IDG World Expo

[SAN FRANCISCO and FRAMINGHAM, Mass.] – Jan. 30, 2013 – Registration, Call for Speakers and Award Entries are now open for the 2013 Game Marketing Summit (GMS), the premier conference for video game marketers, IDG World Expo, a leading producer of tradeshows and events and owner of GMS, announced today. IDG World Expo also announced that the Game Marketing Summit has selected award-winning producer, media ecologist and author Jack Myers as the keynote speaker for the event, taking place on April 17 in San Francisco.

Author of “Hooked Up: A New Generation’s Surprising Take on Sex, Politics and Saving the World,” Myers will present a thought-provoking keynote session, titled “Is It All Just a Game? The Hooked Up Generation’s Surprising Take on Gaming.” Myers’ presentation will share surprising insights from his research among young people on the emerging opportunities for game marketers and media.  Myers will discuss the “Hooked Up Generation” – a sub-set of the Millennials generation – and how this group will transform gaming, entertainment, marketing, culture, politics, education and even technology itself. The session will also address the new strategies, perspectives and an understanding of the forces that have influenced and defined this generation.

“For the past three decades, I’ve tracked the impact of emerging technologies on media, advertising and marketing. As I peer into the next decade, it’s clear to me that gaming is one of the three most important and dynamic platforms (integrated with video and social), contributing to the complete transformation of the media and marketing industry,” said Myers, award-winning producer and author. “I’m excited to have the opportunity at GMS 2013 to share my vision for the future of gaming, based on my research among the young generation whose radically different media interests are the driving force behind this transformation.”

“The Game as the Platform” is the cornerstone theme for this year’s GMS. A watershed year for the game industry, 2013 promises new console launches, disruptive technology challenging the status-quo, ever increasing expansion with smartphones, and tablets attracting millions of new game players. But the question still remains: How do we effectively reach and engage players? Sessions of this year’s GMS will be geared toward best practices to effectively reach consumers, and will address the ever-changing marketplace with a wide range of topics including:

• Consoles As An Ad Platform
• Broadcasting Games and the Return of e-Sports
• Media Mix Evolution
• Marketing to “Millenials”
• Going Social or Viral with No Budget
• Free-to-Play and Discoverability

Registration for GMS 2013 is now open. Register by February 18 and save $200: www.etouches.com/ereg/index.php?eventid=53831&.

The Call for Sessions and Speakers for GMS 2013 is also now open. Industry experts are encouraged to share their ideas with hundreds of marketing professionals in interactive entertainment. For more information or to submit a speaker, visit: www.gamemarketingsummit.com/summit/call-for-speakers.

Additionally, the Call for Entries is now open for the 8th annual Game Marketing Awards. The Game Marketing Awards is the first and only U.S. program established to showcase and honor the finest creative work by marketing and creative professionals in the video game marketing community. The Award program celebrates the best practices in marketing, promotion and advertising for the video game and interactive entertainment community. For more information on categories and submission guidelines, visit: www.gamemarketingsummit.com/awards/overview. Deadline for the Awards is Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013.

The Game Marketing Summit, formerly known as MI6, is a must-attend annual event for video game marketing professionals. GMS is a one-day event that brings together leading industry marketing and brand executives to discuss, deliberate, debate and celebrate  the issues, opportunities and successes driving the interactive entertainment industry. The day culminates with the Game Marketing Awards Show where top creative work produced by and for the video game marketing community is showcased and honored.

About Game Marketing Summit

The Game Marketing Summit and Awards celebrates marketing excellence overall, while providing an all-inclusive forum for common thought, bond and community. For additional speaker information and details about the event, please visit www.gamemarketingsummit.com.

About IDG World Expo

IDG World Expo (www.idgworldexpo.com) is a leading producer of tradeshows and events for professionals and consumers seeking world-class education, strategic business relationships, and access to industry-leading products and services. IDG World Expo’s portfolio of conferences and events includes Macworld / iWorld, the MacIT® Conference, the Electronic Entertainment Expo® (E3®), Anime Expo®, The Game Marketing Summit, Enterprise MobileNext (mNext), and Macworld Mobile. IDG World Expo is a business unit of IDG, the world’s leading technology media, research and event company.

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