Samira Behrouzan

Step by Step, Move by Move – We’re Building for the Long Game Every innovation is like a piece on a game board. Each plays a role, every move intentional, every step toward a bigger vision. At Zynedra, we understand that growth isn’t a sprint, it’s a series of well-calculated, strategic moves. We don’t just focus on the here and now – we’re setting up the future, anticipating opportunities, and thinking several moves ahead. Our journey is about more than just the next product launch or the latest feature. It’s about building a platform that connects businesses and people, one that solves the immediate needs of today while paving the way for the possibilities of tomorrow. With each deliberate step, we’re setting the stage for long-term success. We know where we’re going – and we’re playing for the future, not just the present. Because in this game, it’s not about rushing; it’s about making sure every move counts.

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Working with the right influencers can transform your brand perception, reach and engagement. So Ayanna Cook hit the Bay Area streets to discover which influencers and creators are top of mind. Our AI matchmaking feature ensures you connect with influencers who align perfectly with your brand values and objectives, so you can drive your campaigns to new heights 🌟 Who is your favourite influencer or creator? With LinkedIn Top Voice on the rise, would love to see if any of them make your cut 🌉 Drop their handle in the comments! 👇 #Stella #Marketing #InfluencerMarketing #BayArea #CreatorEconomy #TopVoice

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Stop over promising and under delivering. Under promise and over deliver. Manage expectations, follow through with what you say, and you will find success every single time. #career #careeradvice #advice #entertainmentindustry #tech #losangeles

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Savvy Games Group acquisition of Scopely for $4.9bn (and the subsequent success of Monopoly Go!) elevated the profile of Savvy and Saudi Arabian investment into the games sector. At Mission One we have worked extensively with both Savvy and Scopely over the last few years hiring executive talent in North America, Europe and the Middle East. Delighted to go into this theme on the most recent episode of Deconstructor of Fun in discussion with Brian Ward and Michail Katkoff (link in comments). Listen if you are curious about the themes of - what's going on with Savvy, how do you hire executive talent to a new market (it's not just cash incentives before the cynics chip in 😉), or more generally the theme of hiring world class executive talent in games, entertainment, and consumer. #savvy #scopely #monopolygo! #saudiarabia #executivehiring

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Runway & Lionsgate: AI's Red Carpet Moment in Hollywood 🎞️ Just when you thought AI couldn't get any more glamorous, it lands a starring role in Hollywood. Runway and Lionsgate just announced a partnership that's set to redefine filmmaking. Let's break down this blockbuster deal: 1. Runway, the AI video creation powerhouse, is teaming up with Lionsgate to create a custom AI model. Think of it as giving Lionsgate its own high-tech film studio in the cloud. 2. This AI will be trained on Lionsgate's vast catalog. Imagine the creative possibilities when you have the DNA of "The Hunger Games" and "La La Land" in your digital toolkit. 3. The goal? To augment pre-production and post-production processes. We might see an "Age of Adaline" sequel where she time-travels through musical eras. AI-generated, of course. But here's what's really intriguing: - Will this democratize high-quality content creation or widen the gap between big studios and independents? - How will this impact jobs in the VFX industry? Are we looking at a new breed of AI-assisted artists? - Could this finally give us the epic, true-to-Homer's-text "Odyssey" we've been waiting for, complete with a Charybdis that would make Poseidon jealous? Or will we end up with AI churning out yet another superhero origin story? As someone navigating the intersection of tech and business, I'm fascinated by the potential ripple effects. Could we see similar partnerships in other creative industries? Fashion? Architecture? The possibilities are as endless as a Netflix scroll. What's your take? Is this AI's red carpet moment in Hollywood, or are we setting ourselves up for a tech-induced plot twist? Let's discuss. After all, in the world of AI and entertainment, the only spoiler is not being part of the conversation. https://lnkd.in/eZKafgWT

