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After thirty-plus years of promoting and marketing video games, Stephen decided that enough was enough.
He was going to do something different.
But he really couldn't stop himself. He couldn't stop loving the passion, creativity, and imagination of the game makers. So, instead, he thought about using his experience and ability to solve marketing, branding and leadership problems to help game businesses succeed.
He thought he'd become a consultant but worried that sometimes 'consultants' were never all they were cracked up to be. That's why he decided he would be a different kind of consultant. One who could make a real difference and deliver value to companies worldwide.
He's a member of BAFTA, UKIE and a proud ambassador for the games charity SpecialEffect, although he doesn't like mentioning it as he's far too humble. His 'side gig', Unseen University, aims to showcase the available careers in games to young people because they are our future, of course.
Give your project
the best chance of
success
What can Stephen Hey do for me then? Well, with all that experience and knowledge he can make a real contribution to your company, no matter what size or shape it is, solve complex marketing issues, and ‘plug and play’ straight away with no update necessary.
Marketing strategy is his forte; there is nothing he likes more than devising fresh marketing strategies that can make a real difference to products or other marketing issues. His knowledge of marketing channels, consumer insight and engagement, combined with over 30 years of seeing what works and what doesn’t, gives him a unique perspective. He isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty and get stuck in with tactics, ensuring that even the smallest detail in any plan is on brand and message to deliver the most potent campaigns for you.
From concept
to launch and
beyond
What other services does Stephen offer? Here’s a more complete list but be warned, it contains traces of marketing speak, for that we apologise, but Stephen generally speaks English most of the time.
Marketing and Brand Management
Devising marketing and brand strategy
Creating realistic and comprehensive marketing plans
Branding – name generation and testing, development of brand guidelines and materials
Metadata – briefing, testing and optimising metatdata to create effective marketing materials
Market Research – from desk based research to commissioning bespoke reports
Pitching - preparing and presenting powerful pitches to platform holders, publishers and other parties
Briefing and working with creatives, media agencies or other vendors to get the best possible results
Social media, influencer and community briefing
Cover for marketing managers or directors
Corporate & Commercial
Corporate Identity – strategy and execution
Relationship management, partnership building, and pitch creation
Content discovery and curation
Creation, structuring and mentoring of marketing teams
Grant applications - writing marketing elements
Product Strategy
Creating product marketing ‘vision’ setting out market requirements and direction for games in development
Creating ‘best practice’ for B2C or B2B marketing strategies
Consumer profiling – describing a tangible target market for your product
Determining marketing, PR and social angles during the development process
Devising narrative structure for titles to drive marketing, pre and post launch
In-game messaging and merchandising – best practice for maximum effectiveness
Culturalisation of content and presentation assets for western audiences
Business Development
Sourcing game content from developers around the world
Mediating and negotiating contracts
Representing publishers at events through talks, panels and one-to-one meetings
Workshops, Mentoring & Education
Workshop delivery in marketing strategy & execution
One to one, or single company mentoring in marketing and business development
Guest lectures, in person or remote
In this space
since
1993
1993 - 1997 Stephen started his career in games here as a fresh faced PR, working on games such as Jurassic Park, TFX, Doom and Worms.
1997 - 1999 Infogrames acquired Ocean and Stephen's role transitioned into corporate PR as well as working on launches like V-Rally, Heart of Darkness and Driver.
1999 - 2008 A creative agency dedicated to video games, working on iconic campaigns for the likes of Nintendo, Capcom, Take2 and EA. Games included WWE, Star Wars Lego, Resident Evil and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Shadow of Chernobyl.
2008 - 2012 Stephen entered the mobile space here, heading up international marketing for carriers across a portfolio of titles. Stephen worked on mobile versions of P.E.S., Guitar Hero and Lumines in this role.
2012 - 2017 Marketing Director for EA's studio for third party publishing on mobile. Responsible for all aspects of marketing from defining core audiences, to optimising assets, to pitching platforms such as Apple and Google Play. Stephen worked on a diverse range of indie titles including Iron Force, Micro Machines, Feed Me Oil and Icycle.
2022+ Head of Publishing for the highly regarded Indie games developer. Stephen set up a publishing team to work on the delightfully silly, physics driven farming game, ‘Southfield’. Now that the team is established, Stephen has some time to work on other projects while still keeping a guiding hand on the work of Radical Forge.
Let’s
be
friends
Since the inception of HeyStephenHey in 2017, Stephen has helped developers, publishers, educational and government bodies and other companies working in the games industry.
Clients tend to fall into the following categories:
Indie Developers - HeyStephenHey has worked on tens of indie game launches from enthralling adventures to fast-firing card battlers, colourful platformers to intense shooters.
Publishers - HeyStephenHey provided business development services, scouting and corporate marketing for UK Indie publisher Merge Games. He has also provided stand in marketing cover for the likes of Ripstone.
Gaming Ecosystem - from ‘gamer systems’ creator Turbulent, social media giant Social Life, and fizzy drinks firm Red Bull, Stephen has rolled up his sleeves and got stuck into projects where industry insight is vital.
Education & Mentoring - working with the likes of Creative UK, Northern Ireland Screen, Teesside University, NextGen Academy, the Princes Trust and ScreenSkills Stephen delivers mentoring, workshops and lectures.
His work at HeyStephenHey is easily the best job he’s ever had. Oops, I nearly slipped into first person mode then instead of writing about myself in the third person which, frankly, I wish I’d never started.
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Contact Stephen
Whilst Stephen is Head of Publishing for Radical Forge (a job he adores) he may still be able to help. Drop him a line and he will get back to you ASAP.