Poland
Innovative professional with 15+ years of unique marketing and brand storytelling experience of achieving success globally, in Americas, Europe, and CIS. 7+ years at Blizzard Entertainment (a Microsoft company), including leading global PR for Diablo, one of the biggest brands in gaming. Led marketing and communications at Techland (Dying Light), one of Europe’s biggest developers. Launched products on PC, console and mobile, including Overwatch, Warcraft, GTA, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Secured millions of content pieces globally with billions in reach and positive sentiment. Managed 6-figure budgets. Led teams of 15+ people. Succeeded in huge global corporations and small local agencies. Industries: Video games, Entertainment, Technology Skills: Communications, PR, Marketing Strategy & Execution, KPIs, Budgets, Project Management, Product & Brand Positioning, Messaging, Storytelling, Content Strategy, International Team & Agency Management, Mainstream & Endemic Media, Media Relations, Communications Pillars, Crisis Communications, Community Management, Content Creators & Influencers, Social Media Roles: Director / Lead / Senior Manager; Communications, PR, Marketing Achievements: - Massively successful global Diablo IV campaign, the fastest selling Blizzard’s game to date. Coverage in highest profile international media (Rolling Stone, WIRED, NYT, The Atlantic, Fast Company, Esquire, Refinery29, Washington Post, more). Cover stories (Game Informer, PC Gamer, Famitsu, more). Day-1 92 Metacritic score, 90/99% Opencritic score, publicly praised communications campaign. - Successful and impactful campaigns for Diablo Immortal and Diablo II: Resurrected, crisis communications management. - Successful announcement of Overwatch 2. - Record-breaking launch of World of Warcraft: Shadowlands. - Lots of high-profile events, including BlizzCon, Gamescom, The Game Awards. - Coverage in tens of thousands of articles with hundreds of billion in reach and positive sentiment. - Coordinating, scripting, media training and coaching multiple high-profile spokespeople. - Efficient execution of six-figure budget projects with KPIs in press coverage, influencer content viewership, and engagement – agile with constant budget and strategy shifts. - Sustained improvements in marketing funnel efficiency, ROI through adjustment of assets, marketing messages, targeting, landing pages, collaboration with the game teams, more. - Building and managing teams of best-in-class professionals. [email protected] Telegram: @maximsamoylenko
Aligned with key stakeholders on long term vision for Techland's IPs and transforming this vision into marketing strategies for products. Managed Product Marketing, PR, Influencers, Social media and other teams. Worked closely with Development, Franchise Expansion & Business Development, Sales, Project Management & Creative Assets Production teams to jointly achieve strategic goals. Defined & managed marketing budget. Built and maintained relations with key partners.
Led global PR and communications for Diablo IV, Diablo Immortal, Diablo II: Resurrected, Diablo III. Worldwide strategy and execution (NA, Europe, Middle East, Asia). Managed agencies, international and regional teams. Launched 3 games in 3 years across console, PC, mobile.
In addition to Overwatch and Overwatch League PR and Communications, in this expanded role I led World of Warcraft, Heroes of the Storm, StarCraft, and WarCraft 3: Reforged PR and Communications in Europe.
Headed European PR and communications for Overwatch. Launched several games and expansions, led EMEA Territory PR teams (France, UK and Ireland, DACH, Benelux, Nordics, Iberia, Italy, CEE, Russia and MEA). Orchestrated global announcements and events. Secured high-profile coverage.
Headed games marketing team that managed AAA products. Launched and supported several products and ensured efficient return on marketing investments. Direct team of 10 people (PR, brand marketing, influencer relations, events, esports, and partnerships experts). Marketing budgets up to €15M/year, revenue up to €100M/year.
Led team that supervised dozens of products launches in CIS from leading publishers and developers (Activision Blizzard, Take Two, Konami, Capcom, Bandai Namco, Square Enix, Warner Bros, CCP Games, more). Regulated team of 7 people.
Located and negotiated with new partners interested in entering and successfully performing in the Russian market, developed and executed marketing strategies for these partners and products. Negotiations involved key developers and publishers of computer, console and mobile games, online and offline. Established contacts and worked closely with marketing and advertisement agencies. Developed and executed marketing plans covering PR and media relations, advertisement, traffic management and analysis, event management, community management, customer support and other activities.
Managed public and media relations for video game products published and/or distributed by 1C-SoftClub; Media coverage initiation, development and execution of PR plans for various titles; Events organization for media and trade partners (including the biggest gaming companies in the world, such as Rockstar Games and Blizzard Entertainment). Maintained close relationship with 1C-SoftClub’s publishing partners on PR and marketing plans discussion and approval. Managed relationships with development teams of the games published and/or distributed by 1C-SoftClub. Headed all PR activities for several titles. Planned marketing and advertisement campaigns.
Established and maintained relationships with partners for informational and commercial partnership. Organizing events, developed strategic planning for multiple websites functionality and promotion. Managed staff and freelance writers, content publication planning and supervising.