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Gaming opens up revenue streams for young fashion brands and designers!💰 Set to launch during New York Fashion Week in September, Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) and Fashion League | Finfin Play are collaborating on a mobile fashion styling game that will showcase digital versions of designs of the ten CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund finalists. How will Fashion League shift how we perceive and engage with fashion and gaming?🎮 Embracing Inclusivity The game celebrates fashion as a form of self-expression and inclusivity, novel to the gaming world, players can now layer clothing items on avatars without gender restrictions. Whether dressing a male character in a dress or a female character in a suit, gamers can authentically showcase their unique style 👗 . Continuing with the inclusivity theme, Fashion League promotes collaboration, instills a sense of ownership, and blurs the lines between creators and consumers. Exploring New Revenue Streams Fashion League introduces a revenue model that allows designers to monetize their digital creations, offering players the chance to purchase and own exclusive digital designs. This integration of e-commerce within the gaming ecosystem represents a significant innovation in both industries. Web3’s Novel Approach to Fashion By integrating gaming into the fashion industry's creative process, Fashion League introduces a new model of Web3 engagement by allowing users to submit their digital work to the platform. 🌐 This decentralized approach encourages UGC, empowers creators, democratizes content creation, and introduces new forms of digital ownership. The introduction of this game represents a monumental leap in blending fashion, gaming, and e-commerce, infusing the gaming experience with unparalleled excitement, creativity, and individuality. 🎉 This collaboration between the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund and Fashion League is poised to revolutionize digital fashion and e-commerce, seamlessly integrating high-fashion designs, themed challenges, revenue sharing, inclusivity, special events, educational content, and community co-creation, thereby setting a new standard for the industry. 👏  Kudos to the CFDA and Fashion League teams! I can’t wait to see how this game turns out and the boundless opportunities it unlocks for designers worldwide. 👏  I’m currently signed up as a beta tester and will share a deep dive on the gameplay at a later date! Steven Kolb Theresia Le Battistini Charlotte Clisby Kane Luke Serene Ho Ahrens Danielle Michelle Walsh Panagiotis Giannakopoulos Julio Sousa Matt Tomporowski Alessia Grisafi Justina Skurdelyte Natalija Tribò Kristina Cirkovic Anh Ha Karin Broennimann Anna Karavaieva Maher El Sayed Ben Wilson Penny Riley Andy Wood Steven Purves Anton Horiachykh Diego Muñoz Fernández Sergiu Slanina #Gaming #Diversity #Inclusion #DigitalFashion #Innovation #Technology #DigitalTransformation #FutureofBusiness #Immersivetechnology #innovativetechnology #livvium #fashion

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"WTF is Roblox?" The only thing James Borow and I know is that it's a $25B company with 70M+ DAU. Lucky for us Geoffrey Reed, COO of Floor 84 Studio joined us on the Taking Inventory podcast to answer this very question. F84 produces games and experiences for Roblox, Fortnite, the metaverse, and other platforms and they work with brands like the NBA, Mattel, Disney, and Lego. Geoff is also another Snap Inc. alum doing some very cool work! If you're anything like James Borow and I you may feel like a boomer after this episode, but at least be able to say you know about "adopt me" and "grinder" games, what some brands are doing to stand out, and whether these platforms are actually aging up. Listen to this week's podcast: Spotify: https://lnkd.in/g2h6vK86 Apple: https://lnkd.in/geCZP2u2 Where you listen: https://lnkd.in/gigdwb-f Kevin Longo Amar Moon Shachar Scott Sean Friedland Greg Lieber Kent Moy Josh Mandell Dante DiCicco

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Be careful out there everyone 🙋‍♂️ When things like the below happen: 🤷‍♂️ Companies expecting more output from less people 😩 Advertising spends & the economy taking hits 🤐 The business of streaming continuing to get more competitive People & companies alike will offer solutions that seem like magic, and present everything you want to hear in a nicely wrapped bow 😬 Distribution made to seem easy like an infomercial, monetization troubles a thing of the past, managed services from those who haven't done it directly - all are just a few examples What is often left out is an understanding of the services & support needed end-to-end to do even a small portion of the above, no less all of it. All of these areas are difficult, take a well thought out strategy, relationships, experience & more - which can still sometimes just be the table stakes. As I have grown in my profession, I have made it a mission of my own to be direct & transparent in conversation. I have been able to enjoy my work while making more friends & partners along the way. I hear too many stories of others having to listen to inaccurate information, false hope, and straight up lies. It can be hard to avoid, but you can start with asking the right questions, seeking help from friends in the space, and asking others about their positive & negative experiences. While I may not end up working with everyone I speak with, I enjoy the conversation, and whether good or bad, learn something from it. Enjoy the rest of your weekend ya'll, see you out in the streaming streets Monday 💪 ✌ #weekendvibes #OTTera #OTT #FAST #AVOD #Streamingfireworks

