundation, Black Voices in Gaming, and Black Girl Gamers who advocate for inclusive online spaces and uplift Black professionals in the gaming industry. Games and immersive media have the power to tell meaningful stories that capture the rich histories and cultures of Black communities. One of my favorite examples to highlight is an immersive web experience called "Secret Garden," created by Stephanie Dinkins. It allows us to step into the oral histories of Black women, from surviving a slave boat and a 1920s Black-owned farm to surviving 9/11, and encountering an AI powered by Black women. Today, we celebrate these stories, their creators, and their impact. Check the link in the comments for more on the Secret Garden. 

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It's NOT. But what this really is about is a call-to-action and reaction to the industry earthquakes of the past year or so. One thing's clear: It's never going to be same again. And to be honest, things will probably be worse for a while longer before they get better - if they even do get better. But we have to change. We have to adapt. That's just the way it is, folks. #animation #cartoons #cartoonnetwork https://lnkd.in/gn3T-9fP

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From WrapPro -- the headline-- Latino Audiences Are the Secret to ‘Godzilla x Kong,’ ‘Bad Boys 4’ and ‘Inside Out 2’ Box Office Boom. Below is a link to the article which requires a password but Ive included the most important talking points. It falls into the "No, sh*t, Sherlock" category but never a bad idea to remind ourselves... Latino and Hispanic moviegoers are helping propel big-budget movies to box office success — a welcome shot in the arm as the 2024 box office struggles to come back to life following a pandemic and two crippling labor strikes. Recent tentpole releases like “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” “Bad Boys: Ride or Die” and “Inside Out 2” (fresh off a record-breaking opening weekend) have all seen significant numbers of Latino and Hispanic moviegoers. They are disproportionally higher ticket buyers than other demographic groups because they tend to go to movies in larger groups of family and friends, according to research from management consultant McKinsey. Case in point: “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” the latest and now most successful entry in the MonsterVerse franchise at $571 million worldwide, counted on Latinos and Hispanics for 35% of its audience, just behind Caucasians at 36%, with Asian/other at 18% and Black viewers at 17%. The film played well across the board, with men making up 62% of ticket buyers, but the Hispanic and Latino audience was a defining factor in some areas, according to data from Warner Bros. “Going out to the movie theater with a group of your friends and family in that communal environment of the movie theater is something that has traditionally been a big part of the entertainment diet of the Latino audience, and that’s fantastic for theaters,” Paul Dergarabedian, Comscore senior media analyst, told TheWrap. “Selling one ticket at a time or two is one thing, but being able to have an entire family or group of friends and family go to a movie theater, that’s gold at the box office.” It’s not just action movies capitalizing on Latino turnout. Family films play huge with the demo as well. Pixar’s “Inside Out 2” drew a 36% Latino and Hispanic audience on Father’s Day weekend, a higher share than any Pixar film outside “Coco.” The sequel’s ability to resonate with the demo is translating into boffo ticket sales and great walk up business. The Pixar sequel scored a whopping $155 million during opening weekend, the second-highest North American opening for an animated film ever. It’s so big, it’s already put the box office ahead of schedule on its road to recovery. “For the Latino audience, it’s the tradition that holds for many families of all backgrounds, but certainly we’re seeing in the demographic data and in the numbers that the Latino audience is very, very important to the bottom line for movie theaters and for Hollywood,” Dergarabedian added.

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We've shared a ton of info on our clients Chipotle Mexican Grill ongoing campaign with the fighting game community. With year 2 in full swing and Evolution Championship Series quickly approaching, we're dropping some great results from year 1. From YouGov: -- Chipotle Purchase Intent doubled among US Esports Fans, Age 18-44. After the campaign, 1-in-5 (20%) reported they intended to eat at Chipotle within the next month (1.3x higher than Nat Rep 18-44; 1.8x higher than All US 18+)  -- Consideration of Chipotle among US Esports Fans, age18-44, rose from 28% to 38% (1.2x higher than national average among US 18-44-year-olds;1.6x higher than All US 18+) -- Chipotle’s Overall Brand Impression (sentiment) score among US Esports Fans, age 18-44, rose from 29% to 41% (1.5x higher than national average among US 18-44-year-olds) The results are in, the achievement is unlocked.... Sound strategy, industry expertise, great insights, a client who thrives to find whitespace while focused on adding true value will deliver results. Shout out to all our partners RTS, PlayStation, Capcom, Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc. and of course our team rEvolution. EVO is right around the corner and we're ready for round 2...see you in Vegas. #gaming #esports #sportsbiz #partnerships

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Deepna Devkar, Ph.D. what a treat having you on the podcast! If you’ve ever wondered what goes into building your personalised experience on Max, this is the episode for you. Tune in to hear from one of the minds leading the build of the platform experience!

