New Astralis CMO explains why she left VICE’s Refinery29 for esports
Astralis have bolstered their ranks outside of the server with a new hire, bringing in Samantha Yu as the new chief marketing officer of their parent company.
The publicly-listed esports organization, much like other major companies in the industry, are placing importance on building their brand to stand out to fans and commercial partners alike even when they’re not competing. Yu’s experience in content and media aligns perfectly with this objective as in her role as chief marketing officer she will help Astralis Group with their commercial efforts, partnerships, and establishing a deeper connection with fans. She previously served as the vice president of brand and marketing at Refinery29, a publication owned by VICE Media, leading a team of creatives to deliver value to brands by effectively connecting them with the site’s readership.
Having been aware of esports for quite some time, the next question is why she chose to make the leap from a senior position in a major media group to Astralis Group. There are dozens of prominent organizations in esports that could benefit from her expertise. “Astralis is already a strong brand with a clear mission to champion the positive power of gaming and esports,” she said. “It’s an organisation that’s helped esports reach new audiences and shaped the landscape. I’m coming in with a genuine curiosity and respect for what’s been accomplished both in the esports industry and by Astralis Group.” Esports is gaining traction in the mainstream but it’s still a young industry that changes frequently. There are no best practices due to its infancy so creative leaders with fresh ideas have a lot of room to innovate. The media industry is similar in that its landscape is always changing as companies look for the best methods to monetize their audience without alienating them. With Yu’s nine years of experience at Refinery29, working her way up from an editorial associate to a VP, she’ll bring over a unique perspective from an industry that’s well-established yet full of challenges.
Astralis Group understand the importance of building a robust and fruitful commercial arm, having already forged successful partnerships with major brands Garmin, Logitech, hummel, HP, and Bang & Olufsen. Adding Yu to their ranks will likely to see things taken up a notch but there’s no blueprint on how best for them to move forward. Their future is in their hands.
