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Bidstack VP Charlotte Cook on the new era of advertising in games

"Over the next 12 months, I think we will see gaming creating more detailed and ambitious universes than ever before"

Bidstack VP Charlotte Cook on the new era of advertising in games

Pocket Gamer Connects Digital #2 2020 will take place from June 8th to 12th, 2020. To give you a taste of what to expect, we'll regularly be publishing interviews with the speakers at the show.

For more details on PGC Digital #2 and to book a ticket, head to the website here.

In this speaker spotlight, we caught up with Bidstack vice-president of gaming Charlotte Cook who has been working in the games industry since she graduated from university. Cook's an ambassador for Women in Games and is currently one of MCV's 30 under 30 title holder, while also having a hand in launching multiple chart-topping triple-A titles such as Grand Theft Auto, BioShock and Borderlands. Cook was also a part of the team that created the UK marketing campaign for Mario and Sonic at the London 2012 Olympics.

Charlotte Cook will be speaking on: "Bidstack: A new era of advertising for your game"

PocketGamer.biz: Tell us a bit about your company?

Charlotte Cook: Bidstack is the leading in-game advertising platform. We bridge the gap between game developers and advertisers by enhancing the realism of games with unintrusive, real-world ads. Our tech is designed to protect the gaming experience.

We help game developers to open a new incremental revenue stream by monetising ad spaces that exist within their games. We empower our gaming partners to unlock a proportion of this global ad spend through our advertising expertise and lightweight SDK.

Our brand-safe, cross-platform inventory unlocks gaming for advertisers, allowing them to reach an enormous audience in a creative, authentic and engaging way. We deliver ads on a direct and programmatic basis, utilising standard ad formats and working with trusted vendors to make in-game advertising simple and straightforward.

What does your role entail?

I am responsible for overseeing our partnerships across the gaming sector, identifying new opportunities and strategy for the gaming division globally.

Why did you want to work in the games industry?

The games industry presents such an exciting career opportunity - to work in an industry which is at the forefront of creativity, technology and bringing joy and entertainment to people; was hugely appealing to me. From the moment I first started working at SEGA, I knew it was an industry I wanted to be a part of for a long time.

What advice would you give to anyone looking to get into it?

Do your research - there are more opportunities than you may first think. One of the most exciting advancements in my career over the past few years has been working for innovative start-ups which serve the games industry.

There are some incredible companies out there, doing amazing things that might not always be the most obvious entry in and can be a fantastic place to start your career in gaming and gain invaluable experience.

What are your thoughts on the industry in the last 12 months?

It has been an exciting 12 months for the industry - to see games come to the forefront as mainstream entertainment and the increase in interest in it as a sector has been very encouraging.

I think the emergence of a 'metaverse' in titles such as Fortnite has been the first glimpse into how cross-pollination of entertainment could happen in the future.

What major trends do you predict in the next 12 months?

A new console generation is always an exciting time and the recent showcase by Unreal of the capabilities of their new engine was truly spectacular. Over the next 12 months, I think we will see gaming creating more detailed and ambitious universes than ever before, esports becoming mainstream and increasing appetite from premium brands across multiple channels looking to work collaboratively with the industry as part of their overall strategy.

How has the games industry changed since you first started?

One of the most notable changes would have to be the emergence of streaming services and influencers, that now form such a key part of the overall marketing mix for titles. It has also been encouraging to see a positive move and reception to promoting diversity within the industry.

Which part of the Connects event are you most looking forward to and why?

Panel participation and meetings with prospective clients.