VCCP eyes growth in gaming sector with launch of new unit VCCP+

Communications agency, VCCP has launched its new gaming proposition, VCCP+, aiming to help brands navigate and leverage the gaming metaverse. With VCCP+, the agency will develop data-backed solutions to help brands build long-term value in the space and challenge the ways gaming is traditionally viewed and activated.

Additionally, it aims to upskill and and tip the balance for modern marketers with its unique approach and offering. VCCP+ will be led by CEO, Jonny Shaw (pictured left) and head of strategy, Sashi Nair (pictured right). 

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to VCCP+ for additional information regarding VCCP+. 

According to the agency, Shaw has worked in the game space for over 20 years and has led teams in London, Tokyo, San Francisco and New York. He has also worked on both endemic games brands, PlayStation, Xbox, EA and Rockstar games. At the same time he has helped some brands such as Coca Cola, Fanta, adidas and Google to navigate around the world of games. Nair joins from Havas sports and entertainment where he led the strategy practice on gaming, partnerships, sports, and music. He helmed the position for three years, said his LinkedIn. Nair delivers meaningful vision and solutions based on today’s popular culture across geographies for organisations such as The Coca-Cola Company, Beam Suntory, Michelin, Tracfone, Fidelity, Titleist, P&G, Pringles, Emirates, HSBC, Sony and Volkswagen, said VCCP. 

Despite its popularity and abundance of opportunities, brands, marketers and even agencies have only really scratched the surface of gaming’s potential as the force in marketing to leverage, said the agency. In fact, the agency added that the investment in gaming is currently 100 times less than the ad spend on Facebook and four times less than in print. With this in mind, VCCP+ aims to disrupt this status quo and will arm future-facing brands with the right data, expertise, ideas, and partnerships for an immediate marketing future where a gaming strategy and an always-on plan will be a critical necessity.

“The gaming space is completely misunderstood, misused, or relegated to being an experiment for marketers. It is the biggest unmet audience opportunity there is in marketing, " said Shaw. While gaming represents the biggest entertainment vertical in the world, it is constantly ignored by brands, he added. As 90% of Gen Z identify as gamers, the audience of tomorrow is everyone. VCCP+ is here to challenge the status quo and offer brands a way to engage and tap into this demographic in a way that is authentic and will reduce media wastage," Shaw explained. 

Aside from releasing its new gaming proposition, the agency has also unveiled its global content creation studio named Girl&Bear in November last year. The studio will deliver content creation, global production services and a bespoke technology solution. Led by MD Claire Young, executive head of product Anthony Austin, and global head of operations Dan Montalbano, the new production studio will service VCCP’s global network across eight markets including London, where it is headquartered, Singapore, Shanghai, Madrid, Prague, San Francisco, New York, and Sydney. The leadership team will report into VCCP London's CEO Andrew Peake and group chief creative officer Darren Bailes. Other new areas include its specialist B2B service VCCP Business, as well as branding and social media divisions.

Whereas on the leadership front, VCCP Singapore bolstered its operations by bringing on board Jaslyn Lam as business director and Guy Futcher as regional creative director. According to the agency, the appointments brought new levels of experience and expertise to VCCP and continue its drive to grow and expand its service offerings. Lam reports directly into CEO, Craig Mapleston, leading clients such as Cathay Pacific, Johnson & Johnson and Shell. On the other hand, Futcher has over 15 years of experience across Australia and Singapore, leading multiple local and global accounts, including McDonald's, VW, Samsung, Netflix, Tourism Australia and TAB. 

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