A Closer Look at Gabby Bradford Pigott’s Success in Mobile Game Marketing
Mobile advertising company Liftoff has recently featured Gabby Bradford Pigott, VP of Partnerships at Candywriter, in their series of interviews with inspirational women working in the mobile gaming industry. In this interview, Pigott shares her achievements, challenges, and future aspirations.
From Candy Crush Enthusiast to VP of Partnerships
With a passion for Candy Crush, Pigott’s role in mobile game marketing seems almost destined. Currently serving as the VP of Partnerships for Candywriter, the studio behind the popular interactive text sim BitLife, Pigott excels in negotiating deals, managing strategic relationships, and implementing data-driven processes. Her expertise also extends to ad monetization.
However, Pigott’s journey towards a career in marketing was not initially apparent. She studied history at university and only discovered her love for marketing after becoming a Marketing Coordinator for a college startup project. This experience eventually led her to a role at a cloud computing firm, where she learned essential skills in online marketing and the psychology behind attracting consumers.
Becoming a Leader at Candywriter
Pigott’s entry into mobile marketing occurred when she joined the advertising platform Chartboost as a supply-side account manager. It was during her time at Chartboost that she was introduced to Candywriter. As her relationship with the studio grew, she was presented with an opportunity to join them and gain new perspectives.
Moving from the agency to the client-side was a seamless transition for Pigott. Being an employee granted her access to valuable data and trends, which allowed her to utilize partners more strategically. When she first joined Candywriter, the team was small and mostly remote. However, as their games gained traction, Pigott took on the role of Head of Ad Monetization, managing ad monetization waterfalls, developing partnerships with ad networks, and analyzing data and metrics for games like BitLife.
After going on maternity leave, Pigott returned to find that Candywriter had made significant changes. She was presented with a new opportunity as VP of Partnerships, where she is now responsible for platform and ad mediation relationships, designing reporting processes, and interacting with third-party providers and potential partners. These relationships are crucial for Candywriter to secure favorable deals and ensure success in the market.
The Importance of Partnerships in Mobile Games Marketing
According to Pigott, building strong relationships is crucial in an industry that primarily operates on transactions. Developing successful partnerships can lead to increased market share, expanded daily active users (DAU), higher downloads, and improved brand recognition, all of which contribute to overall growth and profitability.
User acquisition and ad monetization go hand in hand, and ensuring effective collaboration between these two teams creates a positive feedback loop that results in better return on investment (ROI) and accelerated growth. However, managing these partnerships is no easy task, especially in an industry that constantly evolves. Pigott emphasizes the need for continuous learning and adaptation to stay updated with market optimizations and overcome challenges posed by industry consolidation.
The consolidation of companies within the mobile gaming industry presents additional obstacles when it comes to negotiation and finding new opportunities. With major acquisitions like Microsoft’s merger with Activision-Blizzard, Rovio’s acquisition by Sega, and Zynga’s purchase by Take-Two, it becomes increasingly important for professionals like Pigott to navigate the changing landscape and establish new relationships.
Pigott recommends meeting in person whenever possible to build partnerships, as personal connections often lead to stronger business collaborations. While maintaining professionalism, sharing personal aspects of one’s life can also foster a deeper connection outside of business.