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Dude Perfect raised $100M for global biz expansion. The deal is getting lots of buzz, but our team’s math signals challenges ahead. Let’s break it down… DEAL DETAILS • $100 - 300M growth capital investment • Led by Highmount Capital • Unclear if 100% invested upfront OR draw down of commitment over time • No previous capital raised USE OF FUNDS • Hire mgmt team to expand biz • More live experiences incl int’l tour, consumer products • Grow content formats, frequency, channels, global localization e.g. animation, TV, movies, streaming • Extend brand beyond 5 founders by building talent network • New HQ in Frisco, TX as prod facility and “family-friendly entertainment destination”: – Retail store, podcasts / gaming / fan UGC spaces, trick shot tower, DP museum, mini golf, restaurants – Original plans for 3-story, 30 acre facility est to cost $100M+, 2 yrs to build COMPANY OVERVIEW: Dude Perfect • Digital-native comedy and sports media brand • Faith-based mission: “We’re about giving back, spreading joy and glorifying Jesus Christ”  • Other YouTube franchises: “Stereotypes,” “Overtime”, “Bucket List”  • Media brand also incl books, mobile games, board games and toys, and merch / retail / food and beverage partnerships • 25 current team members PERFORMANCE HIGHLIGHTS • 60M YouTube Followers, 17B views • Est 2024 revenue: $50M per DP • Est 2023 and 2022 revenue: $25M and $20M per WSJ  • Consumer product partnerships incl Nerf toy line, Columbia Sportswear • Partnered with A Parent Media co to launch a streaming service • ESPN “30 for 30” doc premiering at Dallas Int’l film festival • TV series on CMT in 2016, later aired on Nickelodeon • Alternate broadcasts for Amazon’s Thursday Night Football • 4 live nationwide tours as of 2023 ORIGIN STORY • Founded 2009 by 5 friends at Texas A&M • Cofounders = twins Coby Cotton and Cory Cotton, Tyler Toney, Cody Jones, Garrett Hilbert • Started as YT channel featuring trick shot videos INVESTOR OVERVIEW: Highmount Capital • Growth stage and middle mkt PE fund for tech, media, healthcare • Founded in 2023 by jason illian and David Hawkins • 4 team members on website + advisor • 3 team members have faith-based ties per bios • No other investments listed on website other than DP My takeaway... I really like and support the trend of increased investment into YouTubers and digital-native media brands. But as I wrote about in my 2024 State of Creator x Media capital markets reports (will link them below), investment must match market and opportunity size. To ensure good ROI, and to set good precedent for future investment into our space. The DP bet is exciting, but could be overly optimistic based on our prelim math. My colleague Michael Booth's post breaks the math down (link below). More analysis to come in my Friday newsletter. —- I’m the founder of RockWater Industries. We do m&a and strategy advisory for media, agencies, and creator economy. My dm’s are open. #media #agency #creatoreconomy

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The weekend is almost over, but I’m already thinking about the next one! Why? Because I’m flying down to LA on Friday, Saturday May the 4th is one of my favorite holidays, and it’s the official launch of an in-person gaming meet-up organization that I co-founded with Jalyssa! Time to get away from the computer and virtual meetings. We’re doing away with being pigeonholed and barred from conversations because of title, company, and interest level. We’re trying to get game veterans and new players to engage with each other. We’re lowering the bar of having to spend ridiculous amounts of money just to talk to someone in the games industry. We’re creating a space where ideas, curiosity, creativity, and nerdom can exists all at once. We’re down to a few more tickets, so make sure to grab yours soon! Will we see you there? Unlock conversations and the potential of what the gaming community can do when we meet for the love of the craft. https://lnkd.in/gk6YeveN

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🎙️ New Episode Alert: #227: Kelly’s Journey From Educator to Toy Creator with TCA ! Ever felt like you were missing out on those insightful chats that happen over coffee at work? Our latest podcast episode brings you just that—like listening in on a candid conversation among toy and game industry insiders! 🌟 Today's interview could be the key to your next big idea or breakthrough. #toys #toyindustry #toynews #gameindustry #gamenews #toycreator #toypeople 👂🏽Listen now and be part of the conversation! ⬇️Tap below ⬇️

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Luminate released their Midyear report today and the future continues to be bright for Latin music. - Top Countries to Grow in Global Audio Streaming Share Based on Artists Country of Origin: Mexico and Brazil. - Listener profile in Latin America: younger music listeners are streaming through paid subscriptions, discovering new music via streaming services and attending concerts at a higher rate than the average listener. - Latin fans who are Paid Music Streamers are 32% more likely to purchase CDs in the future when compared to other paid music streamers. - Latin share of U.S. On-Demand Audio (ODA) Streaming grew +.51 percentage share points in the first half of 2024 over the same period last year as the genre grows 15.1% in ODA streaming - Latin genre streaming leans the most in current release age (0-18 months) at 35% meaning they play mostly new music. There is also positive news for independent distributors (like Vydia) who now account for 62.1% of artists with 1M-10M U.S. On-Demand Audio Streams. The independent distributors share went up +2.7% for artists who have 500M+ streams to 9.9% of the market, slowly chipping away from Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group and Universal Music Group. Artists and labels continue to see the value in remaining independent by controlling their projects, owning their music and making their own decisions.

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