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The People’s Bid is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for Americans to reclaim a voice, choice, and stake in the future of the internet. In April 2024, Congress passed legislation forcing a ban or sale of TikTok in the U.S. Project Liberty is building a broad consortium of technologists, investors, community leaders, and creators to purchase TikTok and migrate the platform to new infrastructure that allows people to control their own data. We believe a reimagined TikTok can preserve the creativity and dynamism that have made it the cultural engine of the internet while fixing the issues that led Congress to act. Today’s TikTok is a problem. Together, we can make it a solution to the issues created by Big Tech. Learn why creators, investors, activists, and people everywhere are signing on to The People’s Bid, and join us in the fight at ThePeoplesBid.com. #ThePeoplesBid

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Today is my first day at Roblox! I assumed the role of Chief Marketing Officer and will also take on global expansion efforts as the Head of Market Expansion. There are amazing teams in place for both areas and I’m excited to see where I can infuse my experience with theirs. It was hard to leave my old job but easy to accept my new one. Roblox is just scratching the surface of its opportunity on its own platform and in connecting to people around the world. It was also clear that there is a wonderful culture of long view strategic investment and a pragmatic approach to working together internally. I think that fits my personal philosophy well and how I like to build teams. On the marketing side, Roblox is THE place where generations growing up in the digital world meet daily to enjoy millions of immersive experiences together. For brands, Roblox is in an amazing position to partner in unique ways that haven’t been explored before. I see a vibrant and engaged community that is growing and a platform that is constantly exploring new ways to create joy and fun. As a marketer, this is an amazing place to storytell and connect all kinds of content to a huge and growing community. I can only imagine what content we’ll bring to the platform as we grow around the world. Which brings me to the other part of my job….. I couldn’t be more excited about the growth potential in international markets where Roblox is just scratching the surface of its opportunity. I know that local creators, local partners, and local marketing produce incredible stories from around the world. The entire platform benefits. I can’t wait to see what Roblox unlocks as we expand. I’ll be back on the road reconnecting with old colleagues and teammates around the world. Hopefully I’ll see many of you soon!

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We are seeing creator brands rise to astronomical success with built in marketing channels and partnering with 3rd parties with domain expertise to help them scale. These brands can now find distribution outside of DTC and into traditional retail. Walk down an aisle in your local super market or a convenience store and you will see these products everywhere. The new Lunchly product from Mr. Beast/KSI/Logan Paul is arriving with high expectations and a trio of the biggest creators on the planet collaborating. For me, the interesting thing is going to see if creators can compete with the CPG giants with portfolio brands with products that span multiple categories. Is the next General Mills or Kellogg's going to be a creator owned and operated business? The success of this product will be telling. https://lnkd.in/gczFZd2A

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Animoca Brands Secured $10 Million to Expand Mocaverse Animoca Brands has raised an additional $10 million in funding to further develop Mocaverse, its consumer network platform that aims to integrate gaming, sports, music, and other cultural sectors into one ecosystem. The latest round of financing, which adds to the previous $31.88 million raised, includes participation from OKX Ventures, CMCC Global, HongShan, Republic Crypto, Decima Fund, and Kingsway Capital. Mocaverse enables users to create digital identities using the decentralized Moca ID protocol, develop an online presence, and earn rewards through Realm Points, a system specific to the platform. The goal is to expand crypto adoption by engaging users through fan-driven communities and driving network effects across various verticals in the consumer crypto space. #Mocaverse #AnimocaBrands #CryptoNetwork #GamingEcosystem #BlockchainIdentity

