Who we are and what we stand for
The video game industry is home to some amazing consumer PR agencies, but most don’t dabble in the B2B side of games PR. Similarly, the tech industry is full of talented B2B PR specialists who don’t live and breathe video games.
This means that, for the many companies that offer services and technology platforms and tools to developers and publishers, there isn’t an obvious solution when it comes to PR agencies that combine B2B tech and video game know-how. Or at least, there wasn’t until Big Games Machine was born.
A little bit about our founders
Big Games Machine was founded by James Kaye and John Ozimek, who have decades of experience working at ‘grown up’ agencies, including Axicom-Cohn & Wolfe and Edelman, as well as client-side for companies such as BT, Orange, 3DO, Glu Mobile and Trinity Mirror, where they’ve whipped up campaigns for everything from Marvel and Cartoon Network to 20th Century Fox and World Series of Poker.
Video games have been a constant throughout their career. While John was part of the senior team growing Glu Mobile from a UK start-up to the largest privately-held mobile entertainment company as its head of marketing and PR for Europe, James was developing mobile strategies for some of the biggest news publications in the UK as head of mobile at Trinity Mirror Group.
Fast-forward to today, and the agency has grown to a team of 20-strong talented PR professionals, account managers, content creators, strategists, social media gurus and copywriters. Some of us come from previous positions in corporate PR or elsewhere in the video game industry; others have worked in B2B PR roles before, but despite our diverse backgrounds and experience, we’re all passionate gamers – and that’s the ‘special sauce’ that Big Games Machine brings to everything we do.
Our Values
We know you have the choice of working with several agencies, but we’re a games PR agency with clear values
that help set us apart from others. Take a look at what makes us tick and why we think you should work with us.
WE RESPECT HONESTY
If you’re looking for a bunch of ‘yes’ people, you’re in the wrong place. We’re all about honest feedback, good and bad, although we’re always friendly about it! This means we may turn down working with you if we don’t think we’re quite the right fit. Likewise, we only work with partners that reflect our values of honesty and openness.
WE LOOK AFTER OUR TEAM
We strive to build a happy and fulfilled workforce. We want our work environment to be positive and to ensure our staff feels supported, listened to, and, above all, that their work is appreciated and rewarded. BGM is a team effort where everyone has a voice, no matter their position in the company.
QUALITY OVER QUANTITY
We often joke to new clients that if they expect a stream of media coverage in top titles, they will fire us after three months. One great idea, executed well, is more effective than a stream of mediocre ones shovelled through the door. We want BGM to be known as an agency that’s all about quality in everything we do.
CUTTING EDGE PR
PR is an industry that changes as the media and digital landscape evolve. Therefore we must understand how to adapt and improve as well. We don’t ever want to be an agency that sits on its laurels; we want our teams to learn, experiment, and play with the latest new technologies and tools.
Why work with us?
There are plenty of great games PR agencies out there, so why should you choose us? If you’re in a hurry and don’t have time to read through our website, here are six benefits of having Big Games Machine as your dedicated PR agency – whether you’re an indie developer, global publisher or supplier looking to enter the video game industry.
We’re all passionate gamers
Hidden Star Road on Super Mario World? Completed it. Platinum trophies across all of the Souls games? Done it. Halo 2 campaign on Legendary with all skulls on? Don’t make us laugh.
We’ve been playing video games for most of our lives. When we combine that experience with our B2B PR experience and in-depth knowledge of games media, we’re able to come up with creative campaign ideas that are guaranteed to make you stand out.
We charge by outcomes. Not hours.
The problem with traditional agency retainers is the need for more transparency regarding how your budget is spent. That’s why we use an innovative points-based approach that lets you see exactly what we’re working on and how much time and cost is required. We’re also pretty flexible with carrying points over or across from other months.
This approach means that we’re agile. You can allocate points against different activities each month as needs and market conditions change, and you can see exactly what work BGM is doing to deliver your PR goals.
Tap into our contacts
Making a name for yourself in the video game industry isn’t just about what you know. It’s about who you know, too.
Knowing who does what and who to turn to when you need a helping hand can be massively beneficial – and that’s where we can help. When you work with us, you don’t just benefit from our PR support and marketing expertise; you also get to tap into our network and all of the benefits that come from that.
Specialist mobile gaming experience
Did you know mobile games generate more revenue than PC, console and handheld combined? Most media outlets often overlook mobile games, but mobile is the fastest-growing segment of the global gaming industry. Our founders have decades of experience working within the mobile sector and have followed the evolution of mobile games right from the start.
Global reach through specialist partner PR agencies
Over the years, we’ve built a network of trusted, specialist partner PR agencies to call upon whenever your campaigns need that extra touch of regional expertise. So while we’ve got a strong focus on English-speaking media, we can also grab you coverage with specialist publications worldwide, from Japan and South Korea to Europe and Latin America.
Access to BGM’s trusted network of suppliers
We see it as our job to make your working life as simple as possible. So, whether you need a hand sourcing print materials or want us to point you in the direction of a business incubator or publisher for your video game, we’re here to help.
