GET TO KNOW US: BRETT CLAXTON, CREATIVE STRATEGIST

Our ‘GET TO KNOW US’ series continues and this time, we want to introduce one of the main brains behind our client campaigns, Creative Strategist, Brett Claxton.

Sitting in the data and strategy team, Brett sees through all elements of the strategy process, from the research to the final pitch - some would say he makes campaign dreams come true.

‘I really enjoy the satisfaction of getting a strategy finished and pitching it to clients, to find their level of excitement for what you propose matches yours.

My first step in the games industry was in 2014 when I became a regular writer for PushStartPlay, but my love for gaming began in the early 90s when my nan bought me a NES from a family friend with a bunch of games.?

Heaven was my first step into a gaming agency. I started out in gaming content creation in 2017 when I joined Social Chain to be a part of their gaming team, working for their brands GameByte and FragHero. During that time I worked on some great content and campaigns whilst building the presence of the brands across social and beyond’.

With over 3 billion people in the world of games, it makes sense for brands to try and connect with them. Even brands who’s products and services are unrelated to gaming, like Coca-Cola and Mercedes-Benz, are taking advantage of the large and diverse audience.

‘I think gaming continues to surprise people and we’re frequently seeing non-endemic brands find a way into it. The positive thing is there seems to be more success stories these days.?

There are still some brands that get it wrong and talk to gamers like they’re an outdated stereotype or struggle to find a level of authenticity but, for the most part, we’re seeing more creative ways to engage with gamers and it’s nice to see’.

But how can you engage with this audience and what do they want to see?

‘I think it’s hard to say really. Audiences don’t necessarily know what they want to see for a campaign to stand out, until they see it. A lot of the time the campaigns that achieve this, are the ones that take a bit of a risk and think a little outside the box.?

It’s sensible to always consider the standard marketing beats but outside the box thinking is what will make you be remembered’.

Brett has worked on many great projects over the years and done so many things he never thought he would. When he was younger, he covered new console launches and went to gaming events like E3 and Gamescom - every young gamers dream!

‘I think most of my fun career highlights have been when I’ve been in front of the camera. I worked on a great range of commercial projects for GameByte over the years.?

I went to Chester Zoo and worked on a video for the launch of Planet Zoo. It was an awesome shoot and I loved working on a video for OSRS on mobile, which saw me fighting a plastic lobster and so much more.?

Creating fun projects that resonate with a wider audience creates such a great feeling’.

If you’re interested in what Brett can do for your brand, or want to find out more about him being an extra in the Countdown episode of IT crowd, drop us a line on [email protected] or head to www.heavenmedia.com .