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When ACC collaborated with the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism on a months-long study to understand how Gen Z consumers see brands, we gleaned a number of key insights from participants in their own words. In today’s Ad Age, the authors of that study, our own Monica Chun and USC’s Matthew Le Veque, lay out some of those findings in a timely op-ed that serves as a guide for marketers hoping to reach this important audience. Do you understand “Zegos”? Is your brand at the center of the joke? Are you dropping into the comments section? Find out why all of these things matter by reading this great piece. https://lnkd.in/gH6enUjm #GenZ #Marketing #GenZstudy #Advertising

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Great article by Visa's CMO, Frank Cooper III. With the creator economy projected to grow to $480 billion by 2027, athletes-as-creators represent an area with incredibly untapped potential for both brands and athletes. In my experience managing athlete marketing on behalf of major brands and early-stage consumer brands, athlete-creators can be far more appealing to brands for three reasons: 1. An athlete with no recognition other than their sport, team, or on-field/court performance, forces a brand to spend more on additional team/league sponsorships to secure marks (the players' team uniform, league logo, etc.) for the audience to better recognize the athlete 2. An athlete who doesn't have the ability to create his or her own content forces a brand to spend high production costs and fees to produce branded content featuring the athlete 3. An athlete with no platform requires a brand to spend even more on linear and/or digital media to distribute that content to reach a target audience For athletes, being a creator positions you to be far more commercially viable for a brand, as your marketing value is less dependent on your performance in your given sport and more on the content you create + the audience you can immediately reach with a tap on your smartphone. Visa is doing a great job capitalizing on this shift, having recently hosted a creator's boot camp for 100 Team Visa athletes in Paris. Brands and athletes must adapt or be left behind because consumer viewing habits and preferences will continue to change with or without them.

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“Starting with a strong AI policy enables companies to accelerate their experimentation in the space,” said Natalie Silverstein, chief innovation officer at Collectively, an influencer marketing and creator economy company that is part of Brandtech. 💫 Natalie was speaking at Campaign US and PRWeek's new AI Deciphered event in New York, alongside friend of Brandtech and founder of Qreates, Salma A. - who was our most recent Gen AI Resident https://lnkd.in/gDQqd58q; TelevisaUnivision’s Leslie Koch; and Haymarket Media US’s Gideon Fidelzeid. 💥 The panel explored issues advertisers face in navigating copyright and fair use rights while ensuring they are fairly compensating artists, particularly marginalized ones, when deploying Gen AI in their work. Read more here 👉 https://lnkd.in/gu3vQe5Q Natalie emphasized the importance of a solid brand identity when using Gen AI tools - such as Brandtech’s Pencil ✏️ - and the value of having humans involved in the process to ensure content stays true to the brand. Pencil is the world’s #1 Gen AI marketing platform, having now created more than one million ads for 5,000+ brands. A media spend of $1bn+ through the platform means we are able to deliver performance predictions on all elements of a campaign.  #GenAI #Brandtech #AIpowered #FutureofAI #AIDeciphered

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On April 23, the American Influencer Council, in partnership with Canopy and HypeAuditor will release our 2nd Annual Creator Economy Trend Report that highlights the current state of brand deals. Over 550 career creators responded and we are thrilled to share the results on International Creator Day. We thank all those who participated and amplified our efforts. A great segue to our research is the newly released study, ‘The State of Influencer-Brand Deals 2024’ from EMARKETER by Jasmine Enberg, Minda Smiley, and Paul Verna, who found that “US marketer spending on sponsored content on social media will rise by 16.0% this year to $8.14 billion. Most brands are increasing their influencer marketing budgets. Many creators say brand deals are drying up. Both are true: More money is flowing into influencer marketing, but new high-profile partnerships are harder than ever for creators to come by.” Download the report: https://lnkd.in/g-sF8qDa #creatoreconomy #brandpartnerships #influencermarketing #careercreators #creativecommunity

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