We Are Social launches global gaming practice

We Are Social , the socially led creative agency owned by China's BlueFocus International, has launched a new global gaming and esports offering. 

We Are Social Gaming will operate as a global team of more than 20 gaming and esports experts working across the agency's client portfolio as a core offering rather than a standalone division. It will be led by global chief strategy officer Mobbie Nazir, Singapore chief executive Christina Chong, regional lead for the EU area Stefano Maggi, and Australia chief executive Suzie Shaw. Its expertise will be augmented through new hires as well as learning and development for existing staff, according to the company. 

We Are Social Gaming says it will work with brands in four key areas alongside all its existing capabilities:

• Understanding gaming culture
• Enhancing gaming experiences
• Navigating the fragmented gaming ecosystem
• Maximising impact through connected amplification.

We Are Social has already been working with brands in this space with current clients including Activision, Riot Games, Sony, Twitch, G2 and Fnatic. In recent years it has also created gaming-focused campaigns for the likes of Uber Eats, Vodafone and Renault and helped Global Pride bring its annual parade onto Animal Crossing.

“In the current climate it's easy to see why a gaming division sounds like a good strategy," said Nazir. "But we believe gaming is social, not something that should sit in silo from the work we already do. Gaming has become a core part of our business offering over the last few years and, with the launch of this practice, we’ll be able to help even more brands take a socially-led approach to their gaming strategies."

“Today our gaming offering sits alongside our existing social capabilities, in the near future they will be one and the same," added Nathan McDonald, co-founder and group CEO of We Are Social. "Our ambition is for our entire global team to be as passionate and skilled in gaming as they are in social, helping all our clients, from any sector, make an impact in this fast-moving and highly engaged space. We believe that gaming is the next big cultural frontier for brands and offers endless creative possibilities, but its fragmented landscape makes it very complex to navigate—much like social."