The keys to modern communication with ZiMAD's Anastasia Zaiceva

One field that is especially close and familiar to us press is communication. We deal with the PR & comms departments or representatives from publishers, firms, and independent actors on a daily basis, and after all we also are about filtering facts and knowledge in order to deliver interesting stories to our audiences as another form of communication.

Despite its obvious importance, this topic is sometimes overshadowed by other more prominent subjects when it comes to discussing new developments in gaming, gear, and entertainment. Production, publishing, business, and even marketing are more easily recognised by readers and viewers, and thus oftentimes take the spotlight.

This time, however, we got the chance to talk comms and how they have evolved in the past decade with ZiMAD's Anastasia Zaiceva, and we did it at depth but in a very relaxed way over a cup of coffee at the DevGAMM in Gdańsk. We therefore recommend you watch the whole interview below (which includes full local subtitles) if you're at all into or interested in communication regardless the field, but here are a few excerpts at any rate.

"We do everything", she told us at Amber Expo. "The social media, in-game activities, even a Spotify music channel dedicated to jigsaw puzzle collectors."

In the full video, Zaiceva discusses the shift in how companies communicate with their audiences, highlighting the omnichannel approach used today. "We create communities because it's empowering when you see others doing the same things you love", she underlines about community building as a further connection. "We talk about things beyond just the game—trends, jokes, family routines—to attract people who feel connected to that."

"It's not about people not believing in media; sometimes it's about PR doing their job wrong, focusing on coverage as a KPI—like 50 articles"

Speaking about the role of influencers with regards to agencies and media, Anastasia suggests they can act as bridges or intermediaries who are acquainted with the products, instead of the separate channels they've been perceived as generally. "Influencers or gaming ambassadors could act as liaisons because they know the game and can communicate well with both the audience and media."

Finally, the CCO sees a balance between the overwhelming amount of online content and the opportunity to offer games as learning tools or connection devices. "It's harder now to understand which content is worth seeing, with so much fake news and algorithms pushing sensationalism", she admits on the one hand. "Games are about strategy, logical thinking, and collaborating—it's a great way to connect globally in a digital world", she concludes